Zane Lowe’s last ever show on BBC Radio 1 aired on the 5th March, after over a decade at the station. First of all, this man came onto Radio 1 airwaves in 2003, which makes me feel incredibly old, considering I feel like he’s always been there helping to guide my music tastes along the way, and that seems like a lifetime ago.
Zane’s show is going to be filled by already-loved DJ and general party-crazy Annie Mac, but she has big shoes to fill in that prime-time evening slot, and she knows it:
“I am so excited and humbled to be asked to do this show. The thing I love about music radio is those private epiphanies it provides…And to be following in the footsteps of Zane Lowe, a broadcaster that I respect and admire enormously, is a huge honour. I can’t wait to get started.”
Being an advocate for new music and artists, especially with his daily feature ‘hottest record in the world right now’, it’s unsurprising that many are sad to see him go. He’s helped to launch the careers of some big names; from Adele to Jake Bugg, and Bastille to Ed Sheeran. His influence and enthusiasm has been a massive asset to the music industry and community over the years.
Basically, the man’s a genius, and I can only hope that he can continue to spread his musical expertise with his new mystery job at Apple.
And then, not long after Zane’s announcement, Radio 1 listeners were hit with another bombshell when Fearne Cotton released a statement on her website revealing that she too will be leaving the station. How old am I again?! What is national radio going to look like without these two legends to listen to every day?
Fearne back when she started on Radio 1 in 2005
Like Zane, Fearne has been a significant and passionate advocate for new music, with a recent example being James Bay, who was on her midday show in the Live Lounge just before Christmas.
It’s not all bad news though, as she also announced that this new chapter in her life is beginning with having her second child with husband Jesse Wood, and there’s not a lot that I love more than attractive people having babies, so there is a silver lining in that respect.
I know that I’ve heard lots of bands and artists that have become favourites for the first time on both Zane and Fearne’s shows, and all I can hope is that their successors will have the same kind of impact on a new generation of radio listeners.
Sources
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/31701230
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/31470124
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/31660977
Edited by Amelia Bauer-Madden