Album: Various Artists

Radio 1 Established 1967 (Universal)

As excuses for tribute albums go, the 40th anniversary of a radio station seems pretty thin – but then, broadcast media have never exactly been shrinking violets when it comes to bigging themselves up. These days, barely a week passes without some limp celebration affording TV stations, in particular, the opportunity to ransack their archive for a few cheap hours' scheduling. Radio is less brazen: this two-CD set at least comes up with new material, with one hit from each year since Radio 1's inception covered by a currently popular act. Fine if it's The Raconteurs doing "Teenage Kicks", or Amy Winehouse oozing seductively through "Cupid", but less agreeable if it's The Streets mocknefying Elton's "Your Song", or The Pigeon Detectives doing "The Power of Love" – was Huey Lewis really the best thing they could find from 1985? And frankly, I don't want to hear "Teenage Dirtbag" done by either Wheatus or Girls Aloud. But Robbie Williams' arched-eyebrow reading of "Lola" and the electro-fying of "Can't Stand Losing You" by Mika and Armand van Helden are pleasant surprises.

Download this: 'Lola', 'Cupid', 'Teenage Kicks'