Blue Peter is launching its first ever music badge in collaboration with BBC Music Day on Thursday with lifelong Blue Peter fan and multi award-winning singer/songwriter, Ed Sheeran, designing the latest iconic shield.

Blue Peter music-themed show also features Sir Paul McCartney on his musical memories
Ed, who received a Gold badge last year - the show’s highest accolade - has watched Blue Peter since he was a kid so didn’t hesitate when he was asked to design the new music badge.

Ed Sheeran says: “I’ve always loved Blue Peter and even got the chance to present the show a while back, so I’m made up that I got to design their first ever badge for BBC Music Day. Music was really important to me growing up and I hope this badge will inspire more kids to get into it.”

Ed sketched the new badge, which has a multi-coloured background and features the Blue Peter ship alongside piano keys, a microphone and music notes.

To earn the badge, Blue Peter’s young fans need to tell Blue Peter how they enjoy making music - maybe they have tried a new musical instrument, or been part of a musical performance, or could tell Blue Peter about an instrument that they love to play. They also have to become a musical detective by asking a parent, grandparent, or teacher about their musical memories to find out how music has inspired them; and tell Blue Peter their top three favourite songs of all time and why they love them.

The badge will be launched live on Thursday on CBBC at 5.30pm in a special BBC Music Day show that also features legendary musician and Blue Peter gold badge holder, Sir Paul McCartney. He will be talking about his musical memories including how his songwriting skills have improved over the years from the first songs which were, he says, ‘nice, but very basic’.

Also on the show, Guest Editor, Radio 1’s Maya Jama, shares her sounds of the summer with an online vote where the audience can select their favourite; Becky Hill performs I Could Get Used to This; and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier re-mixes the Blue Peter theme tune with the voices of Blue Peter viewers before performing live in the studio. Presenter, Lindsey Russell, will be taking on a huge challenge - conducting the BBC’s Philharmonic Orchestra - and will also be at Leeds Festival talking to artists about the music badge.

The music badge application form can be downloaded from the Blue Peter website.

For BBC Music Day, CBBC has also created the Buzz Band on the Buzz app which lets kids send in videos of themselves playing musical instruments, which will be edited into a song, and on CBeebies Mark Ronson will read a Bedtime Story at 6.50pm.

BBC Music Day

Now in its fifth year, BBC Music Day on Thursday 26 September celebrates the power of music to change lives. This year’s theme is music and wellbeing, with over 2,000 events across the UK including pop up performances, interviews, musical takeovers and short films by artists including Nile Rodgers, Craig David, Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, Emeli Sandé, Liam Gallagher, Anne-Marie, Guy Garvey, Professor Green, Ray BLK, Keane, Naughty Boy, Nina Nesbitt, Freya Ridings, Aitch and more.

Further programming and initiatives for BBC Music Day (all taking place on Thursday 26 September unless otherwise stated):

BBC Memory Radio

Launching for BBC Music Day 2019 is Memory Radio, a new digital tool available at http://bbc.co.uk/musicmemories featuring three presenter-led radio programmes designed for people with dementia. Content from the BBC Radio Archives has been used to create memorable audio experiences, offering a selection of music, news archive and BBC Radio programming from the 1940s, 1950’s and 1960s. They are comprised of montages of 80 minutes which users can select by decade. Each programme is accompanied by a downloadable Information Sheet that can be used in care homes, with information on the music and archive material and suggested talking points and quizzes. The programmes are also available on the BBC Sounds app and website and Alexa. The material has been developed in consultation with people with dementia and professional carers.

This is part of an unprecedented collaboration of over 100 UK organisations involved with dementia care and supported by BBC Music Day Ambassador and music legend Nile Rodgers. The ambitious initiative aims to bring music to everyone living with dementia by 2020 and has inspired over 800 events across the UK taking place this week, from pop-up nightclubs and raves at care homes to intergenerational singing sessions.

Singing

Get Singing now has over 1,400 schools lined up to take part with almost 300,000 children. This year the collaboration brings together leading music and education experts including BBC Education, BBC Ten Pieces, Young Voices, Sing Up, Ex Cathedra, Chiltern Music Therapy and Music Action International. BBC Music Day Ambassador, Scottish singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, has recorded an exclusive film with her top warm-up tips to help get their voices ready on the day. View it at bbc.co.uk/musicday

Singing in a workplace choir is a brilliant way to feel good so in Birmingham BBC Music Day is exploring music’s link to health and well-being with over 150 singers from workplace choirs performing to the passing public.

TV

Singer and BBC Music Day Ambassador, Craig David, takes part in a surprise pop-up performance at a secret location, to be broadcast live on BBC Breakfast; Keane are on the Breakfast sofa plus Professor Green helps the show’s weather presenter, Carol Kirkwood, deliver the meteorological updates live from Salford!

The One Show broadcasts a film featuring Nile Rodgers on music and dementia, plus a special performance by Liam Gallagher.

Pointless Celebrities (BBC One, 28 Sept, 5.50pm) features former or current BBC Music Day Ambassadors - Tom Ogden, Ray BLK, Shaun Ryder, Rowetta, Ricky Wilson, Will Young, Naughty Boy, Lesley Garrett and a music performance from Blossoms.

Bargain Hunt features a battle of the bands with The Darkness’ lead singer Justin Hawkins and bass guitarist Frankie Poullain taking on Feeder’s lead singer Grant Nicholas and bassist Taka Hirose at an antiques fair in Stamford Meadows, Lincolnshire.

BBC radio

Radio 1 celebrates with Lewis Capaldi Live (26 Sept, 12pm), a showcase of the Scottish singer-songwriters performance with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra as part of Radio 1’s Live Lounge Month, also broadcast on BBC One (11.35pm, 27 Sept).

1Xtra and BBC Radio Leeds are coming together to create Bradford 1Xtra, a pop-up for BBC Music Day celebrating the best in Urban music talent from Bradford and across Yorkshire. Bradford 1Xtra will broadcast on DAB in the Bradford area between 7pm on Thursday 26 until 6am on Saturday 28 September.

Radio 2 features a dementia choir performing on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins is chatting to Ken Bruce ahead of his appearance on Bargain Hunt’s BBC Music Day special, and across the week Jeremy Vine (midday-2pm) asks listeners about the songs that changed their life.

Radio 3 Breakfast is asking the audiences for music which invokes strong memories for them; In Tune features music from artists around the theme of wellbeing, with performances from the Military Wives, guitarist Miloš and Maxim Rysanov and Alexander Sitkovetsky; Afternoon Concert has a session from the BBC Singers on the power of music to unlock memories in people with dementia, a theme which is explored further in an interview with Formula One racing legend Jackie Stewart about his wife; Music Matters hears from those involved in arts projects dedicated to music and wellbeing; and listeners to Radio 3 In Concert can once again enjoy this year’s Relaxed Prom.

Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour has features looking at how music helps people maintain their relationships with relatives who have dementia, and last Sunday there was a BBC Music Day episode of Desert Island Discs with Thom Yorke, which is now available on BBC Sounds.

Naughty Boy, the singer and producer behind hits for Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith, will be a guest on the Nihal Arthanayake show on BBC Radio 5 live, leading a discussion on music and dementia.

On BBC Radio 6 Music, Lauren Laverne has a People’s Playlist for music and wellbeing; Mary Anne Hobbs hears from Dr Rock - aka the academic/neuroscientist and author Dr Julia Jones - whose book looks at the effect of music on our physical and mental wellbeing, particularly dementia; Shaun Keaveny explores the BBC Music Memories website; and Steve Lamacq plays Trash in the Attic, where a record collector selects three records and asks audience which is the most valuable of the trio.

For all of the music, radio and podcasts from BBC Music Day, head to BBC Sounds. Listen online at bbc.co.uk/sounds or download the app. As well as a host of music themed podcasts including Blood On The Tracks with Colin Murray, The First Time with Matt Everitt and The Sound Odyssey with Gemma Cairney, BBC Sounds presents exclusive music mixes from The Hotlist: BBC Introducing, and a wellbeing Takeover mix from Freya Ridings.

Nations and regions

BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle looks at how music brings people together to make a positive impact, with live music sessions, guests and playlists in the run-up to and throughout the day.

In Scotland is the live final of the BBC Radio Scotland Singer/Songwriter Award. Following a public vote, Liz Dawn, Gus Harrower, Mike McKenzie and Scott Wallace will compete for the award. The final is hosted by Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue and Radio Scotland’s Another Country, and the judges are singer/songwriters Fran Healy, Horse McDonald and Karine Polwart, live music promoter Geoff Ellis and music industry executive, Dee Bahl. The prize includes a recording session with BBC Scotland in Glasgow, an opportunity to play the King Tut’s stage at the TRNSMT Festival next year and a promotional video. See performances of the contestants at bbc.co.uk/singersongwriter

BBC Radio Cymru is seeking out the most iconic Welsh language music from the archive to put on the BBC Music Memories website, working with women’s group Merched y Wawr to select songs that mean the most to listeners and playing them on air; and it broadcasts the memorable Gig from the Pavilion at this year’s National Eisteddfod featuring Eden, Lleden and Diffiniad (7-9.30pm). BBC Radio Wales has an inter-generational feel, broadcasting from a Swansea care home where a local school performs with the care home choir and a local dementia choir; and programmes showcase bands from the Horizons project which develops new, independent contemporary music in Wales.

BBC local radio will be reflecting a range of musical genres, with contrasting musicians and communities performing their most uplifting tracks to bring a smile to audiences across the 40 stations as part of the BBC Music Day Mash Up. There will be coverage of the many music and dementia projects taking place for BBC Music Day and a special interview with Nile Rodgers. Highlights will be reflected on BBC One Regional News programmes.