On 12 Jul 2002 at 19:14, mack watson-bush wrote: > Just saw on CNN that the Billboard top 100 for the last five years had > no British artists. That is too bad and considering the stinking > state of music here, in my opinion, maybe we need to import some as I > can think of at least three that are simply marvelous. >
I saw this statistic in passing today and I've gotta say I think it's bunk. Off the top of my head I can come up with a number of UK artists who have been on the singles and albums charts. The singles chart has definitely seen less activity than albums but I think that's because singles have been driven by r&b, rap and rhythm based pop. As far as singles go - Spice Girls were still on the chart in 97 and 98. I'm fairly sure that the Gorillaz "Clint Eastwood" hit the Hot 100 last year and Robbie Williams may have cracked it as well. Dido had a huge hit single with "Thank You." Dirty Vegas is in the Top 20 right now with "Days Go By." Craig David has had a couple of singles in the Hot 100. Albums - Radiohead, David Gray, Bush, Jamiroquai, U2, Blur, Gorillaz, Fat Boy Slim, Chemical Brothers, Craig David, Dido and those are just off the top of my head. I know that there is big push coming from the UK recording industry - they're supposed to open an office in NY to help promote British music. Maybe that's why someone fed this bull5h1t story to CNN. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend in London who is a music publisher and she was talking about how one segment of industry types was moaning that U.K. rock bands weren't breaking in the U.S. and the opposing segment was moaning that the labels aren't spending money to develop real talent with real songs. And instead of putting their money and muscle behind artists that are not rock bands but are garnering interest (like Zero 7, 4hero) they are chasing "dreary rock bands with dreary songs." Her words, not mine. Go figure. I wonder when we're going to see some mashups on the chart...The Nirvana v Destiny's Child one was priceless. n.p.: Randy Newman - one of those movie songs on Sessions @ W.54th -------------------------------------------- "Radio has no future" - Lord Kelvin, 1897
