Introducing TWO new jingle packages for 2026: Fred On the Radio and Saturday Morning with Fred! These jingles form the core sonic identity of my weekend and evening programmes, sitting alongside my professionally produced Wisebuddah (2021) and JAM (2025) jingles as part of a wider, evolving presentation toolkit.
- Primary branding for my Saturday morning show – the jingles youâll hear immediately after the news and weather as hour openers, setting tone, pace, and musical context.
- Supporting branding for the Monday evening show. These are not used as hour openers, but function as primary identifiers within features such as Song for My Best Friend, and remain prominent within the wider programme’s flow.
Rather than treating jingles as standalone branding elements, both packages have been developed as part of the programmeâs musical language – designed to sit naturally alongside the music, not interrupt it.
You can explore the full story and listen to the jingles by expanding the sections below. The jingles are organised by genre and decade, with the newest additions highlighted at the top.
These jingle packages are heavily influenced by the style of radio presentation heard on BBC Radio 2 during the late-1990s and 2000s, particularly the Groove Jingles era (1997-2012). During that period, jingles were not treated as blunt branding statements, but as musical elements chosen by feel, sequencing, and instinct: Designed to flow with the programme rather than dominate it.
At that time, I was an avid Radio 2 listener and actively sought out recordings of the idents which made up the Groove Jingles package. That way of thinking about presentation – warm, musical, flexible – has had a lasting influence on how I make radio even today!
Why this approach matters now
Modern radio branding has moved in a very different direction. Contemporary imaging – including current presentation on Radio 2 – is often built around scale and impact: big, bold, orchestral statements designed to cut through quickly and assert brand presence.
In that model, a show will typically have a single core jingle, adapted into multiple versions: A long opener, a short version, a shotgun, perhaps a bed-based variant – but all derived from the same musical identity. This works extremely well for tightly formatted shows with a consistent musical palette, such as breakfast or specialist strands with a fixed sound world.
However, that approach is far less versatile for a programme built around range, contrast, and musical breadth.
My shows move fluidly across decades, genres, moods, and cultures – from big band to folk, soul to Greek music, heritage rock to modern adult contemporary. A single, dominant branding statement would constantly clash with the musical environment around it, breaking immersion rather than supporting it.
The alternative, explored here, is to treat jingles as part of the programmeâs musical ecosystem.
A different model of branding
Instead of one identity adapted into many forms, this system uses multiple identities, each rooted in a specific genre, era, or emotional register. The jingles are selected in response to what comes before and after them – just like music – allowing the programme to breathe while remaining clearly branded.
This approach is not about nostalgia. In fact, it is innovative precisely because it runs counter to current branding norms. It prioritises musical continuity over sonic dominance, and editorial judgement over automation.
AI tools such as ChatGPT and Suno were used as creative starting points, enabling rapid exploration across styles. But the defining work happens afterwards: listening, choosing, editing, shaping, and refining each ident in a DAW to ensure authenticity, proportion, and broadcast readiness. Particular care is taken in areas where AI tends to overstate – scale, density, and drama – in favour of restraint and musical fit.
A living archive, not a fixed package
Each jingle has its own development story. Some began as bespoke ideas for specific features; others earned their place through repeated on-air use. Together, they form a working archive of how the 1990s Radio 2 / Groove-era jingles & presentation philosophy – one rooted in feel, flow, and musicality – can be re-imagined for modern radio.
In an environment where branding often aims to sound bigger, this project explores what happens when branding instead aims to sound right.
You can listen to all jingles below. The collection is organised by genre for ease of browsing. Click the headers to expand.
