The Great Rock Vs Pop showdown begins!

In the same week that the Brothers Grimes exploded onto the top of the Irish charts, Gary Lightbody reached another artistic milestone, with the release of The Place We Ran From, a superb slice of alt. country from his all-star band Tired Pony.

At Hot Press, we normally wouldn’t think twice about sticking Gary on the cover, but we couldn't help thinking that – whether you love them or not – as the two most talked about teenagers in the country, Jedward deserved the accolade too…

In the end, it was decided to put both of acts on their own separate cover and let the public decide who they want staring at them from their living room table!

And so, let the Rock Vs Pop battle commence! It’s a unique edition of Hot Press - featuring two covers. It’s the ultimate clash between Pop and Rock. It's Lightbody Vs Jedward!

The message is simple: If the Grimes make you grimace, then show your support for the rock cause and get the Tired Pony issue. If you reckon Jedward are the best thing since sliced pan and Gary Lightbody is indeed a Tired Pony, then get the Jedward issue! We’ll have a lot of fun seeing who really is top of the Hot Press pops...