How do you define the term 'Europop'

A.� Essentially, Europop is the name given to a group of singles made by European pop stars, which invade the UK charts in the late summer or early autumn, usually reaching the top three, and then disappearing again.

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Q.� So why does European pop invade our charts at those times

A.� It's by no means exclusive to the late summer and early autumn, but the increase in Europop does coincide with the mass of British holiday makers who flood into European resorts, hear the 'song of the summer', and rush to buy it when they get back. The song in question gets a rush release in the UK and becomes an instant, if short-lived, hit.

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Q.� Is Europop better than British pop

A.� That depends on your point of view. What it comes down to, is the difference in European pop attitudes, which embrace a less complex approach to pop music, compared to the more sophisticated tastes of British�pop.

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Q.� It sounds like you're talking snobbery here!

A.� Exactly! European pop fans embrace the records that have utterly meaningless lyrics covering the most musically hypnotic hook lines ever written. So-called 'serious' music fans look down their noses at their European cousins and their love of the simple lightweight summer songs.

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Q.� So what's the definition of Europop

A.� To be strictly Europop, the song should be written by European composers and preferably sung by a European singer or band, and the song should be a hit all over Europe before the UK has even heard of it. The music should be so insistently catchy that it's memorised by the second time it's heard, and the lyrics should be so banal as to be completely pointless. Put those ingredients together, and you have pure Europop, but it's unlikely you'll ever get a 'Best Europop Hits Ever!' compilation.

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Q.� Why not

A.� Because the bulk of the people who buy Europop, buy two�records a year, the holiday souvenier one, and the novelty Christmas hit , and wouldn't be interested in a compilation, so it probably wouldn't sell.�Let's face it, if the idea was viable, it would on the shelves of your local store sporting a picture of European disco-lovers wearing the sort of fashions Jimmy Saville wouldn't be seen dead in!

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Q.� So what are some examples of Europop

A.� OK�- a quick alphabetical rundown of the highs (there are no lows in Europop!) see how many you can hum without even trying!

Aqua: Barbie Girl�- a chart topper in October 1997 for the Danish pop funsters�- 1 in 12 households in Denmark own a copy of their debut album, who says Europop isn't popular

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Black Box:�Ride On Time�- another 'borrowed' item here�- this time the vocal from Loleatta Holloway who was actually saying 'Right On Time', but the Italian Black Box gentlemen missed her diction, hence the title.

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Black Lace:�Gioca Jouer�- of course you'll know the English version, which is Superman, and even now, British people hearing the original think that some European act has stolen the Black Lace 'original'.

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Cartoons:�Doodah�- embracing the pointlessness of lyrical expertise, and the outlandish image that are at the heart of Europop�- a classic of the genre.

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David Christie:�Saddle Up�-� 'Saddle up your horse and run like hell!' croons the French hit maker.

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Doop:�Doop�- another classic of Europop, including the imagination-relaxing double of naming the record after the group, and using the title as the sole lyric, matched to a tune of hypnotically memorable proportions. Euro class in three minutes.

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Otawann:�DISCO and Hands Up - a double whammy of Euro success, two top three singles in 1980 and 1981, and they're French, so they can step into the Europop criteria with credentials intact.

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Rednex :�Cotton Eye Joe�- a superb example of the Europop style from the Swedish superstars, iffy country and western tinged electro hit, frowned on by country purists, subsequently 'borrowed' by Shania Twain and dressed up as Don't Be Stupid to make a hit once again. Cue more negative facial responses from Stetson wearers everywhere.

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Sabrina:�Boys�- made the top three in 1988 for the physically empowered Italian disco star�- accompanying video influence on sales not quantified, but doubtless considerable.

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Tamperer:�Feel It�- making no attempt to dodge their debt to The Jacksons' Can You Feel It and proving that a stonking riff will work a second time around. Result for the Italian popsters.

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Technotronic:�Pump Up The Jam�- Belgium's turn to use a vocal and disguise it's origin. Ya Kid Kay's rap was performed by sulky non-English speaking model Felly on Top Of The Pops proving no hindrance at all to a journey to the Number Two position in February 1990.

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Vengaboys:�We Like To Party and We’re Going To Ibiza�- the ones the rest will have to beat, virtually textbook Europop from the Hungarian/Dutch interaction that took up almost permanent residence in the top end of the charts at the end of the 1990s. Even calling Ibiza Ibeetzaa and re-running the dodgy Typically Tropical cringe-fest didn't stop the six figure sales that all Europoppers are seeking. Hats off!

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Whigfield:�Saturday Night�- possibly the definitive Europop hit with its tale of dancing and lightweight social interaction with a musical hook so memorable it's possibly etched permanently into the synapses of anyone who was near a radio in September 1994. Madam, Europop salutes you!

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