Top of the Pops
22 June 2006
It's the end of an era. In an age of retro and revival there is no place for the BBC's long running pop music programme, Top of the Pops. The last show will be broadcast on Sunday 30 July this year.
Top of the Pops was first screened on 1 January 1964. DJ Jimmy Savile, opened a long running tradition that has continued for 42 years. Dusty Springfield was the first singer to perform on Top of the Pops, as well as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones - Wow!
Top of the Pops was a brave experiment by the BBC, which was still only dabbling with pop music at the time; but with Top of the Pops and three years' later, Radio 1, they created two lasting icons.
Top of the Pops kept up with the ever changing world of pop music. In the 70s, millions tuned in to watch bands and artists such as Slade, Bay City Rollers, the Osmonds and David Cassidy and to see the show's resident dancers, Pan's People. An appearance on Top of the Pops could make a band or a single.
It seems that the Top of the Pops could not compete with the 24-hour music channels. However, some of the problem might be in the evergreen nature of the show. It was always there, it would last forever, we assumed, so most of us moved on and ignored it. If Top of the Pops had not been broadcast for 30 years, then may be the news would be that the BBC was reviving it! Familiarity does indeed breed contempt. Tom Jones had the good sense to go away and come back. He has a following with young people that Cliff Richard, who has always been there, can only dream about. Yes, you can reinvent something, but there are limits.
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