American opinions on UK R&B

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A friend posted me the URL of an American messageboard which covers the music and film industries. On the music forum, I found this thread where various people including a US A&R man discuss what they think is wrong with UK R&B and Garage. I thought you'd all be interested in it - any thoughts?

Chriddof (Chriddof), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Very good thread, most bases covered. I think the British audience has come to respect UK urban music styles a lot more over the last couple of years - whether that self-confidence will translate overseas I have no idea; it might just stay a profitable local niche, like hip-hop in Franc.

Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

is it an advantage or a pitfall that the big 'urban' domain exists now having only really been defined in the last five years (in the UK at least)? i cant help but feel it can be damaging as well as beneficial, just thinking about how 10-15 years ago there was no such prefix really and artists ranging from Neneh Cherry, Mica Paris, Soul II Soul to even the Stereo MCs (cant think of any 'craig david' equivalent for the time!) were successful but kind of isolated. would they have benefitted more had they had a label as broad and vague as urban to attach themselves to like Miss Dynamite, Daniel Bedingfield, Craig David and such?

blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Dido, but everyone here hates her. (Just that one song, and I don't like it enough to buy.) Got a lot of play on Philadelphia's radio.

Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

personally, i don't trust english people. english pop stars. normal english people are better, mostly. but english pop- i can't trust it. for the reasons people suggested in that forum. and i hear, say, daniel bedingfield or something and i don't understand what's going on or why it sounds like that. it's pretty good and all but it's confusing. i want to like daniel bedingfield but i don't understand him. i kind of understand ms dynamite but not really.

and the rest of it is totally garbage.

i really don't think americans need english r&b or any english pop. i think they're doing fine. if you get something really good you could try again but, really, there's no need to try to sell craig david and robbie williams to americans.

you're pretty good at that dreary starsailor/coldplay/travis stuff, though.

d k (d k), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

i wish ms dynamite would make it big here her songs are wonderful : (

ep, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the remix of Southern Hospitality with Miss Dynamite in it.

Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

dk your comments alarm me a little - i understand the US has no need for British 'urban' music but you negate everything else as if all the UK produces is shoddy hip hop/r n b, robbie williams and similarly unamerican pop pap and dreary poprock - if only the american market was able to accommodate more than just its established behemoth genres then perhaps british music would export better - its certainly not a quality issue

blueski, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Twenty minutes of my life that I will never get back were just spent on my first visit to the Velvet Rope. I am so happy that I don't work in the music biz.

dan (dan), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)


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