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Pick at the pops: 10 December 2007

Thom Yorke and Nicky Wire

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Our weekly round-up of the weird and wonderful world of pop music...

In the week that the singles chart changes had a big seasonal impact – inclusion of downloads means that Christmas tunes swamp the Top 40, with eight ancient hits in all, from Mariah Carey at eight with ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ to the original Band Aid at 38 with ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ (if not, they soon will) – it’s good to see that festive cheer has taken over the rest of the pop world too.

Take Radiohead, now withdrawing the pay-what-you-want download version of In Rainbows from the internet, offering the bargain-priced £40 box set instead. There’ll be a regular CD version in the shops as well on 31 December, just in time for New Year’s Eve parties. That’ll have ‘em swinging from the, er, light fittings. Manic Street Preachers’ Dame Edna-esque Nicky Wire has been rather disdainful of the ‘Head’s online gambit: “I think it kind of demeans music.” Oh, ho ho ho. You’d know, Nicky!

Also offering goodwill to all men is the perennially retiring rap mogul Jay-Z, who is so much more than a mentor to young r’n’b cutie Rihanna. Here’s the girl herself: “I always go to him if I have a work-related problem but I ask him about problems in my personal life too. He’s incredible. I trust him completely.” Does Beyoncé say the same? Um, we’re sure she does. Nothing to see here.

Another tale to restore one’s faith in humanity is the news that a guitar signed by some of the all-time greats (and also by Eric Clapton, Queen’s Brian May, Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler and former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman) for children’s charity Rainbows has been “lost in the post”. My, there are some lovely people out there. Or maybe it genuinely has been lost – perhaps Gordon Brown sent it? Little bit of politics there, ladiesangennelmen.

Lastly, glad tidings reach us from the Potteries, with Robbie Williams’ mum Jan insisting a reunion between her portly son and Take That “will happen”, despite denials. You won’t be getting your bathroom gift set this year, Jan.

Matthew Horton

Picture: PA

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