5 artists that should have made it across the pond

The Beatles, Elton John, The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Beegees, Queen, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Spice Girls, George Michael, Oasis, Adele and One Direction. What have they all got in common? Other than being great artists, they’re from the UK! Look through the US music chart these days and you’d be surprised how many artists are from Britain; this isn’t a new phenomenon, in fact during the 1960s the phrase ‘British Invasion’ was coined to describe the influx of British music entering the American charts. British music isn’t just strong in mainstream pop, but also in indie rock and plays a big part in European dance music.

Nevertheless, I have definitely been missing some of the music from my home country that’s never made it over the Atlantic. This isn’t helped by the fact that every time I switch on a radio I am bombarded by Flo Rida’s song, Whistle; I actually liked this song to begin with but now I think it’s going to drive me insane (I apologize for probably getting the hook stuck in your head for the rest of the day). I’m going to name five artists that I think should be bigger in the US, along with some of their best songs. I’ve tried to be as wide ranging as possible in the genres of music I selected, so hopefully at least one of the artists will grab your attention. There is nothing better than discovering a new musical artist that you like so be open minded; you never know, you might stumble over you’re new favourite artist!

This young singer-songwriter has become very popular in the UK in the past year. His song ‘The A Team’ creeped onto the charts in the US but Ed definitely deserves a closer listen. ‘You Need Me’ showcases Ed’s unique style of combining acoustic melodies with some fun rapping and even a smidgen of beatboxing.

Emeli Sande (Virgin) – Read All About It Pt. III

A Scottish songwriter who is building a big reputation for herself. She sang in the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics and has written songs for some of the biggest names in British pop in the last decade. For a more upbeat example of Emeli’s work, try ‘Next To Me’.

Stereophonics (V2 Records) – Maybe Tomorrow

Stereophonics have been around for two decades now but struggled to break through in America. They have a similar style to Oasis, Coldplay and early Maroon 5 so Stereophonics are definitely a band worth listening to if you like indie rock.

Calvin Harris (EMI, Columbia, Sony) – We’ll Be Coming Back (feat. Example)

Dance music is huge in the UK. There aren’t many artists consistently good enough to stay in the club scene for a long time, but Calvin Harris is definitely an exception. Other artists worth a listen are Rudimental, Chase And Status, Nero and The Prodigy.

Robbie Williams (Universal) – Let Me Entertain You

This man is the British act. He’s practically a crown jewel. If I didn’t include him in this post, the UK Border Control probably wouldn’t allow me back in the country; that is how much we love Robbie. You can’t attend a party, a summer barbecue or a Christmas family gathering without at least one of Robbie’s songs being played. If you don’t love this, your Dad definitely will.

I’ve had to leave an awful lot of great artists out but I hope at least one of these artists is appealing for everyone. If you’d like more tips on British music then please leave a comment; perhaps I’ve missed an important artist or you just want to know some more bands to listen to. I’ve loved listening to all this great music, I hope you have too!

Cheers!