Nick has put the official list of the top 10 music sites in Australia up at his Way Cool Jnr blog. It’s not a ‘I made this list up and justified it with some weird metrics so I could put my blog in the list’ list either, it’s the data according to Hitwise. Hitwise, in case you aren’t aware, gets usage statistics from Internet service providers, so their numbers are a reasonably accurate yardstick of what’s happening in Australia. Nick sheds some intelligent light on how most of the list is made up of crappy lyrics websites and junk but I don’t think he spends enough time bemoaning just how woeful NineMSN’s offering is.

Today, as I write, the number 5 most popular music website in the nation has the following headlines:

• Gaga’s vagina “offended” by hermaphrodite rumours
• Madonna’s kids take to the stage
• Lady GaGa’s heading to Australia
• ’80s music greats: where are they now?
• Lady GaGa will crash and burn
• Australian Idol: Wildcard round

Unless you are interested in Lady Gaga and/or fallen 80s pop stars, there’s not a lot on offer. The problem is, NineMSN isn’t to blame. We are. We pick what they put up and we make it popular. People used to lambast the Logies and ARIAs for being sold-out populist shite; awards shows which failed to represent the actual taste of the nation. But they were right all along. Thanks to the Internet we now know exactly what Australia wants to see, and it’s Lady Gaga’s vagina. Given the right light and a few beers I probably wouldn’t mind a peek either, regardless, much like politicians, the people get the content they deserve.

We have only ourselves to blame.