50 Years Of American & British Music. Which Is Better?

reply to post by Ezappa


Have to disagree with you there. It has to be Comfortably Numb!!

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For me Floyd are number one followed by The doors. It's been back and forth ever since.

Love Me Two Times, what a tune, it will forever remind me of one of the greatest summers I ever had, across the pond, Honesdale, PA. Working in a summer camp by day, sneaking out for a keg party by night, 'Dazed and Confused', what a summer.

On topic, I feel that each side feeds off the other and becomes the greater for it. Long may it continue because I'm an addict for new music and so to me it always seems that the current music I'm listening to is the best. I recently got introduced to a rock band from Bath, England called The Heavy. I would have bet money on them being American, absolutely fantastic band that I'm now looking forward to hearing their back catalogue.

PS. Thought for sure this would degenerate into a bait thread, i'm amazed it didn't. Or did I skim too much and miss it.

PPS This thread is a nightmare for those of us on a data allowance, i don't know what bands are in half your posts.

I am British, born in Liverpool and have to point out that English music is so heavily influenced by the state's that they are not so easily divisible, but if I whom am 43 have to make a choice I would say American music is superior, Elvis is better than the beatles as far as my taste goes and house music of the 1990's in England nearly killed the mass music scene here with dance track's that you needed to be high on illegal narcotic's to appreciate, I remember the awfull Bross twins and how they were so bad live the Americans laughed them off stage and I can't blame them, only in those genre's invented here have we excelled and the beach boy's, heart, Cyndi Lauper to say a few beat them down with quality but opinion is subjective and highly personal so:.

American music of the past 50 year's is better overall in my English opinion.

The best of the English become American anyway like Roger Waters but even he can't beat Muddy Waters and Tom Petty but these are artist's not nation's You can stick a flag over them but never on them and remember Mike Oldfield and tubular bell's he is better than Floyd, and I don't see an American equivalent but have you ever actually sat down and listened to country and western it is really good,.

Originally posted by LABTECH767
I am British, born in Liverpool and have to point out that English music is so heavily influenced by the state's that they are not so easily divisible, but if I whom am 43 have to make a choice I would say American music is superior, Elvis is better than the beatles as far as my taste goes and house music of the 1990's in England nearly killed the mass music scene here with dance track's that you needed to be high on illegal narcotic's to appreciate, I remember the awfull Bross twins and how they were so bad live the Americans laughed them off stage and I can't blame them, only in those genre's invented here have we excelled and the beach boy's, heart, Cyndi Lauper to say a few beat them down with quality but opinion is subjective and highly personal so:.

American music of the past 50 year's is better overall in my English opinion.

The best of the English become American anyway like Roger Waters but even he can't beat Muddy Waters and Tom Petty but these are artist's not nation's You can stick a flag over them but never on them.

edit on 23-3-2013 by LABTECH767 because: (no reason given)

Elvis better than The Beatles?
How many songs did Elvis write? Answer Zero
How many songs did The Beatles write between them? Over 200

Elvis was a performer ( He did end up as a cabaret act in Las Vegas)

reply to post by alldaylong


Yeah, but I never liked the Beatles or Oasis so I will concede they were more talented but not as good performer's and did you know Elvis was not just a good performer he was a good man and generous, He never forgot were he came from, a poor black woman once said to him as he stepped out of a new Cadillac, "What a beautifull car", he immediately gave her the key's and said "It is yours" so please don't drag the guy down.
Oh! and didn't John Lenon end up a junkie before he was shot, he abandoned his wife and son to run off with Yoko and had another son with her, if I remember correctly the first son and wife never got anything when he died, but I am not going to pull them down, My relative's were in the Ivy benson band during the war, the lead singer and another was a folk singer in Liverpool Judd something or other whom sang rock isle and lyme and Scousers are the salt of the earth (the good one's anyway) so I am not pulling Liverpool down either but I still stand by Elvis just not in the jailhouse.

Originally posted by LABTECH767
reply to post by alldaylong

 

Yeah, but I never liked the Beatles or Oasis so I will concede they were more talented but not as good performer's and did you know Elvis was not just a good performer he was a good man and generous, He never forgot were he came from, a poor black woman once said to him as he stepped out of a new Cadillac, "What a beautifull car", he immediately gave her the key's and said "It is yours" so please don't drag the guy down.

Elvis never evolved. The Beatles changed the world of popular music. The "B" sides of their singles where equally as good as the "A" sides. Here is an example of a Beatles "B" side:-



For American artists of the same era as Elvis Buddy Holly was far superior to him

reply to post by alldaylong


I may be the odd man out for the scouser here as most scouser's claim they love the beatles, maybe you should have been the scouser, as for Buddy Holly I agree but he died too soon and never realised his final potential, still it is a matter of what you listened to growing up and is very personal but for me I never liked Elvis until I reached adult hood and he had already died were the beatle's were constantly being played around me, still though he is Neither American nor British but sit's firmly in the middle (caribean so you could argue either) give me Bob Marley Anyday.

Originally posted by Mijamija
reply to post by Logos23

 

My all time favorite Smiths song right there.


Smiths being right up there with my all time favorite band Joy Division, along with The Cure, Depeche Mode and so many others.

There is a Light that Never Goes Out is my fave Smiths song too....infact it's my fave song full stop! I grew up in Manchester so I grew up around the Manchester music scene in the 80's/early 90's...because of this I was heavily influenced by the pre- " Madchester" and "Madchester" music scene...it's something I feel blessed to have witnessed and been a part of...including Hacienda!

Joy Division was absolute class!, as are The Cure also...I salute your taste in music

Originally posted by LABTECH767
reply to post by alldaylong

 

I may be the odd man out for the scouser here as most scouser's claim they love the beatles, maybe you should have been the scouser, as for Buddy Holly I agree but he died too soon and never realised his final potential, still it is a matter of what you listened to growing up and is very personal but for me I never liked Elvis until I reached adult hood and he had already died were the beatle's were constantly being played around me, still though he is Neither American nor British but sit's firmly in the middle (caribean so you could argue either) give me Bob Marley Anyday.

Marley as you know was a Rastafarian. That alone makes me dislike him. Why? Rastafarian ceremonies (peace and love, anyone?) used to begin with the chorus “Death to the white man and his black allies.”

reply to post by alldaylong


I did not know that and it is a weird religion anyway that praises a dead Ethiopian monarch but back to the music I don't think race should ever come into it or religion, the best of English music and the best of American will never be the same for any two people, but I liked Tpau, Garbage who are English as you know and equally Jan Hammer (were they American I don't know), Charles Rich - the most beautifull girl,. I am retreating as this would be a endless debate but great thread you made here.

Originally posted by Logos23

Originally posted by Mijamija
reply to post by Logos23

 

My all time favorite Smiths song right there.


Smiths being right up there with my all time favorite band Joy Division, along with The Cure, Depeche Mode and so many others.

There is a Light that Never Goes Out is my fave Smiths song too....infact it's my fave song full stop! I grew up in Manchester so I grew up around the Manchester music scene in the 80's/early 90's...because of this I was heavily influenced by the pre- " Madchester" and "Madchester" music scene...it's something I feel blessed to have witnessed and been a part of...including Hacienda!

Morrissey such a charming fellow. Manchester always such a hotbed rife with talent, must be all the melancholy. Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, Stone Roses.. good stuff.

For me it's always been a battle of style vs substance.. English has the style, the flair for exploration (Pink Floyd, the Who, Radiohead etc.) while the Americans have the ability to generate the raw substance music (the Doors, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix). This isn't always the case but as you get to the elite rankings in music which include the superbands like the Doors and Floyd this is the case.

reply to post by alldaylong

There are too many great British band to count, but if it were not for American blues and jazz there would be no great British music.

Originally posted by captaintyinknots
reply to post by Enzo954

 

Guns and Roses are great? Really? Who knew covering other people's songs makes a great band....

Seriously, they were fun. Slash is a fantastic guitarist. But really, all they are is the greatest Cover Band ever, nothing more.

edit on 23-3-2013 by captaintyinknots because: (no reason given)

Plus Axl Rose is an utter douchebag these days.

please dont categorize different countries music and try to deem one better than the other. who cares? WE ARE ALL HUMANS. and we all have music in our hearts. being from different countries doesnt make their created music any better than any other countries. obviously you dont understand the true feeling of music. rhythm. "feeling". i am offended by your post. Any other earthly humans with rhythm and music in their hearts, please agree with me if you understand. This post offended me as a human being. i apologize as coming off as harsh but lets just be one with music and who cares what sounds "better" or whatever. music comes from the soul, and its not meant for people to even "like", it is a form of expression. a form of EXPRESSION. please understand where i am coming from. and peace to all.

Originally posted by Chrysalis
Such a racist post and english centered full of old stuff.

Live with your time, DUBSTEP wins wherever it may be from...

Dubstep - the sound of several fax machines puking to the tune of a drum machine. It isn't music, it is aural torture.

Of course British music is best. The Beatles anyone? The Smiths. The Who, The Stone Roses. Primal Scream. The Rolling Stones.

What has America given us? Springsteen? Axle Rose lol!

(I will give you Nirvana and Dave Groll is brilliant. Possibly Jack White)

But everyone knows England, Manchester!!!!! Centre of the musical world people. Deal with it!

reply to post by alldaylong


People, people I believe you said Music. Well some music was left out. Long live Dixie.

Johnny.........







Willie.....................







David Allen Coe.............


Don't forget the perfect country song....


This last song goes out to any Brit never try country music. As the song says if that ain't country I'll kiss your a$$

I don't subscribe to the concept of "better" when it comes to subjective works of art and expression like music. It all serves different purposes for different audiences, individual listeners, and artists. And it is whatever it is from moment to moment, listener to listener, artist to artist.

We might be able to quantify which musicians and what music have been most widely loved, most original, and most influential, but this does not make them objectively "better" in my opinion. It simply makes them influential and well loved. And this is true of any other criteria we might use.

In order to qualify something as objectively superior to something else, you first have to establish what the criteria are for that qualification. And in the case of music, any possible criteria - preferred sound, the importance of originality and innovation, the importance of topicality, the importance of complexity or mechanical performance challenge level, the importance of recording technique or innovation in recording technology, etc. etc. etc. - are completely subjective, as what matters to one listener may not matter whatsoever to another.

Personally, I love it all. But like anyone, certain songs or artists resonate more with me personally than others.

Peace.

reply to post by rockymcgilicutty


How can you bring country into it and not have this classic?

Lol theres far to many singers with beards being posted here >.<

Even though ive probably got more stuff from America in my collection, heres some good UK candidates

Originally posted by nothingwrong

What has America given us? Springsteen? Axle Rose lol!

(I will give you Nirvana and Dave Groll is brilliant. Possibly Jack White)

Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder; White Stripes; Jimmy Hendricks; James Brown; Frank Sinatra; Miles Davis; Chuck Berry; Duke Ellington; Louis Armstrong; Johnny Cash; Billy Holiday; Nina Simone; Marvin Gaye; Billy joel; Aerosmith; Bob Dylan....I could keep going....

Heres my fave American