In short, today's artists haven't done their homework.

Depends on which "artists" we're talking about. All the "Pop Idol" dross, sure, they haven't. But there are other artists out there who surely have.

Mika, for example. The first time I heard "Grace Kelly", I thought it was a previously-unreleased Queen song.

Or an unsigned band I heard on Radio 2 on Saturday, called the New York Fun. The band had obviously had a heavy Dire Straits influence, especially the guitarist who gave one of the best solos I've heard since the Alchemy version of "Sultans of Swing".

For earlier influences, you've got Amy Winehouse making jazz singing work for a new generation. Or Gnarls Barkley with old-school soul and blues.

And for composers, I happened to hear Karl Jenkins' Requiem on Classic FM on Sunday. That was written in 2005, and it's a lovely bit of music.

There *are* good artists out there. They may be in the minority, but it was always thus. Remember that for every Beatles and Stones record, there would be dozens of Ronettes and Frankie Vallis and Del Shannons!

Graham.