BBC Radio 2 is asking listeners to vote for ‘Your Ultimate 80s Duet', to discover Radio 2’s listeners’ favourite 80s duet as a part of a wider season of specials which celebrate the iconic decade.
Yesterday Scott Mills on the Radio 2 Breakfast show and BBC Sounds announced voting has opened. Listeners to BBC Radio 2 have the opportunity to cast up to five votes from a list of songs from 7th July at 8am, until the vote closes at 12 noon on Monday 21st July.
‘Your Ultimate 80s Duet' will be hosted by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who hosts Kitchen Disco each Friday night on Radio 2 from 9-11pm. The two-hour countdown show will be exclusively available on BBC Sounds from 00.01 on Saturday August 1st, and broadcast on the station on Saturday 9th August from 1-3pm. Produced by Platform Media.
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, said: “Radio 2 loves the 80s and we know our listeners do too, so this summer we’d like to celebrate the decade by giving everyone the chance to vote for their favourite 80s duet. Having collaborated many times with many artists, our Friday night Queen of the Kitchen Disco, Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be on hosting duties, and I’m very much looking forward to hearing who will top her countdown.”
Sophie said: “Next month we’re celebrating the 80s, which arguably produced some of the best pop music ever. I am a child of the 80s so there’s extra special resonance for me. There are a lot of duets which came out of the 80s and I’m hosting a show – The Ultimate 80’s Duet! With over 70 tracks to choose from, you can vote up to five times. This is good because it means you can spread around your votes and when the votes are tallied, I’m going to crown the winner in a special show. It’s going to be lots of fun!”
The songs to vote on are (in alphabetical order):
- Alexander O’Neal & Cherrelle – Never Knew Love Like This
- Al Green & Annie Lennox – Put a Little Love In Your Heart
- Aretha Franklin & Elton John – Through The Storm
- Aretha Franklin & George Michael – I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
- Aretha Franklin & Whitney Houston – It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Ever Gonna Be
- Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb – Guilty
- Barbra Streisand & Don Johnson – Till I Loved You
- Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life
- Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright – With You I’m Born Again
- Bronski Beat & Marc Almond – I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me
- Bryan Adams & Tina Turner – It’s Only Love
- Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal – Saturday Love
- The Communards & Sarah Jane Morris – Don’t Leave Me This Way
- David Bowie & Bing Crosby – Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
- David Bowie & Mick Jagger – Dancing in the Streets
- David Grant & Jaki Graham – Could It Be I’m Falling In Love
- David Grant & Jaki Graham – Mated
- Dennis Edwards & Siedah Garrett – Don’t Look Any Further
- Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers – Islands in the Stream
- Dr.Robert & Kym Mazelle – Wait
- Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson – I Know Him So Well
- Elton John & George Michael – Wrap Her Up
- Elton John & Millie Jackson – Act of War
- Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
- Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe – Barcelona
- Gary Moore & Phil Lynott – Out In The Fields
- INXS & Jimmy Barnes – Good Times *
- The Jacksons & Mick Jagger – State of Shock
- James Ingram & Michael McDonald – Yah Mo B There
- Jimmy Somerville & June Miles-Kingston – Comment Te Dire Adieu
- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes – Up Where We Belong
- Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton – We’ve Got Tonight
- Kim Wilde, Junior – Another Step (Closer to You)
- Kim Wilde, Mel Smith (Mel & Kim) – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
- Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan – Especially For You
- Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram – Somewhere Out There
- Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville – Don’t Know Much
- Lionel Richie & Diana Ross – Endless Love
- Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – Close My Eyes Forever
- Marc Almond & Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart
- Meat Loaf & Cher – Dead Ringer For Love
- Mica Paris & Will Downing – Where Is The Love
- Michael Jackson & Siedah Garrett – I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
- Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney – The Girl is Mine
- Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard – Suddenly
- Patti Austin & James Ingram – Baby, Come To Me
- Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald – On My Own
- Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson – Say Say Say
- Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – Ebony and Ivory
- Paula Abdul & The Wild Pair – Opposites Attract *
- Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Tonight I Celebrate My Love
- Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush – Don’t Give Up
- Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield – What Have I Done To Deserve This
- Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin – Separate Lives
- Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – Easy Lover
- The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York
- Prince & Sheena Easton – Arms of Orion
- Prince & Sheena Easton – U Got The Look
- Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
- Quincy Jones featuring Ray Charles & Chaka Khan – I’ll Be Good To You *
- Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Back Together Again
- Roy Orbison & k.d. Lang – Crying *
- Sarah Brightman & Cliff Richard – All I Ask of You
- Sarah Brightman & Steve Harley – The Phantom of the Opera
- Sergio Mendes feat. Joe Pizzulo & Leeza Miller – Never Gonna Let You Go
- Shakin’ Stevens & Bonnie Tyler – A Rockin’ Good Way
- Stevie Nicks, & Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
- Stevie Wonder & Michael Jackson – Get It
- Tears for Fears & Oleta Adams – Woman in Chains
- Teddy Pendergrass & Whitney Houston – Hold Me
- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe
- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde – Breakfast In Bed
- Van Morrison & Cliff Richard – Whenever God Shines His Light
Cast your vote and find out more now at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3ZF2hCtXqftFMhK7MyvSvr7/vote-for-your-ultimate-80s-duet.
