What is in the water in the UK?

[toms wait]

Pick a decade and notice how many of the biggest/popular bands or artists in the world are from these small islands.
Bowie, Floyd, Zeppelin, Queen, Beatles, The Who, Japan, Eno, Roxy Music, Elton, Radiohead, Stones, The Police, Fleetwood Mac (the majority, ahem!), Dire Straits, Genesis, Sex Pistols, Clash, Yes, Duran Duran, New Order, Joy Division, The Smiths, and loads of others.

Historically is this due to the extent of the English language spoken? Any ideas? The BBC? Empire?
Or raw talent from social adversity, I have no idea. I just find it interesting.

Or perhaps my own experience and music collection is just a little biased by growing up here in the UK.

I recently had a count up of how many artists bands I had, about 330, this must be the tip of the band/artist iceberg! I do have quite broad tastes, but suspect over 60% of it is UK.

 

[Mick Check]

Think we’ve always been open to outside influences and we seem to filter them through an English lens. Our airwaves have always incorporated all types of music. Mind you a lot of my musical heroes are North American.

 

[Jazid]

Interesting that the OP has no black artists in his roster. If we add Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Al Green, Michael Jackson, NWA, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, who are all amazing, American (in a broadly geographical sense), and also black, and don't get me started on the wonderful world of African artists, then maybe the picture would look a little different?
For those with a classical predilection I do hope we don't forget our Germanic cousins: Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mahler, Wagner and a host more.
I think the water is influencing your taste, not vice versa Mr Tom's Wait

 

[Cable Monkey]

The U.K. is a wealthy place. It allows for creativity to thrive. We then export a lot of that culturally.

 

[StingRay]

The U.K. is a wealthy place. It allows for creativity to thrive. We then export a lot of that culturally.

So is the USA but a lot black music does not come from wealth. For our population, we have produced many top artists, must be the most in the world, the USA is about 5 times our population.

 

[lazycat]

Or raw talent from social adversity

Both I believe. It's forgotten that in the 70s/80s bands were formed when the members were able to claim 'dole'. Claiming benefits is now somewhat different

Many wouldnt have the time/money to form now.

That said, due to the availability of the 'studio on a laptop' newer bands/artists have emerged and will continue to do so.

It maybe music that you dont care for tho'. Grime being an example.

There is plenty of new stuff out there I'm glad to say. Check out 'Wunderhorse', both the music and the history of the chap that leads it. Talent and a bit of social adversity are included.

 

[Friendly Ghost]

Ik think the Anglo-America music industry is alsof particularly strong. It remains hard for european bands to break through across the channel and in the US for instance.

 

[PeteVid]

Both I believe. It's forgotten that in the 70s/80s bands were formed when the members were able to claim 'dole'. Claiming benefits is now somewhat different

Many wouldnt have the time/money to form now.

That said, due to the availability of the 'studio on a laptop' newer bands/artists have emerged and will continue to do so.

It maybe music that you dont care for tho'. Grime being an example.

There is plenty of new stuff out there I'm glad to say. Check out 'Wunderhorse', both the music and the history of the chap that leads it. Talent and a bit of social adversity are included.

See also student grants

 

[antonio66]

The UK has led the world with inventions going back hundreds of years, is it the same now, I'm not sure but it is no surprise we have led musically as well.

 

[Chumpchops]

……so are the disproportionately meteoric rises Ed Sheeran, Adele and Coldplay all signs that that water companies are more recently lacing our supplies with something sinister yet bland?

 

[StingRay]

British music in the late 60s and early 70s, did lead the world, conquer the USA, since then think we lost our way, apart from a few pop stars. The UK is interested in music, it it one of the largest markets in the world, despite it's relatively small size In area and population.

 

[toms wait]

Interesting that the OP has no black artists in his roster. If we add Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Al Green, Michael Jackson, NWA, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, who are all amazing, American (in a broadly geographical sense), and also black, and don't get me started on the wonderful world of African artists, then maybe the picture would look a little different?
For those with a classical predilection I do hope we don't forget our Germanic cousins: Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mahler, Wagner and a host more.
I think the water is influencing your taste, not vice versa Mr Tom's Wait

I didn't list your list because they are from the US. I have plenty of black and asian and african music in my collection. But it wasn't a list of MY musical taste it was a list of UK bands/artists who have made a big impact/££££££ on the music of the world.
The water is not affecting my taste but you seem to have completely misunderstood my point.

 

[toms wait]

For our population, we have produced many top artists, must be the most in the world, the USA is about 5 times our population.

That is exactly my point, I could have listed the USA but that detracted from what I was saying.

 

[toms wait]

It maybe music that you dont care for tho'. Grime being an example.

There is plenty of new stuff out there I'm glad to say. Check out 'Wunderhorse', both the music and the history of the chap that leads it. Talent and a bit of social adversity are included.

You are correct there, my eldest daughter loves it and I have heard/been subjected to a lot of it.
She puts it on in the car, even in my car!
I have to say having had the exposure it is sweary, misoginistic, repetitive, and i have to say an unpleasant assault on the ears. If I am honest it doesn't seem to have brought Rap on at all, just done for Rap what death metal did for rock.

 

[toms wait]

……so are the disproportionately meteoric rises Ed Sheeran, Adele and Coldplay all signs that that water companies are more recently lacing our supplies with something sinister yet bland?

I agree with you on that, especially those 3, the usual culprits.

 

[toms wait]

So is the USA but a lot black music does not come from wealth. For our population, we have produced many top artists, must be the most in the world, the USA is about 5 times our population.

EXACTLY

 

[toms wait]

The UK has led the world with inventions going back hundreds of years, is it the same now, I'm not sure but it is no surprise we have led musically as well.

The list of inventions from the UK is incredible

 

[Chumpchops]

Both I believe. It's forgotten that in the 70s/80s bands were formed when the members were able to claim 'dole'. Claiming benefits is now somewhat different

We certainly do have the Sex Pistols ‘working class’ at one end and then Genesis posh Charterhouse at the other end of wealth spectrum. Then a whole lot in between. All produced to the body of UK derived music.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

What's in the water? Industrial effluent & sewage. I suspect that explains a lot of the current "music" industry's output.

 

[StingRay]

We certainly do have the Sex Pistols ‘working class’ at one end and then Genesis posh Charterhouse at the other end of wealth spectrum. Then a whole lot in between. All produced to the body of UK derived music.

The Beatles were mostly ‘working class’. The Who also? Black Sabbath?