Most of the greatest rock bands of all time, and a lot of good music has come out of Britain - specifically England (although there are many good bands in other parts of the UK). I've often wondered why this was the case. For instance, basically almost all of the top 20 greatest bands of all time; the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple...heck even the Bee Gees all came out of the UK. And let's forget the countless successful solo performers for now. For its size and population, the UK has produced a disproportianate amount of musical talent (and no, I'm not British :-)). Especially compared to America, the birthplace of Rock and Roll. For a country with...let's see, over five times the population...the list of great bands is less spectacular. The Beach Boys, Doors (tho I would disagree), KISS (shudder), Grateful Dead - in other words comparatively crap.

Even today, ALOT of the best alternative and mainstream artists is produced by British artists. Oh and let's not forget Australia...a former British colony.
While they may not have the world's finest cuisine or best weather, you have to admit the Poms have it for music.

Anyone?

Are you referring to music of the '60s or all recent decades ?

One theory may be that many of the British bands were heavily influenced by some of the American blues legends, "Robert Johnson, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, etc" and sucessfully incorporated that into their music.

I'm referring to all music since the 60's.  It's incredible how much commercial success the Brit bands had in the US as well. But I'm still surprised the US does not have an answer to a band like Deep Purple let alone Led Zeppelin.

Even today most American music is crappy (:-)). Whereas the 'alternative' movement in the UK has a more pervasive influence on the mainstream market.

I agree with all that's been said.

I also think that they tend to have better Top 40/rock, even today. I have several online friends from there, and the way they've described the general state of music today, it seems, well "fresher" than here, with more variety (although I do think the scene is improving a bit now. To me, 2002-04 was like a low point -- not that there weren't good songs, but there was alot of cr@p contending with it too).

Nothing against Good Charlotte, Usher and J-LO, but when that's all there seems to be on the radio & MTV, gets a little tiring. :D

I think that part of it has to do with the UK and other countries, particularly European countries actively supporting the arts.  Many of the people that you have mentioned went to art schools as kids where their talent was encouraged and developed.  This was at the public school level because most of those guys came from the middle class or the lower level economically.  This is still active and alive over there today.  Here in the U.S. you don't get much of that opportunity unless your folks have money and those types of schools are few and far between when compared to the U.K. and Europe in general.  We're too damned busy raising our kids to make a lot of money and artistic developement falls by the wayside much of the time which is very sad.  Being an artist or a musician can do things for the soul that money will never do and it touches so many people in a positive way.  Those folks across the pond realized this many, many years ago and they respect and encourage it.
Most of the greatest rock bands of all time, and a lot of good music has come out of Britain - specifically England (although there are many good bands in other parts of the UK). I've often wondered why this was the case. For instance, basically almost all of the top 20 greatest bands of all time; the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple...heck even the Bee Gees all came out of the UK. And let's forget the countless successful solo performers for now. For its size and population, the UK has produced a disproportianate amount of musical talent (and no, I'm not British :-)). Especially compared to America, the birthplace of Rock and Roll. For a country with...let's see, over five times the population...the list of great bands is less spectacular. The Beach Boys, Doors (tho I would disagree), KISS (shudder), Grateful Dead - in other words comparatively crap.

Even today, ALOT of the best alternative and mainstream artists is produced by British artists. Oh and let's not forget Australia...a former British colony.
While they may not have the world's finest cuisine or best weather, you have to admit the Poms have it for music.
:)

It's always fresh and always interesting.  The Poms don't have that mass-produced sound.

Britain stole our black culture's music,processed,refined{SIC} and marketed thir 'blue-eyed soul" back to us. Just like the lemmings we are,we bought into it, making us guys jealous of those limey puns who didn't have the moral decency to credit the Negro authors,who could've used the royalties.

Britain stole our black culture's music,processed,refined{SIC} and marketed thir 'blue-eyed soul" back to us. Just like the lemmings we are,we bought into it, making us guys jealous of those limey puns who didn't have the moral decency to credit the Negro authors,who could've used the royalties.
:)  They didn't steal it my friend, we neglected it.  Anyway most all of the "British Invasion" bands of the 60's weren't really playing much music originated by blacks here in the U.S.  There were a few such as the Animals and the Stones but the vast majority were playing pop music. 

:)  They didn't steal it my friend, we neglected it.  Anyway most all of the "British Invasion" bands of the 60's weren't really playing much music originated by blacks here in the U.S.  There were a few such as the Animals and the Stones but the vast majority were playing pop music. 


I second that, except the "invasion" bands were playing alot of music that originated or was influenced, by black music in the US, but unlike that white American bands they weren't shy, or ashamed to admit it.  They openly embraced the black American R&B sound, and in the case of Led Zeppelin, outright stole the music.
Even Homer Simpson knows that(see the episode when they go to England).  They were sued, and lost
because of the flat out stealing of credit and royalties, for the songs on the entire first album.  The same was true of the way the brits embraced reggae, and hip-hop. Joe Strummer was rapping when he did "Magnificent Seven"

alot of the best music did come from britain.

led zeppelin
black sabbath
pink floyd
the beatles
the rolling stones
slash from gnr came from britain
cream
eric clapton
queen
judas priest
.....lots more