Seventy-five years ago this week something new happened.

A much loved and well-remembered pastime was lying in bed late at night with a radio under the bedclothes, listening to the most famous radio station in Europe – The English service of Radio Luxembourg. Founded in 1933, Luxy, as the station was affectionately known, broadcast entertainment and popular music to a continent which was poorly served in that regard by their national broadcasters. In Great Britain, millions listened to the Top Twenty Show, which began in October 1948 and was Europe’s first regular popular music chart countdown.

The programme evolved over the years. Between 1948 and December 1959 the chart was based on the sheet music sales listing compiled by the Music Publishers Association. From January 1960 the New Musical Express record charts were used and later in the decade Luxy compiled their own chart in house. It is this final period that this book remembers. During this time the show was presented by Paul Burnett, Bob Stewart, Tony Prince, Mark Wesley, Dave Christian and Peter Powell.

Sadly, the English language service of Radio Luxembourg closed down in December 1992. More than thirty years after the English service of Radio Luxembourg closed down, many thousands if not millions of people remember the station, the presenters, and the iconic chart show with fond affection. After all, the show was original and can never be replaced. One of the records on that last chart of 1991 was the single from Bryan Adams ‘There Will Never Be Another Night’.

Fans who listened will never let the memory die. In early 2018, the former DJ and programme controller at Radio Luxembourg Tony Prince set up his own radio station called ‘United DJs Radio’. A couple of years later, Tony called upon Simon Tate to produce and present reconstructions of the Luxy chart shows on UDJ. This show is an excellent listen and a reminder of the great records played on Radio Luxembourg, interspersed with original Luxy jingles and period commercials. The show covers the full period from 1948 to 1992 when the Luxembourg chart show was broadcast. Simon’s show uses the chart data sources appropriate to the year of the chart he is playing and it continues to this day, carried on various stations in the UK and Europe. For more information about this show and how to listen, join the ‘208 Top 20’ group on Facebook and remember listening to the charts on ‘The Great 208’.

Simon Tate celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the radio Luxembourg chart shows. These reconstructions can be heard on the following stations and at the times indicated below.

208 TOP 20 SCHEDULE FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY PT 1

Saturday 12 Noon - Epic Radio - 1948 & 1988

Saturday 1pm - The Sound IoM- 1965 & 1973

Saturday 7pm Radio Emmeloord 1948 & 1965

Sunday 3pm - Radio Emmeloord 1948 & 1965

Sunday 3pm - Winchester Today 1973 & 1976

Sunday 7pm Sunshine Radio O/l 1948 & 1976

Sunday 10pm Winchester Today 1973 & 1976

Sunday 10pm - - - Epic Radio - - 1948 & 1988

Monday 6pm - The Sound IoM - 1965 & 1973

Tuesday 1pm Sunshine Radio O/l 1948 & 1976

WBPL WOW Blackpool w/c 25/9

Monday - - - 1988

Tuesday - - - 1965

Wednesday - 1973

Thursday - - -1988

Friday - - - - -1976

All of these stations stream online. Just Google the station name and listen via their website.

The entire back catalogue of these excellent reconstructions can be played again on Mixcloud. Follow the link below.

[Radio Rewind's Stream | Mixcloud](https://www.mixcloud.com/Simon031/)