Despite racking up 7 UK number one singles and 34 UK top ten hits in the 1960’s, Sir Cliff Richard, who’s sold around 250 million records worldwide during a career spanning over fifty years, has been banned from the playlist of a new radio station dedicated to that era, before it’s even been launched.
Cliff Richard
In a decision which is sure to infuriate Sir Cliff’s legion of loyal fans, Absolute Radio 60’s, sister station of national broadcaster Absolute Radio, has defiantly said it will not feature any of the 71 year olds 40 plus tracks from the 60’s on its new service, a week before the unveiling of another new one, Absolute Radio 70s.
But of course it’s not the first time a radio station has refused to play his music. In the late 90’s, many banned his charity track ‘The Millennium Prayer,’ which actually went on to earn Sir Cliff his fourteenth number one and third highest selling single of his career, following a backlash by furious fans angry about the blackout.
But Absolute Radio 60’s DJ Pete Mitchell claims Sir Cliff is ‘not cool enough,’ to make the playlist, adding ‘Yes, he enjoyed chart success, but his songs don’t fit the ‘cool sound’ of The Swinging Sixties we’re trying to create on our new station. We believe timeless acts of the decade that remain relevant today, are The Beatles, The Stones, The Doors and The Who, not Sir Cliff.’
Absolute Radio 60s is asking the public to vote for the first song to be played on the station by going to www.absoluteradio60s.co.uk
Absolute Radio 60s and Absolute Radio 70s are in good company, the team at Absolute radio are already spoiling the nation with Absolute 80s, Absolute Radio 90s and Absolute Radio 00s, who do exactly what they say on the tin, alongside Absolute Radio ‘ host to The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show, Frank Skinner, Geoff Lloyd and Dave Gorman, Absolute Classic Rock & Absolute Radio extra ‘ the home of official Premier League Rock n Roll Football commentary hosted by Arsenal legend Ian Wright.
