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Pick at the pops: 02 July 2007

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

This column comes to you fresh from enjoying the Concert for Diana on BBC 1 - well, as fresh as you can be after withstanding a seven-hour saccharine gloop-storm. Anyway, we’re left in no doubt that today’s pop stars care: about their public profile, their market share, the little bunnies and, of course, Diana.

The biggest missed opportunity of the day was the lack of a revolution. As the entire British aristocracy was holed up in Wembley Stadium, swinging its pearls and racily undoing another button on its Ralph Lauren shirt, we could have stormed the palace. As it was, the toffs could just relax and enjoy Sir Elton John – who had come as popular 80s Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket – as well as a chubby turn from Diana’s old favourite band, Duran Duran, and Tom Jones doing his Doppler Effect thing over songs by Prince and Arctic Monkeys. It was left to Take That to save the day with a rugged reappraisal of the old boyband thing and, with 'Back For Good', to provide the TV producers with a winning soundtrack for a few shots of Kate Middleton. Depressing stuff all round, but there’s hope for pop music…

Yes, the Spice Girls are back! No one saw that coming. Apart from everyone. Still, at least this is one comeback that’s fuelled by artistic integrity and a sense of unfinished creative business. What’s that you say? It’s for a Greatest Hits album and massively lucrative world tour? Well, at least Mel C took an admirable stand for as long as possible, until she realised she had no, erm, cash.

Sticking two fingers up to the music industry golden goose, mind you, is Prince. The priapic purple pixie gave his new album away for free with the Mail on Sunday this week, in a move that has enraged the big record labels who are muttering darkly about “precedents” and, probably, “shorter lunches”. What’s the fuss? Prince was never actually going to sell any blimming copies, so who cares?

Matthew Horton

See pictures from the Concert for Diana >>

• 18/06/2007: Ronnie and Keef in boring row >>
• 11/06/2007: George Michael avoids jail >>
• 04/06/2007: Beth Ditto bares all >>
• 29/05/2007: Stevie and Jacko disappoint Macca >>
• 21/05/2007: Lily vs Cheryl in catfight nirvana >>
• 14/05/2007: Eurovision carve-up shame >>
• 08/05/2007: How is Kurt Cobain still writing diaries? >>
• 30/04/2007: Bez and Mani? It's 1990 all over again >>
• 23/04/2007: MC Hammer inspires Arctic Monkeys >>
• 16/04/2007: Your planet is safe in Madonna's hands >>
• 10/04/2007: Kaiser Ricky fights for pop double standards >>
• 02/04/2007: Weller vs Sting in battle of the spittle >>
• 26/03/2007: Jagger and Trousersnake snubbed >>
• 19/03/2007: Ray Quinn and the death of pop >>
• 12/03/2007: The Jackson Five eye some filthy lucre >>
• 05/03/2007: George is on his way to Wembley >>
• 26/02/2007: Mel C holds up Spice reunion >>
• 19/02/2007: Joss Stone's big love >>
• 12/02/2007: Lily conquers America >>
• 05/02/2007: Oasis to meet Ringo at last >>
• 29/01/2007: Amy Winehouse wows the Savoy >>
• 22/01/2007: Chris Martin: the B-Boy >>
• 15/01/2007: Whitney auctions her belongings >>
• 08/01/2007: The Police to reform? >>
• 02/01/2007: James Brown RIP >>
• 2006 archive >>