The most played song of the century on UK radio
Radio broadcasting was once the most dominant force in music. Musicians cherished the opportunity to reach wider audiences, while music fans flocked to the platform for the latest hits, genres, and artists.
After radio had its so-called golden age from the 1920s to the 1950s, its influence continued into the 1960s as devices became more accessible to the masses. Radio began to diversify as college and pirate radios popped up, providing access to counterculture on the airwaves. By 1979, the Buggles were singing, “Video killed the radio star”, but this wasn’t strictly true. In fact, radio has retained its influence on the music industry to this day.
The rise of streaming has posed an even bigger threat to radio’s stability than video, gifting music fans the capability to listen to any song at any time. Still, radio appears to be maintaining its grip on popular music. RAJAR, Radio Joint Audience Research, reported that 89% of the population listened to the radio for an average of 20.3 hours each week in 2022.
Not only has commercial radio retained its impact, but the platform has also adapted to the changing industry. BBC Music Introducing remains an invaluable platform for up-and-coming artists. Despite the concerning cuts to regional shows, the platform has catapulted the likes of Florence and the Machine, Little Simz, and Ed Sheeran into fame over the last two decades. Online station NTS Radio has reinvented the platform and garnered a cult following. Independent radio stations are popping up across the country. Despite streaming’s best efforts, radio has proven impossible to kill.
As the platform has continued its influence into the 21st century, one song has dominated the airwaves. The most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio is Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’. A love song soundtracked by minimal guitar strums, Snow Patrol’s simple lyricism and instrumentation endeared itself to radio hosts across the country.
Released in 2006, the song featured on the band’s fourth studio album, Eyes Open, and remains their highest-selling single. ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas took second place, while Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ came in third.
In an interview with the BBC after they were awarded the title, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody recalled how the song was written spontaneously all in one night: “It was just what was happening at that moment in my life,” he said. “I was in love. So it was a true, true representation of what was going on.”
He also explained the universal appeal of ‘Chasing Cars’. He stated, “It’s an emotionally open song and it’s a simple song. But it’s also unabashedly a love song, and we don’t really have any others. The way it unifies an audience is the thing I most cherish about it. It’s a beautiful moment every time you play it.”
Lightbody’s statement can also be applied to radio itself. Since its inception, the platform has united artists, audiences, and communities around their love for music.
Listen back to the most-played song of the century on UK radio, Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’ below.
