The BBC has addressed the decision not to include Kylie Minogue on Radio 1’s playlist, despite her recent chart success.
On Friday, it was revealed that Kylie had achieved her first solo top 10 in over a decade thanks to her latest single Padam Padam, which is currently at number nine in the UK charts.
The song has proved hugely popular with both critics and fans, and even sparked a wave of memes from people who can’t get enough Padam Padam in their lives.
On Sunday, the Official Charts Company revealed that it may rise even further in on Friday, as it looked on track to reach number seven in its first-look charts.
However, despite the success of Padam Padam, it’s still been played only a handful of times on Radio 1, which many have suggested is due to the fact the Grammy-winning singer is now in her mid-50s.
In a Newsbeat piece explaining how radio stations put their playlists together, a spokesperson insisted: “Each track is considered for the playlist based on its musical merit and whether it is right for our target audience, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis.”
Back in 2015, Radio 1 denied accusations of ageism made by Madonna when they refused to put her then-single Living For Love on their playlist.
They said at the time: “Tracks are chosen on musical merit and their relevance to our young audience on a case-by-case basis and while around 40 per cent of the country’s 15 to 29-year-olds tune in to Radio 1 each week, an artist’s age is never a factor.”
Meanwhile, Padam Padam is currently receiving heavy rotation on Radio 2 and is featured on the station’s A-list.
Kylie is set to be one of the headliners for the annual Radio 2 In The Park event later this year.