USA vs UK

[nicky]

Teardrops,Protection
Push Upstairs

investigating The Orb recently and really want to pick up "Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld"


The UK make some killer electronica.

I reckon Europe owns electronica.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Incorrect, punk originated in New York.

Anyway, the USA has produced better music by a considerable margin although i doubt BF posters will agree. I started a thread on this years ago and most posters thought the UK was better.

It's not!

Incorrect.

The prototypes/origins for punk music began in England in the 60's.

 

[sherrinorburley]

Incorrect, punk originated in New York.

Anyway, the USA has produced better music by a considerable margin although i doubt BF posters will agree. I started a thread on this years ago and most posters thought the UK was better.

It's not!

In general, agree with you.

Uk had the Mod Rocker Teddy Boy thing going. Some of which is ok but USA rule by a few streets.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

They invented jazz, blues, soul and country music for God's sake !!!

All of these have origins in UK before they did in the USA.

As in sums of music styles/instruments contributed to all of the aboves creation.

Country is just a hybrid of the Scottish reels and Irish jigs(of immigrants,not Americans) who started country music.

 

[sherrinorburley]

I'd love to say the UK as the list in the OP has UK streets ahead, but the overall contribution to music would have USA in front. Understandable really given the more diverse geography & culture, and the much larger population.

Indeed. It was created from a diverse blend of immigrants IN the USA

 

[EnglishWarrior]

I reckon Europe owns electronica.

I thought the UK was in Europe!

If you mean Europe as in mainland Europe, I respectfully disagree. I think USA, Europe and even Asia all have great artists in this field. One genere that is truely worldwide.

 

[nicky]

I thought the UK was in Europe!

If you mean Europe as in mainland Europe, I respectfully disagree. I think USA, Europe and even Asia all have great artists in this field. One genere that is truely worldwide.

Yes i mean the continent. Im not saying that only Europe produces good electronica, but over all europe produces the lions share (that i listen to anyway)

 

[JimDocker]

Neil Young and Leonard Cohen alone give it to Canada ! Add Martha and Rufus Wainwright, the McGarrigle sisters, Paul Bley and Oscar Petersen and they have romped it in.

Back to the US v the UK.
2 great musical countries with amazing talent from both at the very top end, but the sheer scope and depth makes it the US by a mile.
They invented jazz, blues, soul and country music for God's sake !!!

All of these have origins in UK before they did in the USA.

As in sums of music styles/instruments contributed to all of the aboves creation.

Country is just a hybrid of the Scottish reels and Irish jigs(of immigrants,not Americans) who started country music.[/quote]

Very good point regarding the Celtic origins of country music, but I would suggest Americans made country music their own art form that is related to and developed from, but separate to Celtic folk music.

I am not sure which origins of soul, blues and jazz are from the UK though. I would think it is universally acknowledged that jazz is an American art form. ( Oh, I forgot about James Blunt allegedly being a soul singer).

 

[incubi]

It could be argued that the USA would be incapable of doing any music if it wasnt for the English, Spanish and French, the three main countries to have major migration after the US was found by an Italian.
Also, all south east asian countries can take some credit as Columbus wouldnt have found the US if he hadnt have been trying to get there.
So, indirectly the UK definitely has a bigger impact on music and hence get my vote

Makes about as much sense as many other posts on here.

 

[omit]

you forgot all the african nations which had a major influence on American music

 

[nicky]

It could be argued that the USA would be incapable of doing any music if it wasnt for the English, Spanish and French, the three main countries to have major migration after the US was found by an Italian.
Also, all south east asian countries can take some credit as Columbus wouldnt have found the US if he hadnt have been trying to get there.
So, indirectly the UK definitely has a bigger impact on music and hence get my vote

Makes about as much sense as many other posts on here.

No it doesn't, you've contributed nothing.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Very good point regarding the Celtic origins of country music, but I would suggest Americans made country music their own art form that is related to and developed from, but separate to Celtic folk music.

I am not sure which origins of soul, blues and jazz are from the UK though. I would think it is universally acknowledged that jazz is an American art form. ( Oh, I forgot about James Blunt allegedly being a soul singer).

In regards to jazz.

Now let's consider what European music could have contributed to the origins of improvisation in jazz. In America there was already a well-developed European tradition for improvising by the time jazz had begun. Improvised ornaments were common in pre-twentieth-century concert music, and they have long been common in folk music and popular music. Within informal American music prior to the emergence of jazz, there are also precedents for improvisation in the form of musicians making spontaneously varied entrances. Often singers start notes whenever they feel like it instead of singing precisely in unison with the others. This is termed heterophony, sounding to our ears like ensemble "sloppiness." It is also notable that improvised variations were common parts of solo recital format for some keyboard artists. During the 1800s, concert pianists often improvised within the encore number of their program. And there existed a French and German keyboard tradition for improvisation called preluding. Some early American musicians were even required to be able to improvise a piece on demand, using phrases supplied by their audience.

So from the concert halls(UK included) we have the jazz style of improvising already occurring throughout Europe.

The blues once again like country draws its origins from folk music, though it also has alot of african continent elements mixed in .

I dont disagree tha the US isn't where those styles burst forth from, but they already existed in a form before the US which is what allowed them to be tinkered with and expanded on that continent.

Tiger Rag as an example is a very old jazz standard covered by hundreds of artists, yet it origins are as a French quadrille

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

you forgot all the african nations which had a major influence on American music

You forgot who brought them to America

 

[JimDocker]

In regards to jazz.



So from the concert halls(UK included) we have the jazz style of improvising already occurring throughout Europe.

The blues once again like country draws its origins from folk music, though it also has alot of african continent elements mixed in .

I dont disagree tha the US isn't where those styles burst forth from, but they already existed in a form before the US which is what allowed them to be tinkered with and expanded on that continent.

Tiger Rag as an example is a very old jazz standard covered by hundreds of artists, yet it origins are as a French quadrille

All good points and I hardly want to argue with a fellow Celtics fan, so I will clarify my argument.

I am aware that many musical forms have evolved from the Celtic origins and other European countries, but the Americans turned them into art forms of their own and deserve ownership of the sophisticated level that they have taken them too.

I am currently listening to Doc Watson, a great bluegrass exponent that has discussed his being influenced by Celtic music. I recently watched The Chieftans At Old Plank Road where they are joined by many great country and alt country artists and all speak of their love of Irish folk music.

But Americans took the spirituals that were taught to the slaves on the plantations and turned them into blues, R & B and later jazz and they have reached such a level of sophistication with those forms that they must be recognised as musical genres that they invented.

Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, the Marsalis brothers and many many more play jazz as an American art form.

 

[sherrinorburley]

you forgot all the african nations which had a major influence on American music

With Bob Marley and the Jamaican connection being colonial Britain and Sir Bob having an absent english daddy, kudo's must again go to the Americas, with respect to the english in recognizing the brilliance of Ska/Reggae/Rocksteady before Marley's countrymen/women in the USA.

 

[Oakland Raider]

Marks to the UK regarding Fela Kuti attending music school there. Inventing his Afrobeat, his political stance against the Brit establishment. USA by a mile.

 

[EnglishWarrior]

Yes i mean the continent. Im not saying that only Europe produces good electronica, but over all europe produces the lions share (that i listen to anyway)

What artists do you listen to then? Euro-dance is seen as quite "cheesey" in the UK. I know there are exceptions but on the whole that is the belief.

 

[nicky]

What artists do you listen to then? Euro-dance is seen as quite "cheesey" in the UK. I know there are exceptions but on the whole that is the belief.

Nah man! I listen to dark electronica; kim hiorthoy, trentmoller and alot of euro djs.

On top of that you have french electronica like stereolab etc.

I listen to stuff from japan, america and the uk also, just not as much as the euro stuff.

 

[mark73]

The Brit's Stones, Beatles, Led Zep were all influenced by American Roots as well as Americán's Stooges/New York Dolls. ie Howlin Wolf/Leadbelly/Muddy Waters/Sonny Boy Williamson/Chuck Berry/Little Richard/Bo Diddley/Jerry Lee Lewis etc.. so i agree with you. USA by a street.

This.

The UK have produced some great bands over the years, but the thread in general is a no brainer really.

 

[XFactor1979]

america has had a huge influence in pop music, and the kids will find american music more accessible, however the catch is it is an industry there in america though

only a select few american bands are daring enough to "push the boundaries" of sound; animal collective, battles

on the flipside england has pop music too in the form of girls aloud etc, but their rock and progressive music is something im a bigger fan of, and i lean towards english music in my mature years. radiohead

 

[djrossie16]

When I think of this battle i go to some of my favourites:

US
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Doors
Nirvana
A Tribe Called Quest
Stone Temple Pilots
Alice in Chains
Jeff Buckley

UK
Radiohead
Joy Division
Portishead
The Verve
Pulp
The Smiths
Beatles

Maybe a slight edge to US for me but then again I love Radiohead and they will probably put out another 10 quality records lol

My Bloody Valentine are Irish. Surely Ireland must be one of the best after these two.

 

[XFactor1979]

When I think of this battle i go to some of my favourites:

US
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Doors
Nirvana
A Tribe Called Quest
Stone Temple Pilots
Alice in Chains
Jeff Buckley

UK
Radiohead
Joy Division
Portishead
The Verve
Pulp
The Smiths
Beatles

Maybe a slight edge to US for me but then again I love Radiohead and they will probably put out another 10 quality records lol

My Bloody Valentine are Irish. Surely Ireland must be one of the best after these two.

when i was growing up (the 90s) another irish band named u2 made a couple of stunning albums after the obvious mainstream smash of achtung baby

zooropa and pop (and to a lesser extent passengers album)! two albums that did not sound like typical u2 albums or have the run of the mill u2-isms

Dirty Day
Zooropa
Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car
Your Blue Room
Slug
Wake Up Dead Man
Mofo
If God Will Send His Angels
Please.
If You Wear That Velvet Dress

not exactly hits are they, but i can recite the lyrics of these songs just as well as any song radiohead has ever done. but in contrary, i avoid new u2 like the plague!

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

The best English music is better than the best US music, the worst US music is worse than the worst of the UK.


But America, having millions more people obviously pump out some great acts, heaps of quantity.