As reported today, Top of the Pops has been axed by the BBC. I feel, as a child of the 80s who grew up with TOTP that I should mourn its passing.

However, I'm not. With this decision, unlike the decision for Grandstand, I agree with the BBC. TOTP no longer fits into how we consume music and music videos. Music is delivered over the Internet, on numerous digital radio stations, and the videos of course are readily shown on music channels for every kind of genre, and on websites. There is no need for TOTP anymore. No wonder so few are watching it, we've already seen the video, heard the song, read the bands blog, seen pictures of them, listened to it live in a webcast. Its simply reached the end of its useful life.

Lets hope however, that the BBC take this opportunity to replace it with something more current. Take a look at how new bands are promoting themselves, the Arctic Monkeys a prime example. An active online community, meant downloads sales propelled them to success. So why not let the BBC encourage this. We've already got the unsigned podcast on the Radio1 website. So why not extend this to all of the BBC's music radio stations. Get new music (and popular classics) airplay, get listeners texting in to vote for the favourites; listen, watch and vote on the website. Based on that the BBC can invite new, unsigned talent onto a TV show to perform live and reach an even bigger audience. Backed up with interactive TV, a website, etc it could be the launch pad for new bands, but crucially, it will be audience driven. Certainly TOTP was that to a degree by featuring chart acts, but they were generally signed artists, part of the pop world already.

I don't know, maybe my idea is also flawed, perhaps the public are already well serviced with new music. But its a thought. All that said, goodbye TOTP. Comments...