Why Simon Cowell does not have the 'great' factor | Education | The Guardian

Why Simon Cowell does not have the 'great' factor | Education | The Guardian: The reason that charity singles are worthy of academic study, she explains, is that they can tell us much about attitudes to society and to need. "I'm interested in the relationship between popular culture and politics. Charity singles are part of this story. At certain points in the last few decades, they've dominated the charts, often vying with each other for top positions. The singles serve as a way of gauging changing concerns more widely."