What's the problem? Biffy are as Pop as Matt Cardle anyway.... 

I can hear the sharpening of knives now. The crackle and hiss of flint and spark combining to ignite the soaked rag of a Motolov cocktail. But I beg of you, grant me a chance to defend myself against such a headline to the hardcore Biffy Clyro fans out there. Because to jump to a conclusion about such a headline is to make a misinformed presumption - the age old opinion that pop music is lowest common dominator trash that's not fit to whistle let alone record.

Simon Niel of Biffy Clyro has dismissed
 the X Factor cover of his bands song

The past few years has seen a change in the meaning of the word pop. Many artists and bands have showcased pop music at its idiosyncratic best, from Hot Chip to La Roux, from Lady Gaga to well....Biffy Clyro. The 2007 album Puzzle marked a permanent departure from their heavy roots and set in a stone the path which saw them collide (eh? see what I did there?) with X-Factor winner Matt Cardle. Puzzle not only had some pop moments mixed in amongst the guitar riff driven tracks, but some ludicrously brilliant pop moments which showcased the band as one of the finest and biggest British bands of recent years.There was something about matches and fire? Followed up with something about mountains and what not? Ridiculously brilliant and pop at the same time. And from then on Biffy have always been at their best when they come up with more pop-based peculiarities.

"The problem shouldn't come from the fact he covered Biffy, but that he hasn't done justice to their pop legacy - by producing an averagley listenable pop song and not the bombastic, kicking the boundries in the nuts singalongs that Biffy are so good at."

Enter X-Factor winner Matt Cardle. The undeniably likeable if somewhat bland Essex lad has covered "Many of Horror". Pretty much everyone has put the boot in whilst sitting on top of the highest of high horses.This misses the point,  and perpetuates hate between "snobby indie types" and teeny-boppers. The problem shouldn't come from the fact he covered Biffy, but that he hasn't done justice to their pop legacy - by producing an averagley listenable pop song and not the bombastic, kicking the boundries in the nuts singalongs that Biffy are so good at. Cynical as the song choice by Simon Cowell may be, he has merely shot himself in the foot by highlighting the limitation of his, and his artists, creativity. No anger, just sorrow is necessary, safe in the knowledge that the Scottish band possess pop credibility - something X-factor contestants can only dream of.

Matt Cardle. Remarkably calm considering his house is
on fire behind him.

Pop is not a dirty word. It is popular for a reason -  It's just that some do it better than others, and it's ruined by some. Are all football fans hooligans? Are all My Chemical Romance fans emo whiners? (Don't answer that). Not all pop musicians are cynical mass produced cardboard cut-outs. The beauty of pop is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways, as Biffy have shown, and can have other elements of styles while maintaining the melody and scream along at the top of your voice qualities that made pop music fucking great in the first place. I for one am not ashamed to be a fan of pop. Now, have I done a good enough job or do I have to start ducking and change my name?

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