Top 100 albums – a grown-up free zone

It’s a struggle to find a single album for grown-ups in the latest Top 100, a ranking of poprock albums by UK sales compiled by the Official UK Charts Company for broadcast on VH1 at the weekend.

Maybe Bob Marley’s Legend qualifies, but it’s in a minority of one. Though I like it enormously, Abba’s Gold – Greatest Hits is hardly music for grown-ups.

Nothing by Dylan… the Rolling Stones… Neil Young… Van the Man… Joni Mitchell… Laughing Lennie.. the Smiths… Joy Division… Roxy Music… the Fall… you could go on listing the worthy missing for ages.

So, what makes the Hot 100? You really wouldn’t want to know - suffice to say it’s wall-to-wall crap. Further proof, if it were needed, that there really is no accounting for popular taste. Or, to put it more bluntly, most music buying is infantile.



Gerry Smith