BBC Radio 2 Piano Room

One of the most successful bands of all time, U2 have recently released their latest album Songs of Surrender, which sees the band revisit some of the most celebrated songs of their 40-plus-year career. Curated and produced by the Edge, classic tracks such as With or Without You, One, Beautiful Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Invisible undergo a musical reimagining, resulting in a completely new recording of each track, to include the arrangements and, in some cases, new lyrics. Songs of Surrender is a companion to Bono's memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, which was published in November 2022. Bono and The Edge perform their classic hits Vertigo and One with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Plus a special cover of ABBA's S.O.S.

Depeche Mode perform from the BBC's Maida Vale studios in collaboration with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Having made their chart debut in June 1981, the band have travelled a long way from their early days in Basildon to global, stadium-filling superstars with more than 100 million records sold worldwide. The band has just released Memento Mori, their first album in six years and their 15th overall. Depeche Mode kicked off their 80-date world tour in March which continues into 2024. Lead singer Dave Gahan talks to Gary Davies and the band's set features Walking In My Shoes, Ghosts Again and their reworking of Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown.

Radio 2's Piano Room Month returns for 2024 as Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and pianist Bruce Hornsby performs live at the BBC's Maida Vale studios with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Still best known for his '80s classics, The Way It Is, Mandolin Rain and Every Little Kiss, Bruce has sold 11 million albums in a career that now stretches over four decades, picking up three Grammy Awards along the way. Initially known for his work with his band The Range, he's also collaborated with an amazing array of artists including Clannad, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt and Wayne Shorter, written a Number 1 hit for Huey Lewis (Jacob's Ladder), explored bluegrass with Ricky Skaggs, and toured extensively with The Grateful Dead. In March, Bruce will release his latest album, Deep Sea Vents, under the name BrhyM. His Piano Room set features The Way It Is, Cast Off and his take on The End of the Innocence, co-written with and a hit for Don Henley.

British soul legend Beverley Knight performs live at Maida Vale with BBC Concert Orchestra. In a star-studded career spanning nearly three decades, Beverley - once nicknamed 'Little Aretha' - has released 9 albums and has become synonymous with songs such as Everything's Gonna Be Alright, Shoulda Woulda Coulda and Greatest Day. In September 2023, she released her latest album, The Fifth Chapter, undertook her biggest UK tour to date and appeared in Leicester as part of the all-star bill at Radio 2 In The Park. 2024 is already proving to be just as busy as she prepares to headline at The Royal Albert Hall in September. Beverley's Piano Room set features Come As You Are, Not Prepared For You (from The Fifth Chapter) and her take on Radiohead's Just.

The Libertines, about to release their first album in 9 years, perform live at Maida Vale with the BBC Concert Orchestra. It's now more than 20 years since the band first achieved critical and commercial success and gained a dedicated cult following. But despite some very long gaps in their activities, interest in The Libertines has never waned, and now Carl Barât, Pete Doherty, John Hassall and Gary Powell have returned with All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, recorded in Port Antonio, Jamaica and Margate, Kent. The Libertines Piano Room set features Don't Look Back Into The Sun, Shiver from the new album and their take on Arthur Lee and Love's 1967 classic, Alone Again Or.

Soul legend P.P. Arnold performs live at Maida Vale with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Her professional career began as an 'Ikette' with The Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the mid 1960s before becoming a solo artist when she moved to the UK and enjoyed hits with The First Cut Is The Deepest and Angel Of The Morning. Since then, she's collaborated with everyone from Mick Jagger to The KLF to Barry Gibb and enjoyed a rich and varied career that's included performing on the West End stage and writing an acclaimed autobiography. P.P.'s Piano Room set features The First Cut Is The Deepest, Soul Survivor and her take on Miley Cyrus' Flowers.

Gabrielle is the latest star performing live at Maida Vale for Radio 2's Piano Room Month. Having celebrated the 30th anniversary of her breakthrough hit Dreams last year, Gabrielle has proven to be one of the UK's most enduring and popular singers with her 8th studio album, A Place In Your Heart, due for release in May. Gabrielle will be appearing all over the UK in concert throughout this year, including 4 dates with Sir Tom Jones. Her Piano Room set features Out Of Reach, her self-penned classic written for Bridget Jones's Diary, the title track from her new album, A Place In Your Heart, and Lionel Richie's Stuck On You.

Former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley performs alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra at Maida Vale. With Tony's unmistakable voice driving them, Spandau Ballet were one of the most successful pop acts of the 1980s clocking up 23 hit singles, including songs that defined that era such as Gold and True. As a solo performer Tony has continued to enjoy huge success, and in March he will be performing throughout the UK on his Big Swing Tour, featuring classics from the Great American Songbook alongside reworkings of his own music. Tony's Piano Room set features the Spandau Ballet favourite, Through The Barricades, Walk Of Shame and his own take on Lana Del Rey's Young And Beautiful.

Coldplay, one of the world’s most iconic bands, take centre stage for the launch of Radio 2’s Piano Room Month 2025 at the BBC’s Maida Vale studios, with very special stripped back versions of Viva La Vida, All My Love and a cover of The Proclaimers’ Sunshine On Leith. During the performance, Chris, Jonny, Guy and Will are also joined by Laura Mvula for some intimate arrangements of their songs, alongside a string quartet.

Kim Wilde performs her classic ‘You Came’, her new song ‘Midnight Train’ and a cover of Crowded House’s ‘Weather With You’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra in the Radio 2 Piano Room.

Tom Grennan performs his song ‘Little Bit Of Love’, new single 'Shadow Boxing’ and covers Harry Nilsson’s ‘Without You’ alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra in Radio 2's Piano Room.

Mica performs her original breakthrough hit ‘My One Temptation’, new song ‘Heaven’, and her own unique cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’, alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Myles performs his track ‘Stargazing’ which was the biggest UK single of 2024, plus ‘Nice To Meet You and a melodic cover of Green Day’s ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’.

Kiefer Sutherland performs three magnificent tracks in the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room, including a breath-taking cover of ‘In The Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins.