Main content

Pete takes us on a journey through the history of UK rave music and culture.

Rave & Hardcore music originated in the late 80s and early 90s. Its heyday only lasted about five years, but the music produced and the parties it was played at were legendary.

Repetitive beats were synonymous with rave music, partly due to the limitations of music production - where loops and simple melodies were made possible by keyboard synthesisers, drum machines and early midi sequencers.

Pete Tong takes us through the history of rave, including music from SL2, The KLF, and The Shamen, taking us up into the nu-skool rave with music from the likes of Jamie XX, Nia Archives, Y U QT and more.

Plus, we rewind back to 2009 with a replay of The Prodigy's legendary set from Big Weekend in Swindon.

Available now

2 hours

On radio

Sat 14 Jun 2025 19:00
BBC Radio 1 Dance

More episodes

Previous

Chilled dance

Next

Progressive house

See all episodes from Pete Tong's Essential History of Dance

Music Played

  • The Prodigy

    Everybody in the Place (Fairground remix)

  • Baby D

    Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Original Radio Edit)

    • Little Dragon Recordings.

  • Kicks Like a Mule

    The Bouncer (Housequake Mix)

    • Tribal Bass.

  • Jamie xx

    All Under One Roof Raving

  • Shut Up and Dance & Peter Bouncer

    Raving I'm Raving (Remix)

    • Death Is Not The End.
    • Shut Up and Dance Records.
    • 2.

  • SL2

    DJs Take Control

  • Shades of Rhythm

    Sweet Sensation

    • ZTT.

  • Lennie De Ice

    We are I E

    • We Are i.e..
    • Distinct'ive Records.
    • 1.

  • The KLF

    What Time Is Love? (Live At Trancentral)

    • Blanco Y Negro.

  • Y U QT

    Y'all Ready For Dis

    • Y U QT.

  • Jamie xx

    Waited All Night (feat. Romy & Oliver Sim)

    • Young.

  • Lana Del Rey

    Say Yes 2 Heaven (sim0ne & Melo Nada Remix)

    Remix Artist: sim0ne. Remix Artist: Melo Nada.
    • Polydor Records.

  • Altern 8

    Activ-8 (Come With Me)

    • Network Records.

  • Sonz of a Loop da Loop Era

    Far Out

    • Suburban Base Records.

  • Bizarre Inc

    Playing With Knives (Quadrant Mix)

    • Schnozza Music.

  • N‐Trance

    Set You Free

    • Set You Free.
    • Virgin.

  • 2 Unlimited

    No Limit

    • Byte Records.

  • The Shamen

    Ebeneezer Goode

    • One Little Indian Records.

  • The Prodigy

    Their Law

    • Music For The Jilted Generation.
    • XL.

  • Leftfield

    Open Up

  • Orbital

    Halcyon

    • FFRR.

  • The Chemical Brothers

    Block Rockin' Beats

    • Virgin.

  • Prospa

    Prayer

    • Stress Records.

  • Tessela

    Hackney Parrot (Special Request Remix)

    • Houndstooth.

  • Danny Byrd

    Sweet Harmony (feat. Liquid)

    • Sweet Harmony.
    • R&S.

  • Awesome 3

    Don't Go (Original Mix)

    • City Beat.

  • Manix

    Feel Real Good

    • Reinforced Records.

  • 808 State

    Pacific 707

    • ZTT.

  • The Future Sound of London

    Papua New Guinea

    • Jumpin' & Pumpin'.

  • Opus III

    It's A Fine Day

    • EastWest U.K.

  • The Prodigy

    World's on Fire

    • Cooking Vinyl Ltd.

  • The Prodigy

    Breathe

    • Breathe.
    • XL.

  • The Prodigy

    Omen

    • Cooking vinyl.

  • The Prodigy

    Warrior's Dance

    • Thunderbird Releasing.

  • The Prodigy

    Firestarter

    • Firestarter.
    • XL.

  • The Prodigy

    Run With the Wolves

    • Take Me To The Hospital.

  • The Prodigy

    Voodoo People

    • XL Recordings.

  • The Prodigy

    Omen Reprise

    • Take Me To The Hospital.

  • The Prodigy

    Invaders Must Die

    • Take Me To The Hospital.

Broadcasts

  • Sat 25 Jan 2025 19:00
    BBC Radio 1 Dance
  • Sat 14 Jun 2025 19:00
    BBC Radio 1 Dance