Top of the Pops canceled after 42 years

Top of the Pops, known to us stateside folk as "the American Bandstand of the UK" is being put down by the BBC after 42 years on air, according to numerous media sources, such as Billboard. BBC spokesperson jana Bennett had this to say: "We're very proud of a show which has survived 42 years in the U.K. and gone on to become a worldwide brand, but the time has come to bring the show to its natural conclusion."

Aside from having an incalculable influence on British popular culture over the last five decades, Top of the Pops has featured everyone from the Beatles, U2 and Nirvana, and more recently, chart-topping soulsters Gnarls Barkley. Though its ratings had been failing in recent years, the show was still widely respected and recognized as one of the most important music television shows in the world. The term "top of the pops" had even become synonymous with success (see: lyrics to "Bad Weekend" by Art Brut).

Now all we have left is TRL. Great.