Pop Has Eaten Itself

Many erudite thinkers have been predicting the scary-sounding "end of history" for many years now, some for thousands. And looking at the new methodology for calculating the Top 40 Chart, incorporating downloads of any song available digitally, I am encouraged to think that we might be reaching that point. What's the thinking? So, the world of music is available to download. That's approximately 300 million pieces of music, since recording began and digital rights management was invented. Let's allow any music to chart, based on popularity that week. I foresee great trouble for new acts with this approach.

You see, people are already worrying that the Beatles will dominate the chart every week. Perhaps the Rolling Stones. Maybe, if we're lucky, a spot of White Rabbit from The Grateful Dead. And what does this say about "modern music"? Are we to imagine that, actually, all the good ideas have been had, all the best lyrics already written, and you should just make do with that? This way, we can show all the cheap and nasty, lab-produced pop acts that they just don't cut the mustard?

On the other hand, the new way does also allow for new acts with some credibility an excellent avenue to get themselves heard. Koopa, an Essex indie band, charted in the Top 40 in the early weeks of the year, thanks to popularity on MySpace and promoting themselves online. So, perhaps this new method works against, mainly, crap music. So maybe it's not so bad, after all. Perhaps the inclusion of any downloads in the chart will act, like mussel beds off France and Spain, as a shit filter.

Taxi!