Radio and music go hand in hand, so it makes sense that there are loads of songs about radio! We’ve put together a list of some of the best bangers that are about our favourite medium: the radio. Get ready to add them to your playlist, and even broadcast them on your radio station.
1/ On the radio – Donna Summer (1979)
This song is about somebody pining for a lost love with hopes of reconnecting by broadcasting their feelings on the radio. They put their hopes into the fact that the song being played on the radio will let the person know their true feelings. This record was a milestone for Donna, making it her tenth Top 10 hit in the USA and also her 8th consecutive Top 5 entry.
Fun fact: It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, but lost to Bette Midler’s “The Rose.”
2/ Video Killed The Radio Star – The Buggles (1980)
Arguably one of the most popular songs about radio, it reflects on the fact that technology was on the verge of changing everything. This is why lead singer Trevor Horn’s voice is robotic, and the all instruments were processed to give the tune a computerized feel. In his book ‘I want my MTV’ Trevor said: “Video recorders had just come along, which changed people’s lives. It felt like radio was the past and video was the future.”
Fun fact: It was the first video to air on MTV.
3/ Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio? – Ramones (1980)
This song forecast the downfall of rock music, whilst celebrating the iconic era of the genre from the 50s-70s that influenced the band. There are various references throughout the lyrics to various DJs and musicians.
Fun fact: The opening line of the song “Come on, let’s rock and roll with the Ramones” is Sean Donahue, a DJ who worked at radio stations in San Francisco (KSAN) and San Jose (KOME, KSJP).
4/ The spirit of radio – Rush (1980)
Neil Peart, Rush drummer and lyricist, explained this song in an interview with Billboard magazine by saying: “It was actually written as a tribute to all that was good about radio, celebrating my appreciation of magical moments I’d had since childhood, of hearing ‘the right song at the right time.”
Fun fact: Just before the song goes back to the main riff, there is a sound that is supposed to imitate the turning of a radio dial. When using analog dials to switch between stations, there’s a brief moment where you can catch multiple radios at once.
5/ This Is Radio Clash – The Clash (1981)
Originally, the idea for this song came from a conversation between singer Joe Strummer, and manager Bernie Rhodes, about setting up a radio station for the band. The lyrics evoke the rebellious nature of Pirate Radio broadcasting, and even begins with a statement announcing the interruption of all programs.
Fun fact: the song was featured in season 2, episode 4 of Stranger Things.
6/ Around The Dial – The Kinks (1981)
This tune tells the tale of a frantic listener going through stations around the radio dial in order to find his favorite DJ. This DJ was taken off the air, as he didn’t necessarily stick to trends and play what the labels told him to. He simply wanted to play music that the people wanted to hear! The protagonist of the story is determined to find this DJ so that he can enjoy listening to the radio again.
Fun fact: At the beginning of the song, you can hear an actual radio being tuned at the start off the track – no electric guitar used to imitate the sound!
7/ Radio Ga Ga – Queen (1984)
This iconic anthem expresses both a critique of radio stations becoming overly commercialized by always playing the same songs, as well as an undying love for the medium as it was slowly overtaken by TV. Roger Taylor wrote it after realizing that many kids where choosing to tune into MTV over the radio.
Fun fact: Whilst filming the music clip, the extras got the clapping sequence right on the first try although they had never heard the song before, whereas it took multiple takes for the members of Queen to get it right.
8/ I Can’t Live Without My Radio – LL Cool J (1985)
This is essentially a love song about LL Cool J’s beloved JVC boom box. It was released at a time where boom boxes had almost become an accessory, with people carrying them around on their shoulders, blasting tunes from the radio or cassettes for the whole neighbourhood to hear.
Fun fact: LL Cool J’s radio liked to blast various radio stations such as WBLS (notably when Rap Attack was on), as well as the New York University station WNYU.
9/ The last DJ – Tom Petty and the heartbreakers (2002)
Another hit that speaks of people, like you and me, who love music and are saddened by the loss of their favorite DJ. At first glance, the lyrics talk about corporate radios taking away freedom from DJs who just want to broadcast good music. However, when you look deeper, you can see that radio is a metaphor for society’s loss of a moral compass.
Fun fact: Unsurprisingly, the song got very little airplay, which in a way proved Petty’s point.
10/ Radio – Robbie Williams (2004)
Robbie Williams is essentially talking about an entertainer going mad in this popular hit from the early 2000s. In the chorus, radio is referred to as a source of familiarity and confort: “Listen to the radio, and you will hear the songs you know.”
Fun fact: it was written for Williams’ Greatest Hits album, which was the best selling album of 2004 in the UK.
Obviously there are many more songs about radio out there, these are just a few that we love here at RadioKing! What are some of your favorite songs about radio?
