The Story Of Top Of The Pops

'It's Number One... it's Top Of The Pops', for every generation from 1964, until the show ended in 2006, that was the sentence every young television viewer sat down to hear. At its peak, a quarter of the UKs entire population was watching. 'Top Of The Pops' was the pivotal pop television programme over its 2,000 weekly episodes, the programme gave peak airtime to every act, from The Beatles to Beyonce... from Cream to Coldplay... from Pink Floyd to Pink! From its humble beginnings in 1964 from a disused church through to the programme's pan-global appeal in the 1990s, 'Top Of The Pops' became synonymous with the best in pop television. This book tells the incredible story of 'Top of the Pops'. It is not just the story of a long-running television programme. The story of 'Top of the Pops' is the story of British popular music. It is a shadow history of British rock & roll, and beyond. It is the story of how a 6-week show turned into a pan-global phenomenon and how for 40 years, 'Top of the Pops' was a British institution. With a span of nearly half a century, there are so many highlights: The Beatles only live appearance, in 1966, promoting Paperback Writer... the Who getting banned... the first colour edition in 1969... David Bowie's breakthrough performance of Starman in 1972... Nirvana's chaotic 1991 appearance promoting Smells Like Teen Spirit... the Blur versus Oasis battle... Justin Timberlake playing bass with the Flaming Lips in 2003... 'Top Of The Pops II' was launched in 1994, bringing the programme to a whole new audience. Around the same time, the BBC licensed the 'Top Of The Pops' brand to over 90 countries, with an estimated audience of 100 million. Though it ceased broadcasting in 2006, thanks to the internet, compilation CDs; and repeated viewing on BBC4... 'Top Of The Pops' lives on.

It's still Number One, it's Top of the Pops On New Year's Day, 1964, the first ever Top of the Pops was broadcast live from Manchester on BBC1 - 38 years later, it is celebrating its 2000th edition. This is the true story behind the stars, the fans and the changing faces of the UK's favourite music show.

Has pop burnt itself out? Inspired by the video for Kylie Minogue's hit single 'Can't Get You Out of My Head', acclaimed rock journalist Paul Morley is driving with Kylie towards a virtual city built of sound and ideas in search of the answer. Their journey bridges the various paradoxes of twentieth-century culture, as they encounter a succession of celebrities and geniuses - including Madonna, Kraftwerk, Wittgenstein and the ghost of Elvis Presley - and explore the iconic and the obscure, the mechanical and the digital, the avant-garde and the very nature of pop itself.

Why was Pete Best sacked from the Beatles? In this unique book, based on extensive research and interviews with those close to the events, Spencer Leigh has gathered the clues together to try and solve the greatest Beatles mystery of all. On 16 August 1962, the Beatles drummer, Pete Best, went to see their manager, Brian Epstein, in his Liverpool office. He thought that Epstein wanted to discuss future bookings with him but instead, Epstein sacked him. Pete had not seen it coming. Why did Brian Epstein do it and not the Beatles themselves? Why did they want to be rid of him? Why did they do it so callously? Pete never spoke to any of them again. Best of the Beatles: The sacking of Pete Best tells you what really happened and is essential reading for Beatles fans.

Top of the Pops began life as a rebellious teenager, but unfortunately ended up as Grandpa at the disco. This book focuses on 40 highlights - some sublime, some bizarre, many plain daft - that made this show a unique spectacle.

SIMON & GARFUNKEL is a definitive account of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's career together. With unique material and exclusive interviews with fellow musicians, promoters and friends, acclaimed author Spencer Leigh has written a compelling biography of some of the world's biggest musical stars. With remarkable stories about the duo on every page, the book not only charts their rise to success and the years of their fame, but analyses the personalities of the two men and the ups and downs of their often fraught relationship.