Peter Gabriel won with Sledgehammer (still one of the best videos ever made). Whitney Houston performed How Will I Know? Pet Shop Boys won Record of the Year with West End Girls.

Ten years ago we hosted Eurovision after I won for the UK with Katrina and Love Shine A Light after two years of failure with Love City Groove and Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit.

Anyone agree that music seems less interesting these days or am I just a boring old fart?

I'm afraid that in these days of doxens of satellite channels (which no one watches) I'm surprised that even the Brits get a major channel airing.

The best we can hope for these days is cheaply made music programmes based around screening videos.

I think on the whole music is at a very hopeful stage although not one of fulfillment.
When we are at a stage when there really is nothing new(which it has seemed like in the past)it all looks doomed.

My hopes were restored in buying the stunning British Sea Power album this week.An album eliminating the need for a nostalgic look back for a while, which has been essential in listening to the medium as long as artistes like Duffy etc(no offence but it`s retro) keep appearing.

JK2006 wrote:

Anyone agree that music seems less interesting these days or am I just a boring old fart?

I've been asking myself the same question for years. I firmly believe music was way better in my day, but then I would say that, wouldn't I? Every generation does.

I think the opinion of the old guard (If I may call you that JK) is as vital as ever, so no your not an old fart. I routinely seek the opinion of my mentors in London, a couple of whom are legends.

I was in a record store recently for the first time in a very long time, and Bruce Springsteen's Badlands was playing over the PA. I just thought to myself that song and performance could chew up and spit out all the new music being sold in the racks there.

There's a lack of great hit songs, I believe. Most of the music I listen to is twenty years old, or older.

I am optimistic going forward as the others have said, but it is up to me, and my brethren to really make it happen or shut up. I do think that there is now and always has been (for near fifty years) more forward thnking, and innovative music coming out of London than anywhere else.

I think the pressure to conform is the problem. Plus the majors are just signing the same types of bands one of whom will have a lot of hits and the others just full of shit.

In a way this will all work out now that the industry is in a state of transititon. People will make records they love regardless of whether they have hits or not and guess what ? They will start writing hits because of it.

I was subjected to a lot of 3rd rate 80s electro singles watching Video Hits here in Oz. It was truly dire. Having said that I found myself actually liking Ashlee Simpson's dreadful "Outta my Head". Still reckon Victoria Beckham's "Let your head go" was fabulous. (Ducks for cover now !).