Well, there's youtube for one thing. I'm thinking about folk type artists such as Katie Melua and K.T. Tunstall - they were at least partly 'found' via youtube, weren't they? please correct me if I'm wrong though but I think so. Not all youtube 'sensations' are hip hop artists or R&B singers and that sort of thing. I'm not entirely sure how you find these acts specifically but some people must - I guess if you subscribe to the right channels then you can? I feel old already, its slightly over my head. When I go to youtube its to watch something specific that I use the search bar to look up, like comedy clips from TV and things like that.
Maybe there are radio shows which play more obscure modern material? I remember hearing about how some, if not all, radio stations that play chart music are given a pre-approved playlist and can't add new artists unless they've already achieved a set level of success or something similar (this may be moreso the case in the US with ClearChannel guidelines? I can't remember precisely). Its a shame as that makes it alot harder for unknown acts to become fully popular in the mainstream though...
Going on Youtube or wherever else and actively looking for new music isn't something the vast majority of people do. The way most people consume new music is via the radio or television. And there is next to no diversity there - nor is there in the singles charts, consequently.
Sure, some artists are 'discovered' via Youtube, MySpace or wherever else - but I hardly think Katie Melua or KT Tunstall are cutting edge. And those acts are all forced to do as they are told.
Those artists I named all had elements of risk attached for record companies in 1979. They were headstrong and opinionated. Record companies now don't want artists. They want submissive pawns they can manipulate and market, and aren't prepared to take any risks.
Of course, record companies have always been conservative in their thinking, and the music industry has always been driven by both creativity and money. But now money has swamped creativity. And if you're not Cowell product, hip hop or EDM, it's extremely unlikely you'll get a look-in.
If you don't believe me, try spending a day in front of the music channels or listening to a Capital-type radio station.
The 1979 charts, as we are about to see, are fantastically diverse: you can veer from Motorhead to Lena Martell, from 'Death Disco' to 'Day Trip To Bangor'. There is no modern parallel.
Well, there's youtube for one thing. I'm thinking about folk type artists such as Katie Melua and K.T. Tunstall - they were at least partly 'found' via youtube, weren't they? please correct me if I'm wrong though but I think so. Not all youtube 'sensations' are hip hop artists or R&B singers and that sort of thing. I'm not entirely sure how you find these acts specifically but some people must - I guess if you subscribe to the right channels then you can? I feel old already, its slightly over my head. When I go to youtube its to watch something specific that I use the search bar to look up, like comedy clips from TV and things like that.
Maybe there are radio shows which play more obscure modern material? I remember hearing about how some, if not all, radio stations that play chart music are given a pre-approved playlist and can't add new artists unless they've already achieved a set level of success or something similar (this may be moreso the case in the US with ClearChannel guidelines? I can't remember precisely). Its a shame as that makes it alot harder for unknown acts to become fully popular in the mainstream though...
No because both artists broke through before You tube even existed. Katie Melua's success was credited to Radio 2 airplay and KT Tunstall to her appearence on Later with Jools Holland.
One of the biggest problems for potentially bringing TOTP back onto BBC1 in the early evening is the simple fact of the music nowadays that makes the charts. It has no variety or diversity in the way that it used to. It's a niche now and the mainstream singles chart that would be used by TOTP simply fails to reflect with any true meaning the tastes of the general population like it once did. Therefore TOTP as a return at the moment is doomed to fail on that one point alone, never mind other points that could be mentioned.
I actually do not know why the UK singles chart, that TOTP would depend on, are not more diverse. Why is this? In the era of downloads I would have expected diversity to have increased greatly. It's not just teens and 20's that download music, plenty of people of all ages do so nowadays. I do not understand why the over 35's downloading music are not impacting more.
Saturday morning children's TV of the late 90's has been mentioned here. In the final few years that TOTP was being shown weekly, I recall just gazing at it and thinking it came across as nothing more than a Saturday morning kids TV show being put on in an inappropriate time in weekday primetime, and could no longer understand who was really watching it.
You are right. I can only see that most 30 somethings are all downloading different music so most of it doesn't dent the chart.
Going on Youtube or wherever else and actively looking for new music isn't something the vast majority of people do. The way most people consume new music is via the radio or television. And there is next to no diversity there - nor is there in the singles charts, consequently.
Sure, some artists are 'discovered' via Youtube, MySpace or wherever else - but I hardly think Katie Melua or KT Tunstall are cutting edge. And those acts are all forced to do as they are told.
Those artists I named all had elements of risk attached for record companies in 1979. They were headstrong and opinionated. Record companies now don't want artists. They want submissive pawns they can manipulate and market, and aren't prepared to take any risks.
Of course, record companies have always been conservative in their thinking, and the music industry has always been driven by both creativity and money. But now money has swamped creativity. And if you're not Cowell product, hip hop or EDM, it's extremely unlikely you'll get a look-in.
If you don't believe me, try spending a day in front of the music channels or listening to a Capital-type radio station.
The 1979 charts, as we are about to see, are fantastically diverse: you can veer from Motorhead to Lena Martell, from 'Death Disco' to 'Day Trip To Bangor'. There is no modern parallel.
Its funny you say that though because I keep hearing how youtube is (or can be) the birth of modern musicians and how if you get enough 'hits' to your videos, you can become the next big thing - Justin Bieber started that way, Usher ended up managing him after coming across his videos and seeing how popular they were, if I remember right? he's pretty mainstream pop, not really greatly cutting edge, I wouldn't have thought. Maybe their the exception rather than the rule, I suppose I wouldn't really know.
There should definitely be more room for creativity and more diverse artists - I like a wide range of genres really, so there should be room for new material. I wonder how long new artists, nowadays, last if their all quite much of a muchess, I suppose its no wonder many of the big talent show winners seem to be sometimes forgotten about within a few years of their supposedly life changing win. I've never liked those shows, I do think people should have to work their way up, apart from anything else so their hopefully more aware of their limits and maybe better able to cope with the challenges of success and have something to fall back on, plenty of people in the industry to help them out, who helped them on their way up and all the rest of it. Cowell has too much of a stake (clout?) in the industry, which doesn't seem entirely but I suppose there's probably always been someone like that around, trying to dictate what people mainly buy.
I used to watch MTV Hits a fair bit to watch chart music videos but I haven't watched any music channels since probably my early 20s, so a fair few years ago now. I only really listen to music with my headphones now, im weird that way(!). I also used to listen to a local radio station, Forth One, when I had my hi-fi which I've since sold - I eventually got bored of listening to that station though as it got a bit 'same-y' I suppose. Nowadays I only really listen to my own music collection or radio 2 ocassionally. I keep hearing about Spotify but im not sure if thats something I'd use or not. There was also a website called, I think Last.fm? people kept going on about that a few years ago, I gave that a try but only really used it for a few days I think. Mind you, I didn't think I'd bother with twitter for longer than a few days and I've sent over 100,000 tweets and all the rest of it, so it goes to show what do I know?.
Only read the first line of the IzzyS post before writing this. I'll read the rest in a moment, but I've just got to say....
Citing Justin Bieber! Christ, that is a good enough reason to shut YT immediately.
Infact just yesterday I heard Pete Waterman (who else?) state that without music on it, You Tube would be gone.
100,000 tweets....what a twit! ;-)
Its ok, people lose the will to live reading through some of my posts (apparently, according to someone on another forum some years ago) hah.
You know I never liked YT when it first became popular, I hoped it'd disappear but no so luck! I liked downloading videos so you could watch them without endless buffering.
Was it Waterman who commented in the 80s about no-one really caring if acts on TOTP mimed and claiming we're only (or mainly) interested in watching acts perform live for the novelty of the performance, how it looks and not how genuine the sound is or however it was worded? grrr! I can't much stand anyone who makes big sweeping statements, claiming everyone feels this way or that, doesn't mind this or only wants that or whatever it might be.
Its ok, people lose the will to live reading through some of my posts (apparently, according to someone on another forum some years ago) hah.
You know I never liked YT when it first became popular, I hoped it'd disappear but no so luck! I liked downloading videos so you could watch them without endless buffering.
Was it Waterman who commented in the 80s about no-one really caring if acts on TOTP mimed and claiming we're only (or mainly) interested in watching acts perform live for the novelty of the performance, how it looks and not how genuine the sound is or however it was worded? grrr! I can't much stand anyone who makes big sweeping statements, claiming everyone feels this way or that, doesn't mind this or only wants that or whatever it might be.
I do recall Waterman saying "why would I put my acts into a cold TOTP studio to sing live, when I have gone to enormous efforts in the studio to make them sound as good as possible". An explanation worthy of utter derision.
I do recall Waterman saying "why would I put my acts into a cold TOTP studio to sing live, when I have gone to enormous efforts in the studio to make them sound as good as possible". An explanation worthy of utter derision.
Ah, I knew there was a quote of some sort - its mentioned in that 'the true story' documentary I posted a link to earlier in the thread. Kylie talks about it, I suppose he was her manager back then in the days of Stock Aitken and Waterman. He was getting quite heated about how he felt audiences didn't care whether the act was getting much help in sounding good, as long as the show was visually pleasing and the audience enjoyed dancing to it...that makes me want to watch the program again and try and find it
ETA see:- http://youtu.be/-vSlV8YKeEQ?t=37m22s I agree with Stan Appel. Pete says 'The kids don't give a monkeys!' (about artists miming) - hmph!. I kind of understand where he's coming from but I remember as a young teen myself, I was very keen to find singers/musicians I liked who were genuinely good singers, as I hoped that would increase the chance they'd last in the industry.
I kind of understand where he's coming from but I remember as a young teen myself, I was very keen to find singers/musicians I liked who were genuinely good singers, as I hoped that would increase the chance they'd last in the industry.
TOTP was a bit passé even when I was a teenaged but I honestly couldn't remember caring if anyone was miming or not or if they would last.
For TOTP to stand any chance of returning, the singles chart has to have a rocket put under it.
Exactly. It was a showcase for the singles charts, nothing more. The charts are nowadays practically unknown for anybody who is over their mid-20s. Chart music is simply not the force in life it was in the 1960s thru 1980s. Hence to be basing programmes around it is a bit like flogging a dead horse - nobody cares.
Note that the people who want TOTP back are mostly coming in from the nostalgia side of things - people who watched it back in the day. Once it actually *was* back, they wouldn't bother watching it! And the kids won't bother with it in the first place (as they weren't when it went off the air).
If we ever get back to a family pop chart, which people follow in numbers it might have a chance. But I fear that ain't gonna happen.
Todays music is such a sad music state if all they are doing is maving these reality losers on it who cant sing to save their life but look really pretty.
Todays music is such a sad music state if all they are doing is maving these reality losers on it who cant sing to save their life but look really pretty.
I pretty much hate reality TV - it saturates the market of creativity, or however you word it. Its lazy TV. It would be nice to have more diversity, both on TV and in the pop/music charts.
Exactly. It was a showcase for the singles charts, nothing more. The charts are nowadays practically unknown for anybody who is over their mid-20s. Chart music is simply not the force in life it was in the 1960s thru 1980s. Hence to be basing programmes around it is a bit like flogging a dead horse - nobody cares.
Note that the people who want TOTP back are mostly coming in from the nostalgia side of things - people who watched it back in the day. Once it actually *was* back, they wouldn't bother watching it! And the kids won't bother with it in the first place (as they weren't when it went off the air).
If we ever get back to a family pop chart, which people follow in numbers it might have a chance. But I fear that ain't gonna happen.
Bring it back and it'd bomb all over again.
Perfectly said.
I adore watching the BBC4 re-runs of TOTP these past couple of years, and they are an event to sit down and watch, just like the show was back up to the 1980's. However despite my enthusiasm there was nothing whatsoever that would have made me sit down and endure the Christmas Day 2013 offering of TOTP. There was no comparison, except for the use of the name.
But could pop music eventually and very slowly return to the diversity it once had over 20 years ago, and make a show like TOTP a decent watch in BBC1 primetime ever again?
But could pop music eventually and very slowly return to the diversity it once had over 20 years ago, and make a show like TOTP a decent watch in BBC1 primetime ever again?
I'd lay money on the answer to that being a very firm "no".
The charts are getting worse and worse. Just when you think they can't get any worse, then surprise you and do exactly that. We've had 20 years of mostly dross now, and, arguably, the slide actually started the best part of a decade before that. I don't see anything to suggest that things will reverse.
I'd lay money on the answer to that being a very firm "no".
The charts are getting worse and worse. Just when you think they can't get any worse, then surprise you and do exactly that. We've had 20 years of mostly dross now, and, arguably, the slide actually started the best part of a decade before that. I don't see anything to suggest that things will reverse.
Accurate assessment. I speak as a charts and music lover, but I know full well they are beyond meaningless at the moment again. Any chart that can have AC/DC bang in at No4 as an attempted spoiler, or an old film score shoot to No2 just because a divisive former PM passes, or gets half a million people buying a song they don't even like, Rage Against The Machine at No1, just as another spoiler over a reality show fix, isn't even worth the paper it's written on. Even music and chart enthusiasts don't really care anymore. I want to care. Maybe I will one day soon again, but for the moment forget it.
In the past 50 years since TOTP began most of the really genuine popular music creativity came along in the first half of those 5 decades.
I pretty much hate reality TV - it saturates the market of creativity, or however you word it. Its lazy TV. It would be nice to have more diversity, both on TV and in the pop/music charts.
Maybe one day we will actually get music talent instead of lets give her a single because shes gorgeous.
Maybe one day we will actually get music talent instead of lets give her a single because shes gorgeous.
Thats what The X Factor is all about really, isn't it? just being able to sing isn't enough, they'd have to doll you up (if your female - you know what I mean lol) and give you a certain image and all the rest of it. I thought The Voice was a really good idea actually but I lost interest after a couple of the audition shows, not entirely sure why but probably partly because it seemed to be a bragging match between the judges which was boring and not really the point ( plus I find Will.I.Am to be seriously smug, I really cringe when he's on TV ).
Whoever wins The Voice doesn't seem to get much success, do they? I remember hearing the first winner struggled in the top 50? I could be wrong though. The ratings for that show (the UK version on BBC1) have been pretty awful and still their continuing with it, with that cringe-y advert with the singing babies in the hospital and all of that. How much money is being spent on that? can't they come up with more original shows, music related or not. I noticed on Pointless Celebrities last night they had a question about the Generation Game and it made me think that the BBC haven't had that sort of a show on Saturday evenings in a long time, more of a general variety show I suppose, something other than quiz shows or drama or reality shows. I guess variety shows are seen as out of date now? I'd like to see something other than the staple quiz shows and sometimes quite depressing dramas though. I liked I Love My Country but im probably in the minority there LOL anyway, sorry, going a little off topic there...
So yes, having said all of that, I suppose The Voice is probably the closest to a music talent show that I'd be keen on, or however you word that.
Accurate assessment. I speak as a charts and music lover, but I know full well they are beyond meaningless at the moment again.
I'd say that with ubquitious anytime access to music, the charts are meaningless full-stop, I doubt we'll ever get back to a time when they have any real importance.
I'd say that with ubquitious anytime access to music, the charts are meaningless full-stop, I doubt we'll ever get back to a time when they have any real importance.
How do people (especially or moreso kids) know what to listen to, without the charts? presumably they only choose to listen to music they know they like by the time they've already managed to listen to a wide range of music, to decide what acts they like in the first place and that's what the charts is for, highlighting the most popular acts (even if they do tend to be rather similar).
Kind of a shame the BBC ignored a documentary. Mentioned this to the family and the answer I got was what do you expect its too much time and money when they wasted it all on Doctor Who.
I can see what they mean. Shame really, last night watched the 25th anniversary of Top of the Pops and thoroughly enjoyed it. Didnt even recognise who those original presenters were. Well Alan Freeman I did but the other 3 didnt ring any bells. I dont mean Jimmy I mean the 4 people he introduced.
Kind of a shame the BBC ignored a documentary. Mentioned this to the family and the answer I got was what do you expect its too much time and money when they wasted it all on Doctor Who.
I can see what they mean. Shame really, last night watched the 25th anniversary of Top of the Pops and thoroughly enjoyed it. Didnt even recognise who those original presenters were. Well Alan Freeman I did but the other 3 didnt ring any bells. I dont mean Jimmy I mean the 4 people he introduced.
Pete Murray and David Jacobs were the other two. Even back then, you used to get the feeling that the whole TOTP thing was a bit avant garde for Jacobs! But he presented the first chart show on the radio (the distant ancestor of the standard Sunday night Radio 1 chart show) show I suppose that's why they got him originally.
I do recall Waterman saying "why would I put my acts into a cold TOTP studio to sing live, when I have gone to enormous efforts in the studio to make them sound as good as possible". An explanation worthy of utter derision.
Bit late to this, but rather than an explanation of utter derision instead an explanation of complete good sense. Have you not read the posts on the main TOTP thread where it is stated that the TOTP Orchestra ruined superb songs? Your bizarre hatred of Waterman is clouding your judgement.
Bit late to this, but rather than an explanation of utter derision instead an explanation of complete good sense. Have you not read the posts on the main TOTP thread where it is stated that the TOTP Orchestra ruined superb songs?
Yes, the TOTP orchestra were regularly wrecking pop hits during the 1985-1990 period weren't they!
(Oh I've missed having a touchy little spat with you - it was time!)
Comments
Going on Youtube or wherever else and actively looking for new music isn't something the vast majority of people do. The way most people consume new music is via the radio or television. And there is next to no diversity there - nor is there in the singles charts, consequently.
Sure, some artists are 'discovered' via Youtube, MySpace or wherever else - but I hardly think Katie Melua or KT Tunstall are cutting edge. And those acts are all forced to do as they are told.
Those artists I named all had elements of risk attached for record companies in 1979. They were headstrong and opinionated. Record companies now don't want artists. They want submissive pawns they can manipulate and market, and aren't prepared to take any risks.
Of course, record companies have always been conservative in their thinking, and the music industry has always been driven by both creativity and money. But now money has swamped creativity. And if you're not Cowell product, hip hop or EDM, it's extremely unlikely you'll get a look-in.
If you don't believe me, try spending a day in front of the music channels or listening to a Capital-type radio station.
The 1979 charts, as we are about to see, are fantastically diverse: you can veer from Motorhead to Lena Martell, from 'Death Disco' to 'Day Trip To Bangor'. There is no modern parallel.
Its funny you say that though because I keep hearing how youtube is (or can be) the birth of modern musicians and how if you get enough 'hits' to your videos, you can become the next big thing - Justin Bieber started that way, Usher ended up managing him after coming across his videos and seeing how popular they were, if I remember right? he's pretty mainstream pop, not really greatly cutting edge, I wouldn't have thought. Maybe their the exception rather than the rule, I suppose I wouldn't really know.
There should definitely be more room for creativity and more diverse artists - I like a wide range of genres really, so there should be room for new material. I wonder how long new artists, nowadays, last if their all quite much of a muchess, I suppose its no wonder many of the big talent show winners seem to be sometimes forgotten about within a few years of their supposedly life changing win. I've never liked those shows, I do think people should have to work their way up, apart from anything else so their hopefully more aware of their limits and maybe better able to cope with the challenges of success and have something to fall back on, plenty of people in the industry to help them out, who helped them on their way up and all the rest of it. Cowell has too much of a stake (clout?) in the industry, which doesn't seem entirely but I suppose there's probably always been someone like that around, trying to dictate what people mainly buy.
I used to watch MTV Hits a fair bit to watch chart music videos but I haven't watched any music channels since probably my early 20s, so a fair few years ago now. I only really listen to music with my headphones now, im weird that way(!). I also used to listen to a local radio station, Forth One, when I had my hi-fi which I've since sold - I eventually got bored of listening to that station though as it got a bit 'same-y' I suppose. Nowadays I only really listen to my own music collection or radio 2 ocassionally. I keep hearing about Spotify but im not sure if thats something I'd use or not. There was also a website called, I think Last.fm? people kept going on about that a few years ago, I gave that a try but only really used it for a few days I think. Mind you, I didn't think I'd bother with twitter for longer than a few days and I've sent over 100,000 tweets and all the rest of it, so it goes to show what do I know?.
Citing Justin Bieber!
Infact just yesterday I heard Pete Waterman (who else?) state that without music on it, You Tube would be gone.
100,000 tweets....what a twit! ;-)
Its ok, people lose the will to live reading through some of my posts (apparently, according to someone on another forum some years ago) hah.
You know I never liked YT when it first became popular, I hoped it'd disappear but no so luck! I liked downloading videos so you could watch them without endless buffering.
Was it Waterman who commented in the 80s about no-one really caring if acts on TOTP mimed and claiming we're only (or mainly) interested in watching acts perform live for the novelty of the performance, how it looks and not how genuine the sound is or however it was worded? grrr! I can't much stand anyone who makes big sweeping statements, claiming everyone feels this way or that, doesn't mind this or only wants that or whatever it might be.
Ah, I knew there was a quote of some sort - its mentioned in that 'the true story' documentary I posted a link to earlier in the thread. Kylie talks about it, I suppose he was her manager back then in the days of Stock Aitken and Waterman. He was getting quite heated about how he felt audiences didn't care whether the act was getting much help in sounding good, as long as the show was visually pleasing and the audience enjoyed dancing to it...that makes me want to watch the program again and try and find it
ETA see:- http://youtu.be/-vSlV8YKeEQ?t=37m22s I agree with Stan Appel. Pete says 'The kids don't give a monkeys!' (about artists miming) - hmph!. I kind of understand where he's coming from but I remember as a young teen myself, I was very keen to find singers/musicians I liked who were genuinely good singers, as I hoped that would increase the chance they'd last in the industry.
TOTP was a bit passé even when I was a teenaged but I honestly couldn't remember caring if anyone was miming or not or if they would last.
I did because my (then) favourite group split up on my 13th birthday
Well thats bulls*it then!
Exactly. It was a showcase for the singles charts, nothing more. The charts are nowadays practically unknown for anybody who is over their mid-20s. Chart music is simply not the force in life it was in the 1960s thru 1980s. Hence to be basing programmes around it is a bit like flogging a dead horse - nobody cares.
Note that the people who want TOTP back are mostly coming in from the nostalgia side of things - people who watched it back in the day. Once it actually *was* back, they wouldn't bother watching it! And the kids won't bother with it in the first place (as they weren't when it went off the air).
If we ever get back to a family pop chart, which people follow in numbers it might have a chance. But I fear that ain't gonna happen.
Bring it back and it'd bomb all over again.
I pretty much hate reality TV - it saturates the market of creativity, or however you word it. Its lazy TV. It would be nice to have more diversity, both on TV and in the pop/music charts.
Perfectly said.
I adore watching the BBC4 re-runs of TOTP these past couple of years, and they are an event to sit down and watch, just like the show was back up to the 1980's. However despite my enthusiasm there was nothing whatsoever that would have made me sit down and endure the Christmas Day 2013 offering of TOTP. There was no comparison, except for the use of the name.
But could pop music eventually and very slowly return to the diversity it once had over 20 years ago, and make a show like TOTP a decent watch in BBC1 primetime ever again?
I'd lay money on the answer to that being a very firm "no".
The charts are getting worse and worse. Just when you think they can't get any worse, then surprise you and do exactly that. We've had 20 years of mostly dross now, and, arguably, the slide actually started the best part of a decade before that. I don't see anything to suggest that things will reverse.
Accurate assessment. I speak as a charts and music lover, but I know full well they are beyond meaningless at the moment again. Any chart that can have AC/DC bang in at No4 as an attempted spoiler, or an old film score shoot to No2 just because a divisive former PM passes, or gets half a million people buying a song they don't even like, Rage Against The Machine at No1, just as another spoiler over a reality show fix, isn't even worth the paper it's written on. Even music and chart enthusiasts don't really care anymore. I want to care. Maybe I will one day soon again, but for the moment forget it.
In the past 50 years since TOTP began most of the really genuine popular music creativity came along in the first half of those 5 decades.
Maybe one day we will actually get music talent instead of lets give her a single because shes gorgeous.
Thats what The X Factor is all about really, isn't it? just being able to sing isn't enough, they'd have to doll you up (if your female - you know what I mean lol) and give you a certain image and all the rest of it. I thought The Voice was a really good idea actually but I lost interest after a couple of the audition shows, not entirely sure why but probably partly because it seemed to be a bragging match between the judges which was boring and not really the point ( plus I find Will.I.Am to be seriously smug, I really cringe when he's on TV
Whoever wins The Voice doesn't seem to get much success, do they? I remember hearing the first winner struggled in the top 50? I could be wrong though. The ratings for that show (the UK version on BBC1) have been pretty awful and still their continuing with it, with that cringe-y advert with the singing babies in the hospital and all of that. How much money is being spent on that? can't they come up with more original shows, music related or not. I noticed on Pointless Celebrities last night they had a question about the Generation Game and it made me think that the BBC haven't had that sort of a show on Saturday evenings in a long time, more of a general variety show I suppose, something other than quiz shows or drama or reality shows. I guess variety shows are seen as out of date now? I'd like to see something other than the staple quiz shows and sometimes quite depressing dramas though. I liked I Love My Country but im probably in the minority there LOL anyway, sorry, going a little off topic there...
So yes, having said all of that, I suppose The Voice is probably the closest to a music talent show that I'd be keen on, or however you word that.
I'd say that with ubquitious anytime access to music, the charts are meaningless full-stop, I doubt we'll ever get back to a time when they have any real importance.
How do people (especially or moreso kids) know what to listen to, without the charts? presumably they only choose to listen to music they know they like by the time they've already managed to listen to a wide range of music, to decide what acts they like in the first place and that's what the charts is for, highlighting the most popular acts (even if they do tend to be rather similar).
I can see what they mean. Shame really, last night watched the 25th anniversary of Top of the Pops and thoroughly enjoyed it. Didnt even recognise who those original presenters were. Well Alan Freeman I did but the other 3 didnt ring any bells. I dont mean Jimmy I mean the 4 people he introduced.
Pete Murray and David Jacobs were the other two. Even back then, you used to get the feeling that the whole TOTP thing was a bit avant garde for Jacobs! But he presented the first chart show on the radio (the distant ancestor of the standard Sunday night Radio 1 chart show) show I suppose that's why they got him originally.
Bit late to this, but rather than an explanation of utter derision instead an explanation of complete good sense. Have you not read the posts on the main TOTP thread where it is stated that the TOTP Orchestra ruined superb songs? Your bizarre hatred of Waterman is clouding your judgement.
(Oh I've missed having a touchy little spat with you - it was time!)