Play list for commercial radio stations on the occasion of a royal/nationally important death?

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Apologies if this is a bit morbid. My interest is in the actual songs than the occasion itself.

Apparently, every commercial radio station in the country has a blue 'obit light' (that's tested every week), which will be suddenly lit when a royal death occurs. This is their signal to immediately switch to a playlist of songs that are sombre and considered befitting of such an occasion. Reportedly, there are two centrally approved lists referred to as 'Mood 2' (very sad songs) and 'Mood 1' (the saddest songs of all).

Only one of the songs on one of the lists has been publicly named - Haunted Dancehall (Nursery Remix) by Sabres of Paradise - and I'm bizarrely curious about which other songs are on those lists.

Are there any DJs/presenters out there, or anybody else in the know, who can shed any light on which songs actually make the list? And for the majority of us who have no insider knowledge whatsoever, which songs would others put on the lists, if it were up to them?

Again, this isn't a 'do you like the royals or not' thread, nor am I after speculation about the next royal death. I just really want to know what songs are on those lists or, otherwise, which songs MN would deem worthy of the lists!

[HRadio]

Hi

I work in commercial radio and to answer your questions

Every Radio station will revert for several days to somber music that fits with each station so Kiss for example lots of ambient chill music, Heart Whitney George etc

No adverts or jingles and much toned down on presentation and social media

The new king if it is Queen will speak to the nation at some point after the death is announced

Funeral 10 days after death and expect your favourite station to sound very different

BBC Radio 12345 will all Carry same output

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I recall from a number of years ago David Dimbleby rather publicly making it known that he wanted to 'get the gig' for the BBC as head announcer/commentator when the Queen died, rather than somebody like Huw Edwards or John Humphreys being assigned it.

As well as it being in spectacularly poor taste raising/arguing about it so openly, the royals tend to be very long-lived and he is only 12 years younger than she is, so there are no guarantees at all that he'd still be around at the time.

[movingonup20]

I'm guessing it may vary by station and circumstances, if it is a gradual decline and Charles is already regent it isn't the same as sudden death. I'm guessing the lesser list might be for philip. I was in charge of the plans at work and on the regional committee, it's been in place for many years.

[SomewhatBored]

Mourning, not morning.

[SomewhatBored]

I suppose, in a way, it potentially blurs the lines between who the radio stations are actually for: we like to think that they're primarily for the listeners' benefit and that we are the focus, but it does make you feel on occasions like this that they're there to prescribe what we should be listening to and how we should be feeling rather than reflecting what we actually want to hear.

This is true. Also I suspect they wouldn't want to be inundated with complaints from dimwits moaning that they played 'Celebrate' by Kool and the Gang or something on a day when everyone is 'supposed' to be in morning.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I watched an episode of the Crown recently and (according to that) all the royals had bridge names

What's the betting that Andrew's is the Bridge Cafe where the losing team go after the task on The Apprentice?

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I suspect "The Queen is Dead " by The Smiths might pop up at some point

It certainly would feature high on the playlist at the internal radio station for the workers at the Ronseal factory

[Fizbosshoes]

There was a long guardian feature about the protocol in 2017. I can't link on app but Google for "London bridge is down" media response to royal death

I watched an episode of the Crown recently and (according to that) all the royals had bridge names , the Queens was London Bridge. It was in a conversation after prince Charles was caught in an avalanche and there was some news/media code for a "bridge down" or something similar.

[anniegun]

I suspect "The Queen is Dead " by The Smiths might pop up at some point

[Needingsomeadvice]

When I worked at Asda (seasonal work as a uni student) I went to work as it opened the morning after Princess Diana had died. I had been at a party the night before and had waited a long time for a taxi home, so it had been the early hours and the taxi driver was listening to the news about the accident. Anyway, I turned up for work the next day and apparently the people in charge of the music weren't aware. A cheery jingle and the familiar "Asda FM!"... It practically screeched to a halt a few minutes later and there was silence. Then 2 or 3 hours later, sad songs "Unforgettable", "Careless Whisper" etc.

[haba]

I thought Sabres Of Paradise was Andy Weatherall?
I don't know the song, but most of the bands he was involved with weren't particularly funereal.

[haba]

@JamieLeesCurtains

Haunted Dancehall (Nursery Remix) by Sabres of Paradise

I've never heard of this.

Indeed, I can't see that going down well on R3 or Classic FM!

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I agree that they'd have to pull the adverts, but that would surely have a massive impact on the revenues and viability of a small-ish commercial station - as well as probably making things difficult for small firms who rely on the advertising to get custom.

I seem to recall that Sky suspended all advertising for a very long time after 9/11, but they can afford to do that, I suppose.

I agree with the above on not liking being expected to mourn a famous stranger. Diana's loved ones and close friends will obviously have been deeply impacted by her death, but I never knew or met her. I was at the funeral of one of my loved ones yesterday. Other than a tiny announcement we put in the local paper, no public or private media organisations made any mention of it or any changes in the light of her passing; and there were very few of us there - but that affected me and my emotions far more than a stranger's loved one's death.

I suppose, in a way, it potentially blurs the lines between who the radio stations are actually for: we like to think that they're primarily for the listeners' benefit and that we are the focus, but it does make you feel on occasions like this that they're there to prescribe what we should be listening to and how we should be feeling rather than reflecting what we actually want to hear.

[ElizaLaLa]

When Diana died I used to listen to Steve Jackson's morning glory, with Streetboy, on kiss. Normally they'd have background music when they were talking, they'd be taking the piss etc. When I put it on they were just talking with no background music, very serious, they said what had happened and I didn't believe it until I went downstairs and saw it on the tv. I don't remember if they played any music.

[LubaLuca]

open.spotify.com/playlist/3slmcb3CwhiP6ongoZaJXn?nd=1

We had Radio 1 on all day at work when Diana died, and I remember the repetitive dirge.

[Blowingagale]

I expect that almost all stations will have contracts with advertisers that adverts are pulled completely- not good for either the company of the station in the early stages.

[TheLisbonSisters]

Assume Classic FM would play sombre classical music rather than those playlists?

[Lurkingforawhile]

It also explains (IIRC) about why the death of the Queen might affect the nation more strongly as she's all we've ever known.

[Lurkingforawhile]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other This is a good read if you're interested in the process and timescales

[SomewhatBored]

And for the majority of us who have no insider knowledge whatsoever, which songs would others put on the lists

For the death of a Royal, politician or celebrity I would prefer the stations just played their usual music. The death might be sad for some but it's up to the individuals who are upset to avoid anything too cheerful if they don't want to hear it. I wasn't at all upset when Diana died, for instance. It was sad for her young sons, but she was a vain, extravagant individual so I couldn't feel she was much loss to anyone else.

Talk - well, I can't stand the inane gab about nothing that you get on commercial stations and Radio 1 so if I were in charge I'd cut that out permanently - have one intelligent presenter only, not two idiots talking about what they ate for breakfast and what their horoscopes said that morning.

National/world tragedy involving multiple deaths - I would probably go for instrumental or mainly instrumental music with a neutral feel rather than overtly sombre music - something that would make a soothing background, without making people feel even sadder than they already felt.

[Minaun]

Just looked up that Haunted Dancehall song on Spotify as I had never heard of it - it's fucking horrific! What a terrible song, sounds like something out of a horror movie soundtrack. Why on earth someone chose THAT to be on the list is beyond me!

[JamieLeesCurtains]

I've listened to Haunted Dancehall now. It goes on a bit, I'll give it that. No other redeeming features.

I'd prefer a nice bit of Elgar's Nimrod. Or Elbow.

[Gliblet]

Some of the tracks the BBC used on the day of Diana's funeral are listed in a post on this old thread
tvforum.uk/tvhome/operation-london-bridge-death-queen-42518/page-7

I do wonder what smaller commercial stations will do. A lot more pressure on DJs to keep talking i suspect. Theres not much point putting together a playlist of stuff like that if the local construction firm's jaunty jingle about pourable concrete pops up inbetween...

[BarbaraofSeville]

I remember when 9/11 happened, I and a colleague were at our company head office a 4 hour drive away and we had the radio on for the drive home and some of the time, we had Radio 1 on and instead of lively nonsense that they usually did, it was minimal chat and music. I don't remember the music, but they probably did something like this then.

BBC News also have appropriately sombre clothing ready for the main presenters, which is tried on annually, in case of similar circumstances.

[Scarby9]

Like @OnceUponAMidnightBeery, I remember this when Diana died.

I had stayed the night at a friend's house as we had just got back from a camping holiday. I set off for home the following morning without waking my friend. This is in the days before widespread mobile phones and rolling news etc. I just got up, had breakfast and got in my car.

I remember changing the channel on the radio - and again - and again - looking for something cheerful to listen to, but there were just these solemn tunes and no speech.

I was almost home (15 minutes?) before a serious voice came on to tell us Diana had died. I turned straight round and drove back to my friend's house to tell her.

We spent the rest of the day watching the TV and crying. Diana was our age and it just hit home every time they showed her dates.

The week after her death was such a weird week in the UK. My parents were on holiday in France and missed it all. They never unferstood he kind of collective hysteria that gripped the press and large swathes of the population.