Pop turning into porn, warns man who helped launch Kylie

POP music is on "a slow but unmistakable descent into pornography", according to hit songwriter Mike Stock.

Stock, who was responsible for dozens of hits as part of Stock, Aitken and Waterman and helped launch Kylie Minogue's pop career, put some of the blame on the rise of stars such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

He said they were among a wave of performers who "have taken sexualised imagery, dance moves and lyrical content way beyond the limits of decency".

Earlier this month, the government-commissioned Bailey Report was published recommending a series of steps to counter the sexualisation and commercialisation of young people.

It proposed that steamy pop videos should be restricted to older teens and later television slots, magazines featuring sexualised images should be covered up on shelves, and parents should be given more say in the TV watershed guidelines.

But Stock said attempts to strengthen the watershed were "irrelevant".

In an open letter to broadcasters and the watchdog Ofcom, he said: "With the BBC iPlayer and the internet as your platform, you can watch last night's TV at this morning's breakfast. Young people all know how to use these features.

"Advisory stickers on records is also a non-starter. You can't easily sticker a download."