Mike Morris said:- "Thirty of Forty years ago, you had to know how to sing and play to make a record. Now, you need a producer and a marketing theme." But thirty or forty years ago you could buy recordings by such (unmarketed????) artists as Johnny Ray, Guy Mitchell, Mike Sarne, Cilla Black ... the list is endless. We remember only the good stuff because it's what survives. And I don't think it's to do with production - "Revolver" was pretty heavily produced and sounds great. What about Joan Armatrading's "Love and Affection", orchestra and all? Still a wonderfully warm recording.

As for analogue v digital ... Greg, I agree. It's eternally perplexing that digital SHOULD be so much better, but my old vinyl LPs seem to just jump out of the speakers and grab me round the throat whereas digitized music is ... clean. I know nothing of the science bit but perhaps someone could enlighten us as to why this happens?

But digital has one BIG advantage - it's pretty darn democratizing. Anyone with a computer and a mic and a bit of know-how can do an at least decent recording these days, and so can effectively bypass the big A&R sharks.