Hey everyone. I’m Libby, and I’m an Assistant Producer (AP) here at Audio Always, working on shows for the brand new DAB+ station BBC Radio 1 Anthems.
I’m based with the team at Audio Always HQ in Salford, and it feels like a full circle-dream that started not long ago for me, back at the University of Salford.
Before uni, I’d never really thought about a career in radio, but getting involved with student radio and diving into the world of Shock Radio changed everything for me, and I was so intrigued by the whole production process of creating something to be broadcast to thousands of people. After my degree in radio production, I landed a Production Trainee role here at Audio Always for Radio 1 Anthems, which launched on BBC Sounds last year, and I just fell in love with it. I learned so much from the team, and I’m so excited to be working across more shows, including BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks.
My Role on Anthems
It might sound cliche, but working on Radio 1 Anthems is truly a dream come true. A huge part of my role is sourcing music for each episode, which basically means I get to listen to some ultimate tunes all day. My job as an AP is a mix of creative and technical tasks, and I work alongside our main producer Josh and exec Pete to make sure every episode is the absolute best it can be. Once Producer Josh has worked his magic on any edits, I make sure all the admin is sorted. It doesn’t even feel like work because I’m basically reliving my childhood through our playlists.
The Anthems
As you can probably tell, the music is the heart of every show on Anthems. Our job is to make sure we’re telling a story through the music, and delivering on the anthemic vibes. I dive deep into the theme of each show, making a long list of songs that fit perfectly. For our 100 Greatest episodes, I create a massive list and then break it down into segments, making sure every single song on the list is an absolute anthem. I also love to mix genres, so there’s always something for everyone. There’s going to be some classic tracks in there that will transport you back in time.
My favorite anthem of all time has to be “Shine a Light” by McFly and Taio Cruz. It’s an underrated anthem and every time I hear it, I’m instantly taken back to being a kid, singing it at the top of my lungs in the car with my sister. It’s those types of feelings we want to recreate for all the listeners to Anthems.
It’s an amazing experience to be part of a team that creates something so cool – and you can’t beat the feeling of switching on the radio and thinking ‘yeah, I made that’.
