Plug Pulled on UK's Top of the Pops: The End of a 42-Year Era

For 42 years UK pop music fans have looked to the weekly Top of the Pops television show to keep up with the songs and artists at the top of the charts. The show began on New Years Day 1964 with the Beatles "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" at #1. The BBC, home of Top of the Pops, has announced the show will come to an end on July 30, 2006.

In recent years the show has suffered from declining numbers of viewers amid various attempts to revamp formats and moving Top of the Pops closer to when the week's pop charts were revealed. A virtual who's who of pop and rock music have appeared on Top of the Pops through the years. Most of the peformances through the years were lipsynched, but there have been notorious live performances as well. In tribute to the iconic show, here are 16 links to memorable performances via the magic of YouTube.

• Aaliyah - Try Again
• Abba - Waterloo
• Mariah Carey - Honey
• Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
• Destiny's Child - Soldier
• Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1
• Janet Jackson - Doesn't Really Matter
• Elton John - Daniel
• Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
• John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma
• Madonna - Holiday
• Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
• Rihanna - SOS
• Rolling Stones - The Last Time
• Sugababes - Push the Button
• Robbie Williams - Rock DJ

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