Sounds of the 20th Century will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 every Thursday at 10pm from 7th April 2011.
To Listen Live
FM Radio: 88-91 FM
DAB Radio: look for BBC Radio 2 on the stations menu. You’ll also get additional text information displayed on the radio about the programme.
Online: visit the BBC iPlayer
Digital TV: look for BBC Radio 2 in the programme guide.
On Demand
Each programme will be available for seven days after broadcast, using the BBC iPlayer.
Sounds of the 20th Century 
I really love your programme, I only heard the 1956 version but will listen to all at least as far forward as 1963, covering the rock’n’roll years, my favourite music. I was there when it happened!
David Tobias
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Thanks David, glad you’re enjoying them! 1957 this week…
Hi Heather,
You mentioned in a previous post about block repeating some of the ‘no longer available after a week’ episodes of ‘Sounds of the 20th’… any progress regarding this?
It is such a shame to have missed just one episode which is no longer available.
Most posts on here seem to be either praising the series, asking to hear missed episodes or both!!!
Hi Simon,
The series will be repeated at some point and we’ll let you know when! Keep checking back here.
Best wishes,
Heather
Hello… looking for copies of 1951 through 1959 of this great series… http://www.britican.com
-Kim
Have missed the earlier programmes.Any chance of Listen Again?
Might these be available on a cd in the near future?
I know my parents would love them as a gift that they could listen to anytime they liked. I watched my mother listening to it and she relayed more indepth stories from that time and it had such a profound effect on us both. Magical.
I have at last caught this show tonight and really impressed. I would love to catch up and listen to the other shows, is there any way of doing this?
Hi Richard,
No plans for “series catch-up” at the moment. However, we are hoping that the series will be repeated in future.
Best wishes,
Heather
Once the series has finished do you have any plans to release a complete collection on CD?
Hi Richard,
No plans for a CD yet, but we welcome the suggestion!
Best wishes,
Heather
I too would love a cd of these programmes something to pass on a s a legacy or may we get a repeat from programme one soon
I second (or third or fourth etc) a CD or purchable download
Hi… I love this series… Is there a plan to release the series on download (iTunes or similar) or on CD…? Thanks…
Dave from Colchester…
Once again the BBC Iplayer has cut at least 10 – 15 minutes off the programme because of Noel Gallagher finishing late. Usually I skip to the next programme to catch the end of the first but sadly it hasn’t worked. I’m keeping this series for nostalgia and have now lost 1951 and 1981 due to Jo Whiley’s show over-running. I too ask along with Dave is there a plan to release SOTTC?
I contacted Radio 2 before contacting this page and the IPlayer has been amended. Great news.
yep, i was looking for a CD or download of the series too. would make a great christmas present
Just found out about this, its great. I too would welcome a downloadable release of this!
Thank you,
Darren
My father has dementia and would enjoy the shows from the 50s and 60s. Please consider releasing the series on cd or download. It would be fantastic therapy! Thanks.
Excellent show – stirs the memories – have only listened to the last 3 shows when I stumbled across the show traveling home late one night – would love to be able to buy this series on CD !! – Xmas just around the corner !! – Why not release ????
I was also hoping for a CD as the ideal Christmas present for my mother-in-law – please consider releasing it!
Think I’ll chip in here and ask again for all whether those plans to repeat will actually come to any fruition (and whether this is scheduled in to begin or just planned?
Also on the point of a release on CD/download purchase is a no brainer so I’d like to know whether it would be possible as I can’t imagine where you’d begin with all the rights holders that must be involved!
I missed 1981, my own year 😦
Please release this on CD! I can’t not buy this!
Help!
Please, please can someone enlighten me to what exactly the introductory music is in the back ground as Jeremy introduces the programme. Its something I heard when I was a child and has never got out of my head in 35ish years and still I have no idea what it is or who it is by.
Show is fantastic and the production excellent.
Neil
Hi Neil,
It’s called Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland.
There’s more on it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanfare_for_the_Common_Man
Best wishes,
Heather
Heather
Thank you so much for responding and finally clearing this up for me. As I mentioned in my original post, this tune has been in my head for last 35 years so it comes to a sort of relief to finally have the answer.
May I take the brief opportunity to add to others comments having joined this programme very late into the series, that any repeat series or opportunity to acquire the series on CD/download would be met with interest.
Thanks very much again.
Neil.
Can’t believe that the BBC don’t repeat this as they repeat every other damn thing at least twice! Keep up the good work but work hard on a chance to listen again, especially to missed episodes…
This is a landmark series. I work late into the evening and on so many occasions, vivid memories have come flooding back so fresh that I’ve not realised I stopped work just to finish the show. How could I have forgotten the cricket presenter laughing so captivatingly.
This really is an incredible journey. The concept is unqiue and the production outstanding. I think it would be a terrible and sad shame to let something as passionately put together as this series get dusty in the BBC archives never to be pulled out again.
Please, add my wholehearted support to getting this series onto a commercial CD pressing so that we all can enjoy it over and over again.
Thank you.
Hi Heather,
We all love your series. I just want to put in my twopence and ask for a cd too?!
I only actually remember the stuff that happened in the 1990’s, but it’s great to hear a summary of the uk cultural and news events, it’s such easy listening. I’d love to be able to listen to it with my parents and grandparents, and see how they react to it.
If not on cd, then can you let us know when it will be repeated?
Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for your kind comments across the blog – it’s great to hear from listeners who are enjoying the series.
All I can say at this stage is that we’re hoping for a full series repeat soon and will post details here as and when we can.
Best wishes,
Heather
I’m too another one who’d love a cd of the series. I can’t listen to the radio that late at night, nor often able to re listen on iplayer. Would be great to be able to listen to them all in my own time as and when I wanted to.
I have missed most of this how do I hear the series again. Can I buy it anywhere?
Aargh! If only this was available as a downloadable podcast!
I’ve missed most of these, any chance they will be available to buy ??
Ah ok, I’ve just read other comments and see I’m alone here!
Please please please a release on cd/download…. I’d imagine it would be a great seller!
Should have put ‘not’ alone here !!
Oh I got all excited reading that comment, thinking the series was being repeated from this April!! 😥
i would also love to get a copy of the whole lot, a CD would be great,
Is there going to be an opportunity to purchase the complete series?
I too would welcome a C.D. / Digital Download release of all programs in this brilliant series.
Thank you to everybody who produced them for making really great radio shows that never failed to cheer me up.
I’ve added the series to the Radio Times Watchlist so that if does get repeated I won’t miss any episodes the second time round.
Please please release as a download or CD to buy!
Just to reiterate my interest in being able to relisten/download/buy this!