The University of Salford’s Shock Radio is Manchester UK’s biggest student station. That was a lot of pressure for any student radio host, especially for an American with no radio experience who just wanted to try something new. A year ago, that was me, starting my show, The Theme, on Shock.
My basic idea was fairly simple: a show where genre doesn’t matter as long as the songs are good and they fit the theme. That could be anything from food songs for a “Picnic” week (the first show’s concept) to favorite covers to songs from blue-colored albums. It was an idea drawn from my love of making themed playlists on Spotify, each with its own wide range of genres. I wanted to bring those playlists to radio, a medium that I’d been longing to explore since hearing of my father’s college radio days in the ’80s. If being on the radio brought him so much joy, why shouldn’t I try it?
Joining Shock was intimidating at first. Here I was, fresh out of a long and boring COVID-induced gap year, sitting in a hot, musty studio with experienced TV and Radio students just trying to understand as much of the jargon as I could. Not only did they know more about the technical side of radio than I did, but they knew British radio. DJs were presenters, BBC Radio 1 and Capital were the stations they grew up with, and they knew who Jordan North is.
My radio frame of reference was WKTU New York, Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3)’s Breakfast with the Beatles, and SiriusXM. When I came to college radio, I hadn’t engaged with radio much for quite some time. Because I hadn’t listened to the radio much since childhood, the beginning of The Theme’s existence was an overly scripted mess with far more music than could fit in an hour’s show. Over time, however, the show became a little therapeutic outlet for me. I lessened my script use (horrifying as a scriptwriter) and made the radio a place where I could sit and learn to love my voice, my expression, and my favorite songs.
During the 2021-22 academic year, I presented a total of 18 hour-long shows. Those broadcasts are available on Shock Radio’s Mixcloud on the playlist tab. While I have played a lot of what my dad calls “sad-girl indie-rock music,” I’ve also played ’80s synth rock, rap, film scores, classic rock, jazz, and classical. I’ve also showcased music by friends, artists from my hometown, and other less-known musicians to bring them to an international audience. The most-played artists are Nilüfer Yanya, the National, Childish Gambino, the Beatles, and alt-J — favorite acts who inspired me to do The Theme in the first. You can also find the playlists on Spotify and Instagram @thethemeradio, along with artwork and my favorite lyrics.
Beyond the music, I have met so many fantastic students through being a part of this station. There are those with a shared music taste, those from different courses, and those of so many different backgrounds. The art of listening to and sharing music is an internationally and interculturally understood language, which is why radio will never go out of style. I have also brought many people into Shock as well, from course friends to housemates to my own sister, who came from America for a visit and did a “Breakfast”-themed show with me in April.
After our summer break, Shock started broadcasting again on October 3. I was elected “Head of Online,” overseeing the station website, as well as the official Instagram and other social media. This year, The Theme continues with updated branding and more guests. The Year Two premiere airs 2-4pm EST on Friday, October 7
Here’s a sample hour of The Theme from its “Summer” show:
- Laura Veirs, “July Flame”
- Childish Gambino, “Feels Like Summer”
- Weezer, “Feels Like Summer”
- Lea Sen, “Sand Radio”
- Nilüfer Yanya, “Heat Rises”
- Zombies, “Summertime”
- Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools (Drank)”
- Lana Del Rey, “High by the Beach”
- Bryan Adams, “Summer of ‘69”
- Spilltab, “Sunburn”
- Dizzy, “Swim”
- Parov Stelar w/Graham Candy, “The Sun”
- Helena Deland, “Swimmer”
- Florist, “Vacation”
- Two Door Cinema Club, “Sun”
