On Monday 19th October, the House of Commons turned into a gig venue. UK Music launched Our BBC: Our Music, a campaign calling on Government to protect music’s place at the BBC and secure a sustainable funding model, ahead of the BBC’s Charter Renewal in 2027.
The room was full. Elbow’s Guy Garvey, The Anchoress, Kelli-Leigh, Imogen and the Knife and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason were joined by BBC presenters including Jo Whiley, Nick Grimshaw, Greg James, DJ Target, Jack Saunders and Charlie Hedges. Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray MP and Alex Sobel MP, Co-Chair of the APPG on Music, were there too, alongside more than 20 MPs and a group of peers.
What the campaign is asking for
The message is simple. The BBC is one of the biggest engines of UK music, finding new talent, backing artists and songwriters, supporting orchestras and bringing live music to communities across the country. But its funding is under pressure.
Licence fee income has fallen 24% since 2016–17. And while 94% of people use BBC services, only 80% pay the licence fee. The current Charter runs out on 31 December 2027. Without a firm funding commitment from Government, the industry says, the music we love is at risk.
UK Music Chief Executive, Tom Kiehl put it plainly: “the BBC is vital to music, and that music is vital to the BBC.”
The voices in the room
Garvey called the BBC a custodian of who we are as a country, putting it alongside the NHS as proof of what we can achieve together. BBC Director of Music Lorna Clarke said the BBC’s ambitious plans for music depend on getting the right Charter and long-term funding. And Ian Murray said the Government’s aim is a fair, sustainable model that lets the BBC thrive as a global beacon for British music, not just survive.
The performers shared how the BBC helped shape their own careers. That’s the point: for many artists, the BBC is where the first break happens.
Why it matters for new artists
The numbers show how much the BBC does that commercial radio doesn’t:
- Radio 1 must play at least 45% UK acts and 50% new music in daytime
- 140,076 different works were played across BBC radio in 2025 — 77% of them never played on commercial radio
- BBC music stations played 174,571 unique tracks in 2025, compared with 148,948 across commercial music stations
From 1Xtra to Asian Network to 6 Music, the BBC gives space to sounds and scenes that might otherwise never reach a national audience. For young artists building a career outside the mainstream, that space is everything.
Where UD stands
At UD, we work with emerging artists every day and we see how much a first play, a session or a festival slot can change a career. A strong, well-funded BBC is part of the pipeline that gets talent from the bedroom to the main stage. We’re backing the campaign.
Find out more about Our BBC: Our Music at ukmusic.org.
