BBC plans Euro push for Top of the Pops brand

The BBC is to export its long-running music show Top of the Pops, the spin-off magazine and a series of compact discs to Europe as part of its commercial expansion.

The first Top of the Pops album will be tested in Germany over Easter and will appear in the UK in June. The CD will contain top 40 hits and will be modelled on the successful “Now That’s What I Call Music” series, with further CDs being released every six months.

The Corporation is in talks with a major music publisher about producing the compilation.

The project is a joint venture between BBC Productions, the developer of the formats, and BBC Worldwide, which markets them.

Top of the Pops is one of the longest-running shows on British television and has been screened on the BBC for more than 34 years.

A BBC source involved in the project says: “We are trying to create a new brand and enhance it at the same time. We are finding that music is something which travels well across international markets.”

The television and magazine projects are not expected to appear on the Continent until the second half of the year because both formats will need adapting for individual markets. For instance, clips of local bands may be integrated into the TV format.