X Factor 2009 - ANOTHER year of bore off music likely

X Factor is great entertainment. I think few, even the haters, would doubt that it is good Saturday night TV. Possibly not Sunday, but Saturday at least.

However, I do think it is sad that it is quite as money-making as it is.

This Sunday, JLS went to number one in the charts with their second single, taking over from Cheryl Cole, who took over from Alexandra Burke. Next week it looks pretty likely that Leona Lewis will be number one.

They all have something to offer. I like them. But I do think it's sad that so many good artists are now getting overlooked in favour of TV talent show winners.

I can think of a few really good artists who have not had chart success this year when they probably should have. Little Boots and her great pop album Hands is the first. THE FREEMASONS FEATURING SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR BEING THE SECOND. Sorry. There are a few others. I'm sure you know them. I don't like VV Brown but she is a good example.

Instead, now, people are becoming used to the idea of knowing everything about an artist. Following them on Twitter, listening to them bleat on about how "lucky" they are to be in their position, knowing their family problems etc etc.

The British public now seeem incapable of developing really strong connections with artists unless they have seen them perform for 12 weeks on a stage.

I realise that right now, X Factor is on and everyone gets a bit manic. But the JLS song really isn't number one material. It REALLY isn't. It's fine but...y'know. Not number one. Seriously.

The death of the Christmas number one is another point. No one apart from a reality TV show winner has had a look in the last few years. Last year, Alexandra Burke, 2007, LEON FUCKING JACKSON, 2006, Leona Lewis, 2005, Shayne Ward. The same will happen this year, and next year.

Looking at the charts, the last time a good, proper Christmas song made it to number one was Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman in 2002. Good song that. Gotta download.

Anyway, rant over really. I just wanted to make the point that although I like watching X Factor, it is leading to a downturn in the quality of good, independent pop music of which I am a big fan.