Why Simon Cowell does not have the 'great' factor

Charity singles tell us about changing concerns and how society responds to need, says historianDr Lucy Robinson describes herself as a contemporary historian. But rather than poring over parchment dredged from dusty archives, she's more likely to be found in her office at Sussex University listening to pop music. She is currently researching the history of the charity single as part of a wider study of the politics and cultural heritage of the 1980s.Robinson has tracked the chart history of 65 ...

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