Indie Under Siege in UK Thanks to Resurgence of Pop

Figures released by the UK Official Chart Company show that the last 18 months proved to be highly unfavourable for purveyors of indie guitar music.

"2009 was the toughest year of the Noughties as far as independent guitar music was concerned," said the company's managing director Martin Talbot.

"We're going through that period where guitar music and electronic-driven pop music is winning through over guitar bands."

He's certainly got a point. Bands such as the Rakes and the Rascals decided to call it a day while the likes of the Twang and the View released sophomore efforts that were greeted more with indifference than enthusiasm. Even Arctic Monkeys (pictured) -- who just a few years were touted as the saviours of British guitar music -- only managed to sell a fraction of the number shifted by their debut album, 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not,' with their third full-length release, 'Humbug'.

Talbot knows exactly were the blame lies. He said, "You only have to look at the charts over the past 12 months to see we're going through a real period in resurgence for pop music.

"The biggest stars of the last 12 months have been the likes of Lady Gaga and Pixie Lott. Dizzee Rascal having three number ones in a year. I can't see that changing over the next 12 months either."

Maybe so but Talbot warns of writing off indie music. "It's about trends and movements. Sometimes movements can be sparked by one act coming out of nowhere and doing something different to what everyone else is at that particular point in time."