Party Zone
Encyclopedia
Party Zone is MTV Europe
's longest-running show, born not only when MTV Europe started (August 1987) but also when club culture was at its embryonic stage. Partyzone plays a mix of new and old tracks from many different genres of dance music, including garage
, house
, techno
, electronic
, trance
and drum and bass
. It can be seen every Friday and Saturday night on the various European local MTV versions (MTV Adria, MTV Italia, MTV Türkiye, MTV Hungary, MTV Baltics, MTV Greece...), alongside the original MTV European, which still goes out to European countries that don't have a local MTV.
From 1987 - 2000, Party Zone was produced and programmed by James Hyman
.
Between 1987 and 1990, Party Zone was hosted by some of MTV Europe's original VJs including Kristiane Backer.
From 1991 to late 1998, it was hosted by Simone Angel
, who quickly became the "face" of dance music on the channel, interviewing the most groundbreaking electronic acts and promoting videos by then still relatively unknown acts, such as The Prodigy
in the early '90s. Party Zone featured many rare interviews over the years, including one with Aphex Twin
, The Future Sound of London
, Ken Ishii
.
Even after Simone Angel
left MTV Europe in December 1998, the Party Zone continued to air as a weekly non-stop dance music mix on MTV Europe
and on the then newly created local versions (MTV UK, MTV Central and MTV Nordic).
Party Zone is no longer broadcast on MTV One (UK) and MTV Central
(Germany / Austria & Swiss). On those markets, there is a themed music channel called "MTV Dance
", that shows Dance and Pop music throughout the day.
Besides, MTV France
, MTV Portugal
, MTV Sweden
and others have not had any "Party Zone" scheduled for more than a year. Those channels have replaced the program with a local version of "Dance Floor Chart".
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
's longest-running show, born not only when MTV Europe started (August 1987) but also when club culture was at its embryonic stage. Partyzone plays a mix of new and old tracks from many different genres of dance music, including garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
, house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
and drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
. It can be seen every Friday and Saturday night on the various European local MTV versions (MTV Adria, MTV Italia, MTV Türkiye, MTV Hungary, MTV Baltics, MTV Greece...), alongside the original MTV European, which still goes out to European countries that don't have a local MTV.
From 1987 - 2000, Party Zone was produced and programmed by James Hyman
James Hyman
James Hyman is a DJ, Radio & TV presenter, music supervisor and MD of JLH, a creative media–marketing company.Hyman put aside his place at the University of Manchester in order to work in the Press office of the, then new, company MTV, despite his parents' misgivings James Hyman (born 18 April...
.
Between 1987 and 1990, Party Zone was hosted by some of MTV Europe's original VJs including Kristiane Backer.
From 1991 to late 1998, it was hosted by Simone Angel
Simone Angel
Simone Angel is a Dutch TV host.-MTV:Born in Woerden, Angel moved from there to London, England when she was 18. Here she was hired by MTV Europe, becoming the youngest VJ and, after working for nine years, she also became one of the longest serving VJs for MTV...
, who quickly became the "face" of dance music on the channel, interviewing the most groundbreaking electronic acts and promoting videos by then still relatively unknown acts, such as The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
in the early '90s. Party Zone featured many rare interviews over the years, including one with Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
, The Future Sound of London
The Future Sound of London
The Future Sound of London is a prolific British electronic music band composed of Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans. The duo are often credited with pushing the boundaries of electronic music experimentation and of pioneering a new era of dance music...
, Ken Ishii
Ken Ishii
is a Japanese techno DJ and producer from Sapporo. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University. He has released work under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms: FLR, Flare, UTU, Yoga, and Rising Sun....
.
Even after Simone Angel
Simone Angel
Simone Angel is a Dutch TV host.-MTV:Born in Woerden, Angel moved from there to London, England when she was 18. Here she was hired by MTV Europe, becoming the youngest VJ and, after working for nine years, she also became one of the longest serving VJs for MTV...
left MTV Europe in December 1998, the Party Zone continued to air as a weekly non-stop dance music mix on MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
and on the then newly created local versions (MTV UK, MTV Central and MTV Nordic).
Party Zone is no longer broadcast on MTV One (UK) and MTV Central
MTV Central
MTV Germany, is a 24- hour German speaking entertainment channel operated by MTV Networks Europe. The channel was launched as MTV Networks Europe began to localize its brand throughout Europe in 1997. MTV Germany was launched on March 7, 1997...
(Germany / Austria & Swiss). On those markets, there is a themed music channel called "MTV Dance
MTV Dance
MTV Dance is a 24-hour dance music channel operated by MTV Networks Europe.The channel is widely available throughout Europe on subscription satellite and digital television services...
", that shows Dance and Pop music throughout the day.
Besides, MTV France
MTV France
MTV France, is a 24-hour French speaking entertainment channel operated by MTV Networks Europe. The channel was launched as MTV Networks Europe began to further localize its brand throughout Europe. MTV France was launched in June 20, 2000in France...
, MTV Portugal
MTV Portugal
MTV Portugal is a 24-hour general entertainment channel serving Portugal.The channel was launched on July 1, 2003 replacing MTV Europe within the territory. In its initial stages MTV Portugal shared similar content to MTV Spain and MTV Italy, while also airing programming from MTV US and MTV Europe...
, MTV Sweden
MTV Sweden
MTV Sweden is a general entertainment channel broadcasting to the Swedish market. The channel replaced MTV Nordic on September 18, 2005.-History:* MTV Sweden launched in September 2005 along with MTV Finland and MTV Norge...
and others have not had any "Party Zone" scheduled for more than a year. Those channels have replaced the program with a local version of "Dance Floor Chart".