Bringing the Essential Mix to work

For over 25 years, the UK’s BBC Radio One has hosted a weekly Saturday night show called the Essential Mix.

Comprised of a continuous 2 hour mixtape by an established or breakthrough electronic music artist, the show is hosted by veteran DJ and presenter Pete Tong.

Despite the plethora of new options available for both artists and listeners, the Essential Mix is still revered around the world and being invited to put together a set for the show is a big deal.

No matter which genre or artist is featured, every 30 mins or so listeners will hear from Pete with a brief voiceover – reminding us where we are and who’s providing the sounds. His signature motif as each segment ends and we go back into the mix? 

‘We continue…’

Every show, every half hour, 20+ years deep. We continue.

Inevitably, a lot of people now hunt down the Essential Mix on streaming platforms with the suffix ‘Tongless’ (aka just the music, no voiceover). Hopefully, Pete’s not upset – after all, it’s often a testament to success and longevity when you become a verb or adjective.

Rather than Tongless, we could all do with a bit of Tongness in our own work. 

Someone to check in with us from time to time; to let us know where we’re at and why it matters, before blending into the background again. But we know they’re always there.

The most important message? 

We continue… 

On and on, the never-ending mixtape.

Staying in the game, 10, 20, 30 years deep, and still going strong.