Pop culture in Europe

The demonstrations in favor of pop singer (?) Michael Jackson protesting his arrest on sex charges show that pop culture has prevailed in Europe. Here is another proof:

In the selection of a city to be the European Capital of Culture in 2008 there were six finalists, one of them being Oxford. Liverpool was selected. One can only assume that the Beatles were cited as proof that Liverpool has a rich culture. Talk of European cultural superiority over the US seems hollow.

Europeans may blame the US for Michael Jackson, but not for the Beatles. At least, the Beatles were nice but poppy, while Jackson is just, shall we say, poppycock.