Sir Cliff 'no fan of downloads'

By Kevin Young Entertainment reporter, BBC News

The pop star said his fans had always been "very generous" Full interview with Sir Cliff

Pop star Sir Cliff Richard has said he will never be a fan of downloaded music because the quality "is not the same" as the "unbeatable" sound from CDs.

"I like putting six CDs in the machine and playing them for two or three days," the 67-year-old said.

"The 12" vinyl album was the best because you could read [the sleeve] without getting a magnifying glass."

Sir Cliff said "it would be nice" if he topped the chart this weekend - giving him number ones across six decades.

His single, Thank You For a Lifetime, is at number three on the provisional midweek sales chart, with Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl remaining the UK's top-seller.

I like the human aspect of music. It's all getting a little bit too technical now, too easy; you don't do anything now Sir Cliff Richard

Asked if he was confident of reaching first place by Sunday, he replied: "I can't say I'm confident because how can you be confident about anything any more?

"It'd be nice to be number one but nobody's going to catch me now.

"I've had number ones in five decades. Who's going to do that?

"First of all, they've got to be around for five decades. Many of them barely make five years."

'No million-sellers'

However, being number one in 2008 "did not have the same cachet" as topping the chart at the start of his career, admitted Sir Cliff, whose first number one was Living Doll in 1959.

Katy Perry has been number one for five weeks with I Kissed a Girl

"I suppose it's feasible they might have a million downloads, but as for me, I'm never going to go to downloads."

It was "very hard to beat" a CD, Sir Cliff told the BBC News website.

"I like the human aspect of music. It's all getting a little bit too technical now, too easy; you don't do anything now.

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