They can be influenced by those things, if they understand what makes those things great and do them right. Just doing a half-arsed version of that thing and calling it indie isn't enough. Crap lo-fi versions of stuff that isn't supposed to be crap and lo-fi is pointless. Johnny Boy sounds like proper pop, though the girl needs the studio trickery to help her weak voice. Still, it doesn't hurt Kylie et al so let 'em get on with it, it's not unpleasant and offkey and yer man with the electronics hasn't chosen to use a VL-tone emulator to make the backing tracks. Talent and production values shouldn't fall by the wayside. The Associates were indie and yet proper pop, non? Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Bowie - all fully-realised versions of stuff, not half-arsed, and yet non-manufactured and full of substance (until they went shit).

McFly's first album was pop, as was their third. Their second was third rate Kendallindie, but we can't have it all.