Introduction
The Nokia Green Room is a TV show that aired on the Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, starting in 2008. The show, that telecast music performances, was sponsored by Nokia and their music service named "Comes with Music".
Overview
[edit] The show began airing in April 2008 and consisted of live music performances, as well as the acts being monitored backstage in 'The Green Room', via hidden cameras. Artists who have performed on the show include:
Alesha Dixon Ashlee Simpson Cage The Elephant Chris Brown The Courteeners Feeder The Feeling Gnarls Barkley Guillemots The Jonas Brothers Kelly Rowland Late of the Pier Mystery Jets Robyn The Saturdays The Script Shaggy The Nokia Green Room Christmas Special aired in December 2008 and featured performances by:
Alesha Dixon Lemar McFly Scouting For Girls Sugababes It is filmed at Riverside Studios, London.
Why the Nokia Green Room still feels fresh
Even though it only ran for a brief spell in 2008, the Nokia Green Room captured a moment when live music on TV was still a novelty. The programme mixed stripped‑down gigs with the glossy aesthetic of a tech‑sponsored brand, giving up‑and‑coming artists a platform that felt more intimate than a stadium broadcast. That blend of grime‑y rehearsal rooms and polished camera work set a template for later music channels, making the show a quiet forerunner of today’s streaming‑first concert series.
Collecting the series: a niche buying guide
Original DVDs of the Nokia Green Room are now occasional finds on specialist auction sites and second‑hand shops. When hunting them, check that the discs are region‑coded for the UK (Region 2) and that the packaging includes the Nokia branding, which helps confirm authenticity. A complete set typically runs about three hours, so compare listings by total runtime rather than disc count. For the best value, pair the DVDs with a modestly priced Bluetooth speaker – the show’s original sound mixes benefit from decent bass response without needing a full‑size hi‑fi system.
What people miss: the brand‑music partnership
Most recall the Nokia Green Room as a quirky music programme, yet its deeper significance lies in the early experiment of a mobile‑phone giant funding original TV content. Nokia’s "Comes with Music" service was a pioneering attempt to marry device sales with a subscription music library, and the show acted as a live showcase for that ecosystem. Understanding this context reveals why the programme’s visual style feels so crisp – it was deliberately designed to echo the sleekness of Nokia’s phones, turning the studio into a brand‑filled green room rather than a conventional concert hall.