BBC Radio 1 is merging its In New Music We Trust (INMWT) playlist into its main playlist, in line with the launch of the Radio 1 Specialist Chart With Phil Taggart, which launched on Monday.
The Specialist Chart pitches itself as a bite-sized digest of the world's hottest tracks, compiled by combining the songs most loved by specialist presenters and listeners. Radio 1 is also adding two spaces to its C list to help provide additional elbow room for new material crossing over from specialist. The Specialist Chart will be published with the Radio 1 Playlist each week.
A Radio 1 spokesman said the move was being made in reponse to young people's changing listening habits, showcasing the best of specialist music where early-adopting users are most likely to search for it – on their phone. In addition, Radio 1 says the move will give greater impact to the new tracks and artists that end up being added to the main playlist.
At last month's MUSEXPO Europe, Radio 1 and 1Xtra controller Ben Cooper revealed details of 25 hour-long downloadable ‘phone first’ music playlists a week for Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
