BBC NEWS has a story today about how German techno pop group Scooter have caused a shock by knocking Madonna off the top of the UK album chart after just one week, despite little mainstream exposure.

It is the biggest coup yet for Blackburn-based independent record label All Around the World, who say they are catering for a thriving suburban club scene.

Peering down from the summit of the album chart last week, Madonna probably did not think she had any reason to fear a trio peddling steroid-enhanced dance beats, pumped-up cover versions and high-octane trance melodies.

Scooter’s new material has had next to no radio airplay, and the album was not reviewed in the national press. Yet it has sold 33,500 copies in its first week – 4,000 more than Madonna’s Hard Candy.”Basically, there’s a lot of people like them,” according to All Around the World director Matt Cadman. “Scooter have been a massive band in Europe for a long time.”

This looks like another sign that the old world of music is breaking down.

Radio no longer determines what’s a hit. People are finding their new music on YouTube, blogs and social music sites, and groups like Scooter and NIN are figuring out how to work the new system.

What will be really interesting to see is whether new artists can make the system work for them as well as established artists.