BBC Radio 1 reclaimed the Radio Station trophy at the Music Week Awards this month.
The BBC youth network won the award which they last took home in 2022.
Music Week spoke to Radio 1 station head Aled Haydn Jones backstage at the ceremony, where he was joined by star presenters including Jack Saunders, Mollie King and Rickie, Melvin & Charlie.
“It feels amazing,” Haydn Jones told Music Week. “As well as being up against the whole industry of radio stations, there were 12 [on the shortlist] and some great radio stations there. I'm so proud that Radio 1 won again.”
The station has recently had some schedule changes, including most recently the departure of Clara Amfo with Jack Saunders stepping in to the New Music Show evening slot.
“I think it's gone very well, it’s been amazing,” said Saunders, who also welcomed the focus on music since Haydn Jones took the top job in 2020.
“Thank you to Aled for really trusting in me personally as a presenter – and also really putting a great amount of effort into putting music at the forefront of things again, it’s really great,” he said.
Haydn Jones said the station has doubled down on its support for new music and artists.
“We really have focused this year on making sure that we take nothing for granted with the music industry,” he said. “The Live Lounge is a world famous music brand for Radio 1 in the capable hands of Rickie, Melvin and Charlie. We have the Anna Wintour of pop here, Mollie King, with her own Future Pop show. And then with Jack launching the New Music Show, it really is about putting the UK music industry at the heart of what we do.”
Dua Lipa played the Live Lounge last week for the launch of new album Radical Optimism.
“The biggest stars come to BBC Radio 1, they have the best time with us,” said Charlie Hedges.
“Absolutely,” added Haydn Jones. “I was really proud actually to see that she was hosting SNL and then doing the Radio 1 Live Lounge – it really stands out in the music industry for what we do in the UK.”
It really is about putting the UK music industry at the heart of what we do
Aled Haydn Jones
At a time when it’s hard for new talent to cut through and with UK artists facing global competition, Haydn Jones emphasised the crucial role of Radio 1 for the industry.
“It's a tough time for artists, especially when with streaming sites it's about the tracks,” he said. “So what radio is really good at, it's about the artist journey and taking new UK artists – and artists from around the world – to a wide UK audience who still consume radio in huge numbers.
“I think it’s really important that you have a station like Radio 1 at the heart of things to give more context to the artists and their body of work, and not just a track that you might be streaming.”
Click here to read our interview with A&R winners Island Records with label president Louis Bloom.
FOLLOW 
