In a week where an Elvis re-release made No.1 in the UK selling only 30,000 copies, the Guardian bemoans the state of the UK Singles Chart.

According to Paul Williams of Music Week magazine, the excitement waned when singles began automatically to enter the chart at No 1 – landed there by advance radio play and mailshots to fans – rather than start low and gradually climb. Of the 156 No 1s this century, only three did not debut at the top. “It’s all about scheduling now. It’s much easier for the business to line up what’s going to be No 1 – you know from the schedules, ‘Oh, that’ll be No 1, and next week that’ll be No 1’. In the past, you could never predict – it was all up to the fans.”

I remember sitting down to watch Top Of The Pops, wondering who would be No.1 this week. Now it’s all manufactured & manipulated crap, like so much else.