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Pick at the pops: 04 February 2008

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

In car-crash pop headlines this week, Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse have both been wheeled into hospital – well, they took their time, didn’t they? Britney was apparently referred to in code by the police as a “package”, which is possibly all she amounts to right now. Amy went along because rehab wasn’t working – we should have listened to her in the first place.

The more healthy double act of Kanye West and 50 Cent was also in the news: Kanye was being bigged up (as if he needs it) by Kelly “PLEASE reform the band, Beyoncé” Rowland. Kel was at pains to tell everyone that Mr West isn’t arrogant – “he’s just honest, like ‘I’m good and I know I’m good’” – and obviously failed. Fiddy, meanwhile, was making a spanner of himself – unusually – banning crunk poppet Ciara from working with Bryan ‘Birdman’ Williams. Why? Well, the Birdman is the founder of Cash Money records, who signed G-Unit’s Young Buck, and G-Unit is of course Fiddy’s backing crew and… you’re not listening anymore, are you?

A more heartwarming story came in the shape of Nasa beaming The Beatles’ ‘Across The Universe’ track, er, across the universe today (4 February) in a bid for, um, universal love and understanding or something. A billion aliens are shaking their heads, saying “Christ, couldn’t they have chosen something a bit less obvious? Let’s invade – it’ll be a pushover.”

Here in pop villain corner, Damon Albarn has been scotching rumours of a Blur reunion. He admits that the four had a meal together recently, but offers a plausible reason for the band not hooking up again: “They all hate me.” Aww. We’re sure that isn’t tru… moving on, Captain James Blunt says that he’d “absolutely” consider retiring to Ireland. Right - here’s a rational sacrifice, people: go out and buy Blunty’s recent album in your droves, and speed the man towards his goal.

Matthew Horton

Picture: PA Photos

• 28/01/2008: Oh no! Simply Red and UB40 have split up! >>
• 21/01/2008: Annie Lennox and The Verve won't pave streets >>
• 14/01/2008: Robbie and Coldplay turn on EMI >>
• 07/01/2008: Out with the old, in with the new >>
• 2007 archive >>
• 2006 archive >>