top 100 prominent british bands that are insignficant to most north americans

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This is endlessly fascinating to me as a recent british emigre.

I'll start us off:

1. The Stone Roses
2. Broadcast
3. The Shadows
4. Busted
5. The Jam
6. Suede
7. The Libertines

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

im not sure i'd go as far as saying broadcast have ever been prominent here in england

― charltonlido (gareth), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

i always see them in big features/lists in mojo and q and stuff (and ilm) and think "whozza?"

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

haha. no. ILM may be the only place they have ever approached prominance and even then...

MOjo, Q? really?

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

8. Kasabian
9. Keane

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

10. Crazy Frog
11. Basement Jaxx

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

kasabian are getting bigger in the states, sadly enough.

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

ugh

12. Take That!

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

also, keane have made a hit with the same people who think that coldplay is "alternative".

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

13. Robbie Williams

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

oops. i must admit to knowing nothing about North Americans, then.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

you're better off, really.

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

14. Razorlight

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

15. Kaiser Chiefs [or Kaiser Chefs as i call them, is Blur on the Menu !? ]

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

16. McFly
17. Sugarbabes

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

By "most north americans" i'm guessing you don't mean the legions of anglophoiles here that grew up reading imported copies of the nme and mm, right?

18. Slade
19. Dexy's
20. T-Rex / Bolan
21. Gerry & The Pacemakers

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

22. Girls Aloud

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

16. McFly

Wait....there's a band called "McFly"? As in Marty McFly? Or a play on the word "fly" meaning cool? Or both?

When did this happen and what kind of music do they play?

― PB, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

I hate to say it, but Killing Joke and the Stranglers and Julian Cope

(most of my faves, really)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

broadcast have a small but v. enthusiastic following in US. just like in UK, then.

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

kaiser chiefs play live 8 with 50 cent in philadelphia

kaiser chiefs on largeish us tour

kaiser chiefs on a million posters for msnbc on the nyc subway

hardly insignificant?

― charltonlido (gareth), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:33 (twenty years ago)

Dumpy's Rusty Nuts
Five Star

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

23. Manic Street Preachers (sometimes us Yanks are missing the boat)
24. Kula Shaker (sometimes you Brits are missing the boat)
25. The Fall
26. British Sea Power

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

Status Quo
These Animal Men

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:39 (twenty years ago)

kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

Toploader
M-People
David Sneddon
Barron Knights
The Dooleys
Travis

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Kaiser chiefs are currently 67 on RYM / top 100 of 2005
http://rateyourmusic.com/view_album_details/album_id_is_255339

Therefore with half the year to go they are on course to NOT feature in the top 100 of the year.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

Westlife

― gspm (gspm), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Thankfully not British.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:51 (twenty years ago)

RYM and Pitchfork are barometers of what "most north americans" like? ILM always with the scoop!

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

35. Super Furry Animals
36. Primal Scream (Are they from Britain? I think they're from Britain.)

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

I think that it's most interesting not to talk about critical approval or Pitchfork blathering, but rather either

a) sales (eg, McFly)
or
b) musical impact (eg, The Fall)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

MOST North Americans? I think its prolly everyone outside of the Beatles, the Stones, the Who, and The Zep.

Remember...the only kind of music station you are GUARANTEED to get at any point on a drive from Boston to LA is country. This is a fact proven by scientific research.

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

16. McFly
Wait....there's a band called "McFly"? As in Marty McFly? Or a play on the word "fly" meaning cool? Or both?

When did this happen and what kind of music do they play?

Pop band, are they? I'm just a clueless American who likes Popbitch. I've never heard them before.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005
kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005kaiser chiefs ...hardly insignificant? ...there music is.. and they have no chance of being on Pitchork's Top 50 albums of 2005

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

xpost: granted, Westlife are Irish but they are mega huge in the UK and nothing in North America.

37. Showaddywaddy
38. Wizzard

― gspm (gspm), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

39. Pulp

― ambrose (ambrose), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:05 (twenty years ago)

40. Runrig
41. The Beautiful South

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

so what if the kaiser chiefs music is insignificant? that has zero effect on their us breakthrough, which seems to be in motion.

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:10 (twenty years ago)

(and fwiw, i heartily wish that they remained contained to the uk.)

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

what a pointless thread.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

stevem - I agree that it's "pointless", but I do find it really, really interesting. Coming here, attending pub quizzes and stuff, and finding that there's so much of the "obvious" I haven't a clue about. There are all these bands I had no idea were so important, and conversely, many Brits have been astonished about my ignorance. It's not about which bands are able to "break through", it's about the parallel (and oftentimes separate) musical histories of these two areas, both of which were listening to pretty similar stuff in the end.

42. Pet Shop Boys

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

the beautiful south are a perfect example of this. some more will come to mind soon.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:23 (twenty years ago)

43. Chris Rea
44. Corrs
45. Thin Lizzy
46. Gary Glitter
47. Texas

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

48. Madness

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Sean that IS interesting but this thread is just a list of British bands. How many British bands of the last 20 years would be considered 'significant' to North Americans? And which North Americans? Black North Americans as well as white etc. Anyway, carry on...and welcome to Britain!

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

49. Cliff Richards

― marianna, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:39 (twenty years ago)

I would argue that Oasis were (are?) plenty significant to North Americans, as well as Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Culture Club, The Cure etc etc etc

And by that I mean any band where you have US pop culture integrating aspects of bandmembers/songs/imagery into common public knowledge offers some significance (Robert Smith showing up in South Park, Boy George being a fairly recognizable "icon" to use the term loosely, etc)

I'm kinda treating this thread as a place where bands that were laregly ubiquitous in Britain (even your parents know of/about them) but that have never really made a dent in the cultural consciousness of the states

I think The Beautiful South, Madness, the Corrs, Robbie Williams etc are all really excellent examples of this

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

Robbie Williams is known in the US, just not as well known. He was on Cribs! The Corrs and Madness are at least one hit wonders.

But if you asked the average person who Beautiful South was and sang a song snippet, they'd have absolutely no clue who the hell you're talking about.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

is it true that madness were a ska band?

and beautiful south are this bigtime spacey pop stuff? with a bit of country?

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

So wait, I thought Carry On Up The Charts was like one of the biggest selling British albums of the last decade

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Carry on Up the Charts: The Best of the Beautiful South was the surprise British hit of 1994, going platinum five times between its late fall release and the summer of 1995. The success was surprising, because while the band had been modestly popular, their last few albums were sliding down the charts. However, their hits collection, Carry on Up the Charts, flew to number one and stayed there for weeks. It's nothing more than all their singles, yet compiled together they make the most convincing case for the Beautiful South's sly, cynical sophisticated pop. Carry on Up the Charts was finally released in the United States in the fall of 1995. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

50. All Saints

― gspm (gspm), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

Dexy's certainly "made a dent" in the U.S.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

as a one-hit wonder -- totally different from the way they were/are revered in the UK

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

well yeah, but they're not insignificant in the States in the way The Jam, The Stone Roses and Suede are. They have one of the most well-remembered and loved hits of the 80s.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

So do A Flock of Seagulls and Soft Cell, what's your point?

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

Amen Corner
The Rubettes
Mud
Wet Wet Wet
Colonel Abrams

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

So do A Flock of Seagulls and Soft Cell, what's your point?

How does DMR not fit this?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

girls aloud. did someone say that already?

sophie ellis bextor

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

You're right, Kevin Rowlands is an instantly recognizable figure in the US. What was I thinking?

(psst Bill, you may wanna turn off Hal and the VH1 "I love the 80s" for a bit and get out where some real people congregate)

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

You're right, Kevin Rowlands is an instantly recognizable figure in the US.

But Neil Tennant and Bernard Sumner are? More people would recognize a still from Kevin wearing those dirty overalls on the street corner in the COE video (though not by name, obv.) than any shot of either of those guys.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Undertones
Roxy Music
Adam Ant (aside from goody two shoes)
Buzzcocks

― axmo, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

you're probably right on New Order, possibly on Pet Shop Boys - bad choice of calling them "significant". Though each had enough cultural stock with multiple hits (West End Girls, Opportunities, It's A Sin, Domino Dancing and Blue Monday, Bizarre Love Triangle, True Faith, Regret) that they're known by name and sound.

But, (again) there's not the huge disparity between the UK and US fandom of those two as there is between the US and UK with Dexy's

And honestly, I would guess the majority of US people have never seen the Come on Eileen video. Just a hunch though

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

I'd say the majority of people in the US don't sit around watching videos in general. But you'd be surprised how many listen to a WPLJ/Jack FM/every song from the 80s-90s-now in a blender type station.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

I mean, I would call New Order and PSB significant in the U.S. as well--New Order is one of the few synth-pop bands that continues to get modern rock airplay/respect (going up to Frente's "Bizarre Love Triangle" and Orgy's "Blue Monday" hit covers) and PSB had a whole bunch of huge hits in their day and are fairly well remembered, if not as well as DMode or The Cure.

And honestly, I would guess the majority of US people have never seen the Come on Eileen video. Just a hunch though

Well, in that most people aren't still watching videos that are over 20 years old, but it's def. one of the most identifiable videos of that time-period for those that do or (I think) for those that were there at the time.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

Gorky's. Are they even prominent in the U.K.?
Ash.

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

49. Cliff Richard

This is a really good example. I'd never heard of him until I lived in the UK, and yet he's something like a national treasure.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

63 (or so): Sugababes

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

64. Rachel Stevens

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

65: David Bowie

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

66: The Smiths

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

uh-oh.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

happy mondays
the irish boomtown rats may count

― b b, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

68. Chas and Dave

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

69. The Charlatans

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

This thread is getting really goofy - tons of the bands mentioned here have some sort of significant profile in the US - but back to Sean's original #1 . . . I am a serious American Anglophile (having spent my teenage years in Essex and London), but I never got the Stone Roses. Just don't think they had very many great songs.

― southern lights, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

70. small faces (another us one-hit wonder, I think)

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

70. Stereophonics

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

71. Billie Piper
72. Boyzone/Ronan Keating
73. S Club 7

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

The Smiths own this thread. Did they even have a US top 40 hit?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

blur

― esu, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Simply Red is maybe an interesting example = they were popular in the U.S. for a few years in the late 80s, but nobody here has thought of them since.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

The Smiths own this thread. Did they even have a US top 40 hit?

No, not even a top 100, but "How Soon is Now?" is still a staple for a lot of modern rock / mix stations (as well as the go-to song for angsty artists to cover and for borderline-goth TV shows and movies to use as a theme).

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

74. steps

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

65: David Bowie

If you've toured stadiums in America, that would probably take you off this list.

And if The Smiths toured here, they'd play 20,000 seat arenas, or at least the 15,000 seat ampitheaters, so take them off too.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

75. bucks fizz

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

76. shakin' stevens (I should learn to put these in the same post)

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

77. Status Quo (aside from "Pictures of Matchstick Men")

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:10 (twenty years ago)

73. S Club 7

Never Had A Dream Come True (or whatever it was called) was monster on Z100 in NY. I think they even played Jingle Ball or whatever. Top 40 hit for sure.

blur
Song #2 was all over.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

did anyone say the divine comedy yet? and the fun lovin' criminals! oh, wait...

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

78. slade!

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

haha, oops -rents said slade, I had the 'only view last 50 posts' option on when I searched.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:16 (twenty years ago)

you could've said Wizzard
or Mott The Hoople instead :)

― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

79. Roll Deep

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

a good portion of these bands have very sizable north american followings at the very least.

65: David Bowie

-- Robin Goad (rgoa...), June 28th, 2005.

66: The Smiths

-- Robin Goad (rgoa...), June 28th, 2005.

you're kidding right?

― latebloomer: now with 20% less cetacean content (latebloomer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

Wow; I thought about Blur also. Definitely not the Smiths. Solo Morrissey kinda fits this category.

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

Sparks

― jygjyuguig,jh, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

You guys realize that ILM/online music discussion groups/groups of music critics aren't necessarily an accurate barometer of how widely-recogninzed a group like The Smiths are, yes?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

Solo Morrissey kinda fits this category.

The more you ignore me, the closer I get...you're wasting your time...

xpost Dan, a lot of people know "How Soon Is Now" even if it's just as "that Charmed song."

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

Bands/Artists that are significant to most North Americans tend -- nine times out of ten --- to be INDEFENSIBLE CRAP.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

My point is that more people can identify "Come On Eileen" as being a Dexy's song than can indentify any Smiths song as a Smiths song and Dexy's definitely qualifies.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

Haha, I was going to make the Fun Lovin' Criminals joke. Seriously.

80. Embrace

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:17 (twenty years ago)

There are probably more passionate Smiths fans in theUS than there are Dexy's fans but that doesn't mean that the Smiths fans are a majority of Americans!

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

My point is that more people can identify "Come On Eileen" as being a Dexy's song than can indentify any Smiths song as a Smiths song and Dexy's definitely qualifies.

I'll buy this. I know suburban moms who wouldn't know a Smiths song if their very boring lives depended on it (hello, my sister), but could hum "Come On, Eileen" in its entirety (including the oh so irritating a capella section).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

81. James
82. The Wedding Present

― Rick Spence (spencerman), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

83. sleeper

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

I think that goes in the UK too, you know. So, er, they are about as prominent here as they are in the States (i.e. not so much).

84. Will Young
85. Gareth Gates
86. Darius

(none of whom are bands, however)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:19 (twenty years ago)

Or...

You guys realize that ILM/online music discussion groups/groups of music critics aren't necessarily an accurate barometer of how widely-recogninzed a group like The Smiths are, yes?
-- The Ghost of Dan Perry (djperr...), June 28th, 2005 7:09 PM. (Dan Perry) (later)

What Dan said.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

eddie reader

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

My point is that more people can identify "Come On Eileen" as being a Dexy's song than can indentify any Smiths song as a Smiths song and Dexy's definitely qualifies.

-- The Ghost of Dan Perry

I don't believe this for a second. they might "recognize" "Come On Eileen" but they would hardly know the name of the band.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

the most accurate answer to this topic is "any pop star C*lum wants to fuck"

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

Grime to thread.

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Does "Come On Eileen" get mainstream radio play? I've never heard it or anything else by DMR. I think the Smiths should probably count beyond the cult level although they do show up on modern rock radio retro shows or sometimes on the walls of angsty teen girls in movies (or in Douglas Coupland books). But Bowie's an FM radio staple and stadium-packer. No way would he belong on this list. FWIW I've never heard any of the bands in the original post other than the Jam.

Are MBV significant in the UK? Placebo? Roots Manuva?

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

Did Mis-Teeq ever make any headway in the States? They got Redman on one of their tracks and he's done alright over there.

Haven't the Jaxx had some songs picked up for TV soundtracks, most obviously "Where's Your Head At?"?

Wait....there's a band called "McFly"? As in Marty McFly? Or a play on the word "fly" meaning cool? Or both?

They're Scottish and met on a plane.... honest.

― Nick H (Nick H), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

Placebo

if the adverts for their last album absolutely plastering the wall of every tube station I was in two years ago is any indication, then yes. I don't know what their profile in the US is though. I kind of always considered them some third rate alt rock band.

Speaking of which, Embrace.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Have any British bands had consistent US album success since the Cure aside from Oasis and Coldplay?

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

...Radiohead?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Radiohead? Was Massive Attack's success consistent?

xpost

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

I'm pretty sure Massive Attack have yet to broach the top 50 of the album charts.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

The Spice Girls did alright didn't they?

― Nick H (Nick H), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

Also, I guess it depends how you qualify success, but the Chems had three US Top 40 albums.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

I said Embrace!

The only thing I know about Placebo is that the dude was in The Velvet Goldmine.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

ah, forgot Radiohead. and the Spice Girls.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

also Bush.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

also Depeche Mode.

basically at this point I'm curious (and using RIAA.com to find out) how many British bands have had at least two albums go at least gold in the US over the last fifteen years.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

for instance, Blur only has one gold album.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

Kylie has two if you count the one in the 80s

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Grime to thread.

Please name some grime artists who are prominent in the UK.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

robbie williams has one gold album, while Bush has four gold, three PLATINUM albums here, hee hee hee

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

Sixteen Stone: 6 million
Razorblade Suitcase: 3 million
The Science Of Things: 1 million
Deconstructed: .5 million

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

at this point I wouldn't be surprised if Bush was the most prominent British band US-wise of the last twenty years.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

Rolling Stones

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

actually..

Spice: 7 million
Spice World: 4 million
Forever: .5 million

plus gold and platinum singles so there you go.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

http://www.users.bigpond.com/chow038/burn_US_flag_230x203.jpg

Some UK indie kids, yesterday.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

Rolling Stones albums from 1990 on
Forty Licks: 4 million
Voodoo Lounge: 2 million
Stripped: 1 million
Bridges To Babylon: gold
Flashpoint: gold

but yeah, live shows and all that, I guess they got the Spice Girls licked prominence-wise.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Kylie has two if you count the one in the 80s

But Kylie's from Australia, or is she now a de facto Brit?

Surely Dido and Seal have had two gold albums?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah I forgot she's australian. Whatever.

good calls here.

Seal Uno: 1 million
Seal Dos: 4 million
Human Being: gold
Seal IV: gold

No Angel: 4 million
Life For Rent: 1 million

Rather than Elton or Stones or John I'm most curious about bands that started in the 90s who have actually had multiple golds. Chemical Brothers only had one. Prodigy sold 2 million of Fat but the new one did hit gold (natch). Fatboy sold 1 million with Baby and the follow-ups failed.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

that should be "Elton or Stones or Stewart"

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

and new Prodigy didn't go gold, I mean.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

Rather than Elton or Stones or John

Or Sting.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

yeah those guys are from an era where Britain mattered.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

though I'm hoping Franz Ferdinand's got legs!

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

Joss Stone has two gold albums.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

Most successful Brit in last 6 years, Charlotte Church?

Voice of an angel 2 Million
Charlotte Church 1 Million
Dream a dream 1 Million
Enchantment Gold

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

The Streets and Dizzee Rascal, no?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

And Will Young (rather insignificant to anyone outside Britain)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

Long Fin Killie (Scottish)
The Specials
The English Beat
The Selecter
Skrewdriver
U.K. Subs
The Exploited
GBH
Discharge
Tindersticks
Nick Drake
Scott Walker (upon relocation)

― milney gauzem (dr. t), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:48 (twenty years ago)

Bush are like the Fun Loving Criminals in reverse, aren't they (in that they're hardly prominent over here)?

(xpost - yes, there's a list of prominent bands...)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

Amazulu
Curiosity Killed the Cat
The Damned

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

Curiosity Killed the Cat were prominent in the UK???

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

More so than Long Fin Killie, at any rate (I think this thread went wrong a while ago)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

yeah, it's weird how the adjectives in the question tend to drop off the further you get down the thread...

― milney gauzem (dr. t), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 02:08 (twenty years ago)

North Americans have heard of these bands...

Keane
Joss Stone
Radiohead
Spice Girls
Mott The Hoople
The Smiths
Adam Ant
Kasabian
Kaiser Chiefs
Pet Shop Boys
Gary Glitter
Madness
All Saints
Blur
Dexy's Midnight Runners
T.Rex
The Corrs

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 03:07 (twenty years ago)

but not these:

A Certain Ratio
Durutti Column
Felt / Denim / Go-Kart Mozart

― Paul (scifisoul), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

oops... prominent?

― Paul (scifisoul), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Scissor Sisters, at least last year (top selling LP in the UK, pffflllt in the US)

― gspm (gspm), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

is that a joke? scissor sisters are from new york

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

billstevejim is right. i think the title of this thread is misleading, as someone pointed out before, only the beatles, stones, and like, led zep would be at all signifigant to more than 50% of america, and i even doubt that.

― AaronK (AaronK), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

The Move

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

Billy Fury
Joe Brown
Alvin Stardust

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:33 (twenty years ago)

Frank Ifield (OK, Australian, I know)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

Status Quo (here known as one hit wonders)
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

kyle: true, people are treating the idea of the thread in their own ways but the point that they are prominent in the UK and far from that in the USA is valid.

― gspm (gspm), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

Mud!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:53 (twenty years ago)

― Ian John50n (orion), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Smiths/Morissey doesn't belong here. Big US following. Might as well throw the Cure in if you're gonna include them.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 20:12 (twenty years ago)

"most north americans"

MOST. NORTH. AMERICANS.

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 30 June 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

The Equals
Mungo Jerry
The Bonzo Dog Band
The Shadows
The Pretty Things

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Thursday, 30 June 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)

not a band, but I am shocked at how many americans have no idea who John Peel is (was) (R.I.P.)

― Declan Zimmerman, Thursday, 30 June 2005 06:15 (twenty years ago)

Faithless

― wmlynch (wlynch), Thursday, 30 June 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

One time I was watching the The Office with my friends and I had to explain to them that Texas is an actual, real-life band.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

Catatonia
Stereophonics

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

was Brinsley Schwartz popular in england? I mean, most americans don't even know who Nick Lowe is, but I didn't even know what pub rock was until like two years ago.

Who is that lady on television who ends her show with "Turrah for now". Wasn't she a famous british singer at some point?

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

The Kinks

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

Scott Walker deserves his own "Americans who are unknown in America" thread

― Cunga (Cunga), Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Polyphonic, you mean Cilla Black.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 June 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

That's the one!

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 30 June 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

The Smiths own this thread.

Mexico is in North America.

― Ala Neur, Friday, 1 July 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

Mott The Hoople are a pretty crap group.

Most Australian artists are relatively unknown overseas. Except of course AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Kylie and Silverchair.

― nicholas de jong (nicholas de jong), Friday, 1 July 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

(I don't know what number we're on). The KLF

― naus (Robert T), Friday, 1 July 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

Underworld

― wmlynch (wlynch), Friday, 1 July 2005 02:04 (twenty years ago)

Carter USM
Gomez
Saint Etienne
Auteurs
Paul Weller

― Jeremy (Jeremy), Friday, 1 July 2005 10:51 (twenty years ago)

-Kate Bush (seems realtively unknown in the States in comparison to other women vocalists that are half as interesting)
-The Associates
-anything other than BDB on Twisted Nerve (especially Mum and Dad... best band ever to completely ignored by everyone... well before their time)
-Saint Etienne (I second that)
-Fad Gadget
-Marc Almond (in all areas of his career, sadly overlooked in this country, just saw him at Patti Smith's Meltdown... stunning)

i am sure there are tons more just can't think at this point.

I don't know if i agree with Underworld... when I went to see them in SF after Second Toughest, kids were selling organs on the street to get tickets to a very sold out show. ahhh, but then that is SF maybe in the rest of the country they are unknown... SF was quite a different universe then :) )

― ebenoit, Friday, 1 July 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I think Underworld has a pretty small (but loyal) following stateside, but I think most people in the U.S. know them as one of those techno tracks to skip on the Trainspotting soundtrack.
I only starting listening to them when I was in Ireland when Beaucoup Fish came out.

― wmlynch (wlynch), Friday, 1 July 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

From the oldies brigade:

Dave Berry
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
Billy Fury
Jet Harris
The Honeybus
The Pretty Things
P.J. Proby
Sandie Shaw
Twinkle

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 2 July 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

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