Thank goodness: this year’s Christmas Number One is a product neither of Pop Idol nor Fame Academy:
Little known US singer Gary Jules has clinched the Christmas number one with his cover version of Tears For Fears’ 1982 hit Mad World. — http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3302887.stm
What’s even more refreshing is that it’s a "real" song (albeit a cover), rather than a cheesy "comedy" outing (think Mr. Blobby or Kim Wilde with Smith & Jones).
Rumours of the death of real music have been wildly exaggerated, it seems. Things go in cycles: rock is now "in"; dance music is on the wane. It’ll be back, though. The only constant is change.