Is melody all that matters these days?

N-Dubz's continued chart success is unbearable. 'Say it's over' is the latest in a series of releases from the trio that threaten the recognition of talented musicians in the charts – forcing the likes of Mumford and Sons out of the rankings. Has it come to signify that the melody is all that matters?

For me, it is the likes of N-Dubz that highlight how an (arguably) catchy melody gets recognition at the expense of a captivating wordsmith. Although Radio 1’s Official Chart Show is based upon a democratic voting system, it is still demoralising to see poetic songs frequently overlooked. And it's even harder to understand how others don’t share the same anguish at listening to the likes of these awful N-Dubz lyrics:

“But it just aint the same anymore,

You’re out of my top ten.

This aint good for your health,

And only if you knew,

That every time I’m fucking you,

I think of somebody else”.

It’s not even just the unimaginative lyrics that make me sick, it’s the uninspired topics.

It seems that the Noughties have witnessed artists that are producing songs from the dredges of societies’ topical interests. This month saw Lady Gaga and Beyonce reach Number One with a song about bad phone reception. I rest my peace.

I fail to see a shining light for great contemporary lyricists, such as Marcus Mumford, of Mumford and Sons, who struggle in the sea of commercial, audience-pleasing tracks to gain the credit they deserve. The business of producing music that hits a demand for instantaneous, new material means it is rare that a song will have any durability past its how ever many weeks of chart success.

All I can say is that I welcome the day of refreshing change when I can justify the artists that top the charts.