The collapse of the live music scene as a result of the pandemic saw many artists struggling to cope with the very thing that they live for - performing their songs and music live in front of an audience who have turned up to show their love and respect, and share the unique experience that is a live gig or a DJ set. Many things we took for granted and had come to expect stopped suddenly and had both a financial and psychological impact on so many artists and musicians, as well as venue owners, bookers, promoters, and crews.
Yet, the music that has come out of Ireland during the last two years clearly shows the world-class talent that exists here, as well as the resilience and spirit that we know exists in us, even if we had to dig deep at times. We'd like to think that we in RTÉ 2FM have played an important role in providing a valuable platform to artists when it mattered most, and ongoing, through initiatives like 2FM Rising, the RTÉ Choice Music Prize, our scholarships and partnerships.
After 2 years of festival silence, 2fm is now back out on the live music circuit. It’s good to be back, with the pandemic hopefully firmly in the rear-view mirror. This year, for the first time, 2FM partnered with Forbidden Fruit to bring our 2FM Rising stage to the Dublin-based festival. The stage, an extension of our vision for the 2FM Rising initiative, was a big success with artists and audiences, drawing massive crowds across the weekend. The 2FM Rising stage will continue its journey across the summer, at the Body & Soul festival, as we showcase the incredible music talent Ireland has to offer. As a station, and as music fans, we want to celebrate our artists and musicians and the incredible music they produce. It’s time to put the last two very difficult years for the industry behind us, and turn the music back on.
After a high-profile build-up, and building on last year's afternoon simulcast on the Tracy Clifford Show on 2FM and on RTÉ Player, we again simulcast the RTÉ Choice Music Prize in 2022, giving crucial space and attention to the shortlisted songs and albums. Tracy hosted the live event in Vicar Street, while Tara Kumar presented a dedicated live show on 2FM, interviewing artists as they came off stage and after they had sat down with Bláthnaid Tracey for a chat – all of which featured in the TV highlights programme on RTÉ2, along with live performances. Meanwhile our social media accounts kept followers up to date. This level of support shows how the various parts of RTÉ work together to deliver something powerful, something that really helps the shortlisted artists and musicians, through television, radio, online and social media support. It’s valuable, and it matters.
That’s why, for example, we committed to three all-Irish music days on 2fm as part of the awards partnership. We care about artists, and we know music matters - to 2FM, to RTÉ, and to the artists and musicians who benefit from our support.
Some of the artists shortlisted for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize also featured in 2FM Rising over the last number of years. 2fm Rising is our annual list of ten music acts, chosen by a panel of experts and tipped for success. The list of 2FM Rising alumni in recent years includes Fontaines DC, Denise Chaila, Dermot Kennedy, Jafaris, Lyra, Pillow Queens, Kojaque, Wild Youth, JC Stewart, The Murder Capital, For Those I Love, Monjola and Gemma Dunleavy. We hope that championing these artists - promoting them extensively across the station, broadcasting exclusive new music and interviews with them, bringing them to festivals, affording them Studio 8 Sessions, securing IMRO bursaries and promoting them online and across social media - has allowed 2FM to play a very small part in these artists’ respective journeys.
2FM’s support doesn't stop there, of course. Irish artists and musicians receive extensive airplay and support across RTÉ 2FM, through presenters such as Tracy Clifford, Jenny Greene, Tara Kumar, Dave Fanning, Laura Fox, Emma Power and Bláthnaid Treacy. And through our sister stations, RTÉ 2XM and RTÉ Pulse, we provide early support to new and emerging artists across Ireland. In many cases, a new Irish artist's first play, interview or Studio 8 session will be with RTÉ Pulse or 2XM as they begin their careers.
"In many cases, a new Irish artist's first play, interview or Studio 8 session will be with RTÉ Pulse or 2XM as they begin their careers."
Across the year, 2FM’s commitment to support and nurture local music and cultural campaigns can be seen in our long-standing partnerships with the Irish Youth Music Awards (IYMAS), We’ve Only Just Begun, and Other Voices. We also extend our reach into Europe by sending Irish artists to take part in Eurosonic, one of Europe’s biggest and most-prestigious new artist showcase festivals. We also regularly share live music content from Irish artists with our EBU (European Broadcast Union) partners, which is then aired on stations across Europe.
2FM’s commitment to working with the wider music community and independent radio producers has seen us bring fresh outside perspectives to Irish music through documentary and mini-series, too. The Music Biz, nominated for an IMRO award, was a 6 part series detailing everything you ever wanted to know about the business of music, with first-hand experience and advice from music industry professionals, such as bookers, producers, PR gurus, stylists, managers and lawyers. We also had Legacies, a four-part series featuring the artists, music and movements that kick-started modern music in Ireland, and Breakdown, a four-part journey through 30 years of electronic dance music in Ireland, where Irish producers revealed the stories behind their biggest tracks.
Outside of specific music campaigns, 2FM supports Irish festivals through collaborative partnerships with Forbidden Fruit, Body & Soul, Sea Sessions, Indiependence and the Marquee. The latter brings us incredibly special moments with our own live music productions, such as Jenny Greene & the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and DJ Mo K’s Story Of Hip Hop.
2FM’s passion for Irish music is also alive and well in our specialist music programming. Our specialist shows with Jenny Greene, Mr. Spring, Tara Kumar, Dan Hegarty, Graham Smyth, DJ Wax and DJ Mo K all feature Irish music in their respective spaces. From dance and club music, to rap, hip hop, RnB, and the new evolution of Irish music talent, this is especially evident in our weekly '2FM track of the week’, with Irish artists making up the majority of our selections.
2FM’s Studio 8 Sessions are now back in full swing after the covid set-back. These legacy sessions are an integral part of 2FM and its history, and provide Irish and international artists alike with an historic platform to showcase their talent. Our scholarship programme in partnership with BIMM Dublin is now in its fifth year; here 2FM supports a successful candidate through the 2FM Music and Audio production scholarship.
2FM’s collaborative projects with Universal Music and Irish artists have continued in the production and promotion of the cover albums of U2’s ‘Joshua Tree - New Roots’ and the Cranberries ‘Salvation’, in aid of the Laura Lynn Hospice and Pieta House respectfully. With these projects we have not only been able to raise money and awareness for important charities, but also afford our incredible Irish talent the opportunity to cover tracks with the blessing of legendary Irish acts. Both projects have gone on to become top 10 bestselling albums.
RTÉ's vision is to champion Irish culture, celebrate our country’s rich diversity and cultivate Ireland’s talent.We live and breathe this vision every day, not just across our radio stations, but across television, online, social media and through events and initiatives with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
2FM is passionate about Irish music, Irish artists and musicians. The role of public service media in supporting this crucial aspect of our cultural character is truly significant. We in 2FM, and all in RTÉ, remain hugely committed to making sure that Irish music gets to Irish ears.
