Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield has criticised the current state of the UK music charts.

In an interview with the Daily Record, the singer said he found it “depressing” how few guitar bands were able to crack the top-40.

"I was looking at the Top 40 and it's like the indie wars never happened. It's as if Manchester, Seattle and Britpop never existed,” he said.

"Britpop meant guitar bands were in the top five every week. For a guitar band to be in the Top 40 now is a rare thing. It's all pop music. It is really depressing."

Bradfield also accused new bands of making “gap year music” and said he found it hard to fall in "love" with a group.

(by Jason Gregory)