Nostalgia ruled last night as I watched the very last Top of The Pops on BBC2 which we get here on cable TV.
The one-hour special included clips from rock legends who were in the shows during the last four decades. The Rolling Stones. The Who. Slade. Blondie. T Rex. David Bowie. Wham. Madonna. Madness. And more. What a list!
So ends an institution on British television after 42 years. It’s the 70s and early 80s shows that stand out most for me. Glam rock, big hair and Pan’s People.
TOTP’s demise reflects changes in the expectations of today’s audiences as there are many other ways to get news and information on what’s happening on the music scene. You no longer need to tune in to a TV show at a set time and date to find out what’s going on - you have many other choices now, especially online.
Still, it feels a bit like learning that a favourite aunt has passed away…
There’s a good history of TOTP on Wikipedia.
