S2008 E1 • How Pop Songs Work

Celebration of the magic of pop music and the skill and musical dexterity that goes into writing, performing and producing hit records. Conductor Charles Hazlewood explores the mechanics of pop songs such as Imagine, Tomorrow Never Knows and Back to Black by breaking them down into six key areas, aided by contributions from a cast of writers, producers and arrangers including Guy Chambers, Martin Fry, Steve Levine, Richard Niles, Nick Ingman, John Altman and Rob Davis.

Première diffusion : 9 janvier 2008

S2008 E2 • Chuck Berry in Concert

Legendary rock 'n' roller Chuck Berry performs at the BBC Television Theatre in 1972. Johnny B Goode, Roll Over Beethoven and Nadine are just some of the highlights of this concert, shown in an extended cut. This version includes, for the first time, an epic rendition of My Ding-a-Ling that carries all before it and raises innuendo to an art form.

Première diffusion : 17 janvier 2008

S2008 E3 • Caledonia Dreamin'

Documentary revealing the hidden history of Scottish pop music and how a small record label inspired bands like Orange Juice, Altered Images, Wet Wet Wet and Franz Ferdinand.

Première diffusion : 22 février 2008

S2008 E4 • They Came from Manchester: The Story of Mancunian Pop

A compilation of BBC studio performances of some of the great Manchester bands from the 1960s to the present, including Freddie and the Dreamers, The Hollies, 10CC, the Buzzcocks, The Fall, Joy Division, James, M-People, Oasis and many more.

Première diffusion : 5 septembre 2008

S2008 E5 • Kings of Rock and Roll

A journey back to the 1950s for a look at the wildest pop music of all time in a film that tells the stories of Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly, giants from an era when pop music really was mad, bad and dangerous to know. The programme features the artists themselves, alongside people like Bill Haley's original Comets, The Crickets, Buddy Holly's widow Maria Elena, Jerry Lee Lewis's former wife Myra Gail and his sister, Chuck Berry's son and many more, including June Juanico, Elvis's first serious girlfriend. Other contributors include Tom Jones, Jamie Callum, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard, Joe Brown, Marty Wilde, Green Day, Minnie Driver, Jack White of The White Stripes, The Mavericks, Jools Holland, Hank Marvin, Fontella Bass, John Waters and more. Elvis's pelvis was just the start. Who had to change the lyrics to their biggest hit because the originals were too obscene? Who married their 13-year-old cousin? Who used lard to get their hair just right? And what happened on the day the music died?

Première diffusion : 6 septembre 2008

S2008 E6 • Hey Mr DJ: The Rise and Rise of the Disc Jockey

David Hepworth chronicles the history of the disc jockey. The DJ has often been a neglected profession but today's globe-trotting jocks enjoy superstar status. Contributors include Pete Tong, Annie Nightingale, Johnnie Walker and Ranking Miss P.

Première diffusion : 6 septembre 2008

S2008 E7 • Roxy Music: Frejus

Roxy Music in concert at Frejus in France in 1982, in front of an audience of 15,000

Première diffusion : 19 septembre 2008

S2008 E8 • Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

First broadcast in 1988 and filmed in black and white, this TV concert filmed at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles features Roy Orbison performing his classic songs with friends like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, kd lang, Jennifer Warnes and Bonnie Raitt. The TCB Band which backs all featured artists was Elvis Presley's band till his death in 1977 and includes James Burton, Glen D Hardin, Jerry Scheff and Ronnie Tutt with musical director T-Bone Burnett.

Première diffusion : 16 décembre 2008