FEATURE:
Three-in-Ten
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC
The PopMaster Effect
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I have been meaning to write…
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC
a feature about PopMaster for many months now! It is an incredibly popular quiz hosted by Ken Bruce on his weekday BBC Radio 2 show at 10:30 a.m. Between 10.30-10.45 a.m., so many people in Britain pretty much stop what they are doing to take part. It is almost an institution of radio, and it has aired on weekday mornings since 16th February, 1998. The questions are devised by radio producer and music collector, Phil ‘The Collector’ Swern. Before I continue, here are some more details:
“Two contestants play against each other for the chance to win a DAB digital radio. Each contestant is asked ten questions based on popular music from the 1950s through to the present day. Correct answers to the questions are worth three points, other than for the third, sixth and ninth "bonus" questions on a topic chosen by the contestant, from two options offered by the host prior to the start of the quiz. The bonus questions involve listening to a snippet of music and, if answered correctly, are worth six points. There is, therefore, a maximum total of thirty-nine points on offer.
The winning contestant then goes on to play "Three-in-Ten". In this part of the quiz they have ten seconds to name three UK Singles Chart hits for a particular artist or group named by Ken Bruce. If they successfully manage this they win the DAB digital radio; if they fail, they win an MP3 player. As of early 2015, the prize for failing the Three-in-Ten has been changed to a Bluetooth speaker. However, if a contestant scores thirty-nine points in the main round, they win the Digital Radio anyway, and the other contestant would play Three-in-Ten instead. Should both contestants score the same number of points (and the score is less than the maximum), a tie-break is used to decide who will play Three-in-Ten.
IN THIS PHOTO: Ken Bruce
A "One Year Out" t-shirt can be won, so-designed because when answering "Name the Year" type questions, contestants are very often just one year out, causing Ken to exclaim "One year out!". Previously, the losing contestant would receive a consolation prize of a Radio 2 CD wallet. One Year Out t-shirts are often heard to be accepted by contestants as a desirable consolation.
At the end of the year, the best contestants (those who score thirty-nine points, or thirty-six points and also win the "Three-in-Ten") return for a "Champions League PopMaster", the structure of which is different. The contestants start with their original score from their first appearance, and then proceed to answer ten questions which are worth their ordinal values i.e. question 1 is worth one point, question 2 is worth two points and so on. The contestants still choose a bonus subject, but this is only worth its value in the order of the questions. The score is then added to their original score, and the highest-scoring two contestants return for a final to determine the year's champion.
An interactive version of PopMaster was launched on Monday 1 March 2010. The game can now be played on the BBC Radio 2 web and mobile sites, or in a Facebook application. The game features text, image, sound and video questions, and scores are determined by how quickly the player answers correctly. A voiceover from Ken Bruce features throughout the game. Players can also challenge friends to beat their high scores. The maximum score possible is 39.
Since Monday 29 October 2018, PopMaster has been available as a podcast for 30 days after broadcast. The podcast edits out some personal details of the contestants for privacy reasons. Instead, at the end of the podcast episode, Ken reads out a selection of listener emails from after the live broadcast”.
I listen to PopMaster as much as I can, as there is something hypnotic and addictive about the segment of Ken Bruce’s show. There are many reasons why PopMaster is one of the must-hear segments of radio every weekday. You can hear Bruce has a passion for it after all these years. He is funny and warm, and the callers are always interesting. I am not sure what my highest score is; I think I have scored thirty points in the past – there are some callers who have got every question right. There is that excitement of seeing who will win and, when it is a close contest, just who pips it! The format is pretty simple, in that there are general questions and specialised subjects; there is a nice mix of years/artists (in the questions), and I can imagine PopMaster continuing for many more years to come! I want to bring in an interview from the BBC that featured Ken Bruce. He is broadcasting from home – like so many broadcasters -, but he is still able to present his BBC Radio 2 show. He spoke about that adaption, and why PopMaster remains so loved:
“Any surge in listening won't be reflected in official figures for a few months, but the BBC says there has been a significant increase in live radio listening via the BBC Sounds app since lockdown measures came into force.
Not that Bruce needed any help attracting listeners. With an audience of 8.27 million, his is the most popular show in the UK - a particularly impressive accolade given that he doesn't host the breakfast show, traditionally a radio station's flagship programme.
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC
Bruce is one of countless radio presenters currently broadcasting from home, but technical advances make this much easier than it used to be.
Many listeners won't even have noticed a change - as was the case when the presenters of Radio 4's Today programme began broadcasting from home last month.
"Radio does provide friendship, companionship, in an undemanding kind of way, so strong relationships are formed between listener and broadcaster on radio, and I think that will only increase as time goes on," Bruce says.
"We're certainly aware of more people listening and taking part in Popmaster, for example, than before, and the texts and emails have massively grown, so I think there will be a general rediscovery of radio and how important it can be at times like this."
One specific feature within Bruce's show which has seen a significant increase in engagement is the famous quiz broadcast at 10:30 every morning.
"We're hearing a lot about the Popmaster effect," says Bruce's producer Ricky Marshall.
"It's always been an appointment to listen, but I think now more than ever it's really ramping up - families are sitting down to do Popmaster, people are saying they're playing along with their friends on a Zoom call.
"The hashtag seems to trend most days with people all joining in together, so I think there's a real sense of online community around the quiz which is quite nice."
Popmaster sees two callers face a series of (often quite difficult) music questions. If they hesitate for too long, a five-second countdown begins, which adds to the pressure.
"With the five-second counter, you've got to feel it," Bruce says. "You don't play it too soon on the early questions, and if you think somebody might be getting a little assistance, shall we say, then you can slam the five-second countdown clock down quite quickly. So it's a question of touch and feel".
I think radio is a lifeline right now, and I am listening a lot more than I did a few weeks back. I think the cult of PopMaster is one of those comforting and wonderful beacons of light that not only provides distraction, but it is also joining people together. The pleasure of playing along with relatives or friends – we are seeing a lot more of that than we did before lockdown. Ken Bruce is that most charming of hosts that makes PopMaster a real treasure of the airwaves. I hope that it (and Ken Bruce) continues on BBC Radio 2 for a lot longer, as I do not think weekday mornings would be the same without it. If you are someone who loves their music and is new to PopMaster, I suggest you join the army of loyal listeners. Tune in to BBC Radio 2 and Ken Bruce’s show and…
GET involved.