Peel Sessions

To quote Distorted-Loop.com:

BBC Worldwide plans to launch its very own ad-supported online music service, offering access to the broadcaster’s huge archive of audio and video music content.

The move means TV shows like Top of the Pops, coverage of Glastonbury Festival or the Proms, and all-time music classics such as the Old Grey Whistle Test will be made available for free streaming or for direct sale.

As reported by Media Week, the service will launch with at least 1,000 tracks featuring more or less than 300 of the BBCs many shows.

“There are plans to exploit the BBC’s full range of 15,000 separate music programmes, meaning the service could offer around 50,000 music audio tracks eventually and 3,000 hours of video content”, Media Week adds.”

Goodness! Image the entire collection of Peel Sessions available for download, or tracks from The Old Grey Whistle Test (I’d pay good money for a quality recording of Can’s 1975 Whistle Test performance of Vernal Equinox) or even a selection from Later With Jools Holland.

A trial version will go online in November, with the full service available early 2009. Let’s hope it’s as good as I want it to be!