Queen, The Beatles, The Who, And More Feature On UK Government’s Coronation Playlist
King Charles III will officially be coronated at a ceremony in London next weekend (May 6)
A playlist created by the UK government to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation has been unveiled, featuring the likes of Queen, The Beatles, and The Who.
The new monarch, who took his place on the throne following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022, will be officially coronated at a ceremony next weekend. The event will take place at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6.
To mark the historic occasion, the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has curated a playlist of iconic British artists. The Beatles’ “Come Together” kicks off the compilation and is joined by Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me,” Years & Years’ appropriately-titled “King,” Ellie Goulding’s “Starry Eyed,” and many more.
“The playlist has been created to celebrate British and Commonwealth artists ahead of the upcoming coronation,” a spokesperson for DCMS said.
The government’s playlist isn’t the only musical accompaniment to the coronation of Charles and Queen Consort Camilla. A special concert will be held at Windsor Castle on May 7, with acts performing in front of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests.
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Take That, and Andrea Bocelli lead the line-up for the concert, with the likes of Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, singer-songwriter Freya Ridings, and classical-soul composer-producer Alexis Ffrench also joining them. According to the BBC, which is producing the concert, performances will be supported by staging and effects located on the Castle’s East Lawn and will also feature a selection of spoken word sequences delivered by stars of stage and screen
The show will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Sounds. The BBC Television and iPlayer coverage will be hosted by Kirsty Young. BBC Radio 2’s coverage will be anchored by Zoe Ball, who will be speaking to the performers, and Dermot O’Leary, who will be among the crowds.
The celebrations will also spread across the country, with the concert’s “Lighting Up The Nation” centerpiece seeing iconic locations across the UK lit up by projections, lasers, potential drone displays, and illuminations.
Stream the playlist in full on Spotify.
