What, no Professor Shorofsky?

Peter Paphides constructs an interesting Top 20 in the today's Times, nominating the Top 20 starmakers of our rock and pop age.

It's been inspired by a desperate push from the Music Producer's Guild, who are trying to persuade the Brits to include non-performers in the categories as well. Yes, that would work brilliantly - after all, it's not like everyone used to hit the pause button to cut the now-defunct Best Producer category out their VHS of the prize ceremony in the past, is it? Of course, it's possible that they could have their own Brit Awards - like the Craft BAFTAs - and we're sure if the terms of the deal to transmit the Brits forced ITV to take it, a slot on the alarm-clock side of midnight would be made available on ITV3 one Wednesday to put the highlights out.

But for now, those who also help get Adele records into Woolworths must rely on the glow of the Paphides' list.

It's a fairly resilient list, too, although we're not sure that three people can take the responsibility for Arctic Monkey's success. Although it is refreshing that none of them are MySpace-related.

It's right and proper that George Ergatoudis' Radio One role, and its power to make taste, is recognised. But not if you really believe that his biggest contribution to the UK music scene is promoting The View.

Melvin Benn feels misplaced; and his key success is listed as "Reading and Leeds", although that's a festival rather than an actual pop star, and surely Glastonbury is more influential anyway? Benn's role in Somerset is more Royal Corps of Signals than ENSA, which means that Emily Eavis should have his slot, if anyone, and on that basis, alone, Benn should be disqualified.

Worryingly, Conor McNicholas is absent - worryingly for him, of course; and there's almost nobody from the music press and almost nobody from the Internet. In fact, Peter Robinson is there as the only person representing both camps.

That's not quite true, to be fair: Luke Day is there. Who he? Stylist at Attitude. Apparently, having tarted up the Scissor Sister's image puts him ahead of people who don't make the list - everybody at 6Music and Radio 2, for example. The people who pick the music for Skins. The advertising agencies working for Apple and all the mobile phone companies.

Which is quibbling, to be fair. The 20 in full:

1. LUCIAN GRAINGE
Chairman, Universal
2. SIMON COWELL
President, Syco Records
3. JIM CHANCELLOR
Managing director, Fiction
4. PAUL LATHAM
President, Live Nation UK
5. GEORGE ERGATOUDIS
Head of music, Radio 1
6. JACKNIFE LEE
Record producer
7. ORLA LEE
Head of marketing, Polydor
8. ALISON HOWE
Television producer, Later… with Jools Holland
9. JAMES FORD
Record producer
10. ZANE LOWE
DJ, Radio 1
11. CENZO TOWNSEND
Audio engineer
12. SCOTT RODGER
Manager
13. GEOFF TRAVIS and JEANNETTE LEE
Rough Trade supremos, mentors to Duffy
14. MELVIN BENN
Director of festivals, Mean Fiddler
15. DARCUS BEESE
Senior A&R manager, Universal/Island
16. PETER ROBINSON
Editor of Popjustice
17. ROGER FAXON
Director, EMI Music Publishing
18. CARL FYSH and WILLIAM RICE
Purple PR
19. LUKE DAY
Stylist
20. LAURENCE BELL
President, Domino Recordings