Podcast

You know the songs. Now hear the story.

From underground outsiders to global hitmakers, Hit That Perfect Beat – The London Records Story is the inside story of the label that helped shape modern British music.

The series opens in the early 1980s, a pop wild west shaped by DIY creativity and punk attitude. London Records founders Roger and Tracy are introduced, alongside the artists and staff who helped define a new era.

As the ‘80s roll on, pop, and London Records, go global. The label moves from British breakout to international powerhouse, led by Bananarama’s success in the US and the worldwide impact of ‘Venus’. Bananarama recall the surreal experience of conquering America and becoming a truly global pop act.

As London Records continues to score pop hits and break the US, a very different revolution is taking shape back home. Rave culture is exploding across the UK, with records like ‘Jack Your Body’ signalling the start of a new era. Pete Tong recalls taking the track to number one, but while rave gathers momentum, London is searching for something more lasting: legacy.

Episode four dives into the darker side of success, as London Records reaches its commercial peak and the costs of fame become impossible to ignore. Opening with East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ and a Christmas number one, Tony Mortimer reflects on sudden superstardom, while London celebrates its biggest mainstream triumphs.

In this final chapter, London Records faces its greatest challenge yet: surviving success in a changing world.

The late 90s bring a new wave of polished, global pop. Acts like All Saints redefine the sound of the era: sleek, sophisticated, and massively successful. Alongside them, Dannii Minogue reinvents herself, while Sugababes carry the torch into a new millennium.