The occasionally reliable NME reports today that Simon Cowell is kicking around the idea of purchasing England’s venerable Top of the Pops brand, which was largely abandoned by the BBC in 2006. While even the idea of a television show on a major network featuring “live” music from chart-topping acts (and nationalized health insurance) fills me with this-side-of-the-ocean jealousy, I have to wonder what a Cowell-captained TOTP would look like.
Part of the wacky appeal of TOTP in the past was the odd mix of acts, which was drawn from the randomness of the Brit singles charts; acts appearing in 2003 included Busted, Shania Twain, Iron Maiden, Junior Senior, and Zwan. With Simon Cowell’s general disdain for anything but the most Leona Lewisy musical acts, I’m worried that the show would be devoid of performances like these:
Pulp, “Common People”:
Kirsty MacColl, “There’s a Guy Works Down the Chipshop…”
Toy Dolls, “Nelly the Elephant”
Crazy Frog, “Popcorn”
According to the BBC, no one has approached them yet about the program’s rights, so it might be a bit too early to say. But should Simon Cowell be allowed anywhere near Britain’s pop institution?
‘X Factor”s Simon Cowell planning ‘Top Of The Pops’ takeover? [NME]
Also sad is we may be subject to a non-stop barrage of Eddie Murphy singing.
Please no, let TOTP remain a sacred institution! (even though Andy Peters kind of screwed it up at the end anyway!)
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Blur on there, it was 1994 and I was 12. I was eagerly tuning in for Take That, but a little song called “To The End” was on first, and my music tastes were changed forever! Without TOTP I might still be listening to Take That. It really was brilliant how in the same episode you could have such variety.
Somewhere Eddie Argos is plotting a devious scheme.
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