Eras
The stories of the biggest artists in the world. We delve deep into the BBC archive and speak to the people who were there, as we look back on their most iconic eras.
Episodes
Kylie Minogue: 1. She Should Be So Lucky
Join Scott Mills for the ultimate celebration of the UK’s best-loved pop star, who this year headlines Radio 2 in the Park on Sunday 17th September.When a teenage Kylie lit up Aussie screens in Neighbours, the die was cast for her meteoric rise to fame. Before long, she’d launched a parallel career as a singer - and left Ramsay Street in the rear-view mirror.After that? No prizes for guessing. Sol
Kylie Minogue: 2. She Don’t Need Anyone
Join Scott Mills for the ultimate celebration of the UK’s best-loved pop star, who this year headlines Radio 2 in the Park on Sunday 17 September.The 90s are well underway, and Kylie Minogue is in uncharted territory. After splitting with powerhouse production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman, she’s joined forces with indie label Deconstruction Records, spurning the advances of a slew of record ind
Kylie Minogue: 3. She Can’t Get You Out of Her Head
Join Scott Mills for the ultimate celebration of the UK’s best-loved pop star, who this year headlines Radio 2 in the Park on Sunday 17th September.Australia rings in the New Year first. But as a new millennium dawns, one of her favourite daughters is relaxing in LA. She won’t be standing still for long.In the summer of 2000, the world entered Kylie Minogue’s third and most iconic era so far. New
Kylie Minogue: 4. She Hears It and She Knows
Join Scott Mills for the ultimate celebration of the UK’s best-loved pop star, who this year headlines Radio 2 in the Park on Sunday 17th September.All good things come to an end - unless you’re Kylie Minogue, apparently.In 2012, Kylie marked 25 years in the music industry. The Abbey Road Sessions, an album of radical reworkings of some of her biggest hits, could easily have bookended a career few
Kylie Minogue: 5. The Interview
Ahead of Kylie's headline set at Radio 2 in the Park 2023, Scott Mills chats to the Princess of Pop, as they discuss the highlights of her 35 year career.
The Beatles: 1. Rock n' Roll
Martin Freeman tells the story of the Fab Four’s rise, fall and rebirth - and how they changed the world along the way. In the space of just 8 years, their journey took them from the smoky clubs of Hamburg and Liverpool, to Abbey Road and unprecedented global fame. And when their time together came to an end, each Beatle began anew - creating a body of work that’s still growing today.As the world
The Beatles: 2. Riots
It’s 1964. British Beatlemania is in full swing but, this summer, the Fab Four are about to go global - and nothing can stand in their way.In Part 2 of Eras: The Beatles the band scales new heights as they enter the pop stratosphere on both sides of the Atlantic.From silver-screen adventures to the invention of Stadium Rock, the BBC Archive team have scoured their collection for the interviews tha
The Beatles: 3. Rebellion
No high lasts forever. And in 1966, the pressures of fame begin to weigh on the globetrotting lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo. From a close-call with military police in the Philippines, to an all-out religious backlash in the United States, the band starts to question whether being a Beatle is quite so fab after all. Maybe it’s time for something new. To become a different band entirely.In
The Beatles: 4. Revolution
When tragedy strikes at the end of 1967, the Beatles are faced with an uncertain future. In the months and years to come, cracks begin to show in the foundations of the world’s most powerful musical unit. As each member matured and developed as artists, the end became inevitable.In Part 4 of Eras: The Beatles, Martin Freeman explores the pressures that broke the biggest band on the planet, and the
The Beatles: 5. Reincarnation
If you’re in the biggest band there ever was, how do you cope when it all comes crashing down?That’s the question John, Paul, George and Ringo were asking themselves in the spring of 1970, when it was announced that the Beatles were breaking up for good.In Part 5, Martin Freeman arrives at the end of an era - and the start of four more.In the aftermath of the split, recriminations give way to new
The Beatles: 6. Now And Then
In the final episode of Eras: The Beatles we hear the story behind The Beatles final single ‘Now and Then’, including new interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Narrated by Martin Freeman, the episode also features insight on the new track from Sean Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison and Peter Jackson.
In 1994, Yoko Ono gave Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr a selection of unfini
ABBA: 1. The Road to Waterloo
They’re famous for their marriages, divorces, and impossibly perfect pop songs.But how much do you really know about ABBA?In this series, Sara Cox is your guide to Sweden’s biggest musical export.When Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Anni-Frid won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, their lives changed forever. But that win didn’t come easy.Because the road to Waterloo is a long one. It took years of hard
ABBA: 2. The Arrival
With Waterloo, ABBA became an international act. But in the aftermath, they were almost written off as one-hit wonders.In Episode 2 of ABBA: Eras, Sara Cox tells the story of how the group pulled themselves back from the brink of obscurity - and found legions of new fans a very long way from Sweden.Featuring rare BBC archive, expert interviews and lashings of ABBA’s indelible pop, this is your win
ABBA: 3. Said and Done
It’s 1979, and ABBA are one of the world’s most famous bands. But beneath their successful surface, things are changing.In Episode 3, Sara Cox follows the band to the peak of their career. As ABBA release some of their most iconic and sophisticated music, their personal relationships come under incredible strain. The band play on - but how long can they really last?Through the BBC Archive and bran
ABBA: 4. Thank You For The Music
After a wildly successful but grueling decade, ABBA were no more. Their ‘indefinite hiatus’ allowed each member of the group to follow their own path. But nothing lasts forever - not even endings.In Episode 4, Sara Cox tells the story of a comeback like no other. From pop history’s greatest Greatest Hits, to theatrical smashes, Hollywood acclaim and futuristic entertainment experiences, ABBA have
ABBA: 5. ABBA Voyage
After establishing themselves as one of music’s pop giants, the ABBA legacy continues in an exciting new chapter - ABBA Voyage. The futuristic and visually groundbreaking show ignites a new love for ABBA, once again.In Episode 5, Sara Cox sits down with the producers of ABBA Voyage - Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson (who is also Benny from the band’s son) to discuss how the concept came about, and
Sting: 1. I’ve Always Been Famous
Storyteller. Activist. Superstar. This is the story of Sting. Vernon Kay is your guide to one of British music’s most individual artists. In Episode One, you’ll hear the stories, and the music, that shaped Sting’s early life. From the terraces of Wallsend to Punk-era London, where a single phone call changed his destiny forever. Told in Sting’s own words through the BBC archive, and featuring bran
Sting: 2. New York, Newcastle
When Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers formed the Police, none of them could have predicted the phenomenon that they would become. In Episode Two, we follow the band from the start of that journey to their world-dominating peak. In 5 years, they’ll go from grubby bars to the home of arena rock - Shea Stadium. Along the way, they’ll produce some of the defining hits of a generation. But as
Sting: 3. Consider Me Gone
The Police are no more. But Sting never rests on his laurels. In Episode Three, Vernon Kay follows the first stages in a solo career spanning four decades. Embracing his origins in Jazz, and his magpie instinct for melody, Sting joins the ranks of the great British soloists. At the same time, he’ll help to forge the bond between pop music and philanthropy that still exists today. Through the BBC a
Sting: 4. Legacy
When you’ve been in the game for as long as Sting has, it’s tempting to just keep giving the people what they want. But that’s just not him, is it? In Episode Four, Vernon Kay finds Sting in a place in which inspiration is everything. Whether it’s a lute album, a turn on Broadway, traditional folk or Reggae, Sting refuses to be pinned down. That’s the attitude that’s won him millions of fans, the
Bob Marley: 1. Soon Come
Rock Star. Poet. Visionary. Peacemaker. Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar, Bob Marley.In the years since his death in 1981, Bob Marley has become an icon unlike any other. In Episode One of Eras: Bob Marley, you’ll discover where his story began. From the rural village of Nine Mile to the yards of Kingston, follow Bob’s first steps into the music industry, and
Bob Marley: 2. Catch A Fire
Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar.In the second episode of Eras: Bob Marley, it’s 1972, and The Wailers find themselves in London. When a strange twist of fate puts them in front of Island Records’ Chris Blackwell, a new chapter begins for Bob, Peter and Bunny.But under the pressure of life on the road, tensions grow between the old friends - and something has
Bob Marley: 3. War
Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar.In Episode 3 of Eras: Bob Marley, it’s an election year - and Jamaica is rocked by political turmoil. Bob is living peacefully at his home in Kingston, but when violence comes to 56 Hope Road, his days in the city are numbered. The next chapter of his story will cement his legacy as the King of Reggae - an icon whose impact goe
Bob Marley: 4. Legend
Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar.In the final chapter of Eras: Bob Marley, Bob’s incredible life comes to end. But his Legend is immortal.Friends, fans and collaborators celebrate his legacy of activism, his potent spirituality and his undeniable musical accomplishments, which left the world so much richer than he found it.A Cup and Nuzzle Production. Series P
Bob Marley: 5. Interview with Cedella & Skip Marley
Rock Star. Poet. Visionary. Peacemaker. He’s sold tens of millions of records - but his influence goes far beyond music. He’s one of the most recognisable faces on Earth - but how much do you know the man behind the smile?As the world celebrates 80 years of Bob Marley, Trevor Nelson sits down with Cedella and Skip Marley to hear their personal takes on the enduring legend of Reggae’s first and gr
Queen: 1. Ascension
Bill Bailey tells the story of rock's most flamboyant and iconic band.In the first episode of Eras: Queen, it's the late 60s, and four outsiders with academic brains collide in London. We find out how Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John were drawn together through college friendships and a shared creative vision.In the first half of the 70s, they played college gigs and support tours, started to refi
Queen: 2. Coronation
Bill Bailey tells the story of Queen and in the second episode it's 1975, and Queen are on the brink of failure. With financial issues they are exhausted and overlooked, but take a huge gamble on something long, weird, and radio-unfriendly: Bohemian Rhapsody.As the world turns to Queen we explore their evolution into stadium-shaking titans throughout the late 1970s. Through archive and new interv
Queen: 3. Heavy Is The Crown
This episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey explores the emotional and creative toll of fame on the band. After a breakneck pace in the previous decade, Queen quietly disappear from the spotlight in the early 80s, each member pursuing solo projects.They return sharper with renewed clarity for their next album, The Works, culminating in their iconic Live Aid performance in 1985. A year later, Queen
Queen: 4. The Reign Continues
In this episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey tells the story of the band's most poignant and powerful chapter.By the start of the 90s, Queen knew time was running short as Freddie Mercury was gravely ill. Instead of slowing down, they pushed forward, making another album, Innuendo, and creating the video for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," Freddie’s final on-camera appearance. This episode expl
Queen: 5. Interview with Queen icons Brian May & Roger Taylor
Hosted by comedian and lifelong Queen super fan Bill Bailey, this latest installment of the ERAS series dives deep into the story of the band told through the prism of their operatic masterpiece, Bohemian Rhapsody, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. Bill sits down for brand-new conversations with Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen’s legendary guitarist and drummer, who look back on thei
Phil Collins: Episode 1: In the Beginning…
Who’s that cherubic lad, beaming out from the cover of a 9 penny knitting pattern?Meet young Philip Collins – a boy born with two distinct paths laid out before him. Follow his dad into the world of office work and suburban domesticity? Or listen to that voice that tells him to climb onto stage, any stage, and perform?In episode one of Eras: Phil Collins – Zoe follows Phil as he receives his first
Phil Collins: Episode 2: Can You Feel It?
It’s the dawn of the 1980s, and Phil’s life has been thrown into turmoil by the breakdown of his marriage – but amidst the heartbreak, he finds a new drive to create. Zoe Ball follows Phil Collins as he steps away from Genesis and makes his first, unforgettable statement as a solo artist. The album – and a certain drum fill in its opening track – propel Phil to the status of Britain’s most unassum
Phil Collins: Episode 3: The Imperial Years
In 1985, after a couple of massive singles and an Oscar nomination, Phil Collins stands on the precipice of global megastardom. Then comes No Jacket Required, Live Aid, a red hot hit streak with Genesis – and he’s hurled over the edge.From time zone defying Concorde operatics to soundtracking – and starring in – Miami Vice, Zoe Ball charts Phil’s imperial era. The critics might be giving him a har
Phil Collins: Episode 4: Against All Odds
In the 1990s, Phil Collins’ status as rock and roll’s resident nice guy is thrown into question after the collapse of his second marriage, the leak of a certain fax, and a subsequent tabloid frenzy. Bruised by the experience, Phil begins a gradual retreat from the industry – moving to Switzerland, then quitting Genesis, and ultimately announcing his own ‘Final Farewell Tour’ in 2004.But retirement
Phil Collins: Episode 5: The Man Himself
In the final part of Eras: Phil Collins, Zoe Ball sits down with the man himself for a new and exclusive conversation, encompassing everything from Phil’s earliest aspirations as a kid with a drum set to his poignant reflections at the other end of an incredible career.
Featuring special appearances from Robert Plant, Mike Rutherford and Phil’s son, Nic Collins, it’s an emotional grand finale –
The Miles Davis Story (from Legend)
In celebration of what would’ve been his 100th birthday, we’re excited to share a clip from the latest series of the Legend podcast, The Miles Davis Story.In the series, acclaimed actor and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme, Da 5 Bloods) explores the life and legacy of a visionary artist whose relentless pursuit of the "new" often scorched his own life and the lives of those around him.A
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