The former House actor put on a rather eccentric-looking show as he took to the stage at his recent concert in Birmingham.
Which UK acts could break America?
Who'll do it next?
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UK rock and indie bands generally have a better chance of cracking America than pop/urban artists. That said, Adele, who broadly fits into the latter category, was the biggest-selling artist in the world last year, so perhaps things are changing.
Many a British pop star has tried and failed (hello Robbie Williams) but in the midst of an apparent UK music invasion of America, we speculate on the chances of those just embarking on their Stateside mission...
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26Comments
25/01/2012 12:10
I like someone like you by adele and move like jagger nice song my favourite of the moment must be dedicated to my ex the song is good but the ginger cat rapping is stunning as for black eyed peas crap, most of the boy groups are rubbish. Olly murs rock n roll type number is also good as for the USA not to much decent coming out of there currently,
25/01/2012 11:51
JESSIE J, ADELE AN ED HAVE ALREADY CRACKED THE U.S. MARKET ALL THE OTHERS ARE MANUFACTURED RUBBISH THAT ARE TOTALLY TALENTLESS AND THE ONLY THING GOING FOR THEM IS THERE EGOS AND LOOKS. SO THE AVE NO CHANCE AS THERE TEN A PENNY OVER IN THE STATES. YOU NEED TALENT TO SUCCEED AND NOT JUST LOOKS AS MOST YANKS ARE LIKE THEM
25/01/2012 14:15
The only group's/band's from here that ever really made it in The States were The Beatles,The Stones, Fleetwood Mac and The Bee Gees...Elton John, Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, notice they were all singer/songwriter's plus a few i've missed, so to make it there you have to be more than just a pretty face and stand there and sing to even compare to the great's that have graced our ear's from across The States.
Liam....you forgot to mention Neil Diamond, and Paul Simon they were both prolific songwriter's don't you think !!
15/11/2012 22:31
At some stage in the near future a new generation of original rock sound will emerge and sweep the World Music Order. A prime example of this totally independent force are Black Magic, currently tucked-up in the UK's north-east wasteland. Go on, have a gander and tell me if they don't knock spots of today's processed cheese.
www.theblackmagicband.co.uk
25/01/2012 19:00
Apart from Adele none of the others have a hope of cracking the U.S.A None of them are any different to anything that they have over there so why would they be interested in them. America has enough manufactured pop acts of their own without importing our talent free losers. The British rock bands that have made it over there have all had something unique that their contempories in the good old U.S.of A haven't making them attractive to their market. Whereas most of our manufactured pop acts are merely pale imitations of American pop acts making them irrelevant.
25/01/2012 13:02
Very hard to break in America. Theres so much more music out there. People seem to think just cuz a band, artist hasn't released anything in this country, they aren't successful. They don't need to break it here in the Uk to be big, we wouldn't even make up one percent of their audience so thats why a lot never come here.
I can't see any of those making it big over there.
16/02/2013 13:07
What makes people think you have to be talented to break America? The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Brittany Spears surely prove otherwise.
A lot of it, the same as in the UK, is being in the right place at the right time with the right product, be it good or bad.
The Simon Cowell mass produced rubbish has more chance than most, as it has his bucks behind it and more than anywhere money talks in the US.
You have only got to go to local pub gigs anywhere in the UK and you will find jobbing musicians who have more talent in their little finger than many of the so called stars have in their whole bodies but because they have no one backing them financially will never see the light of day.
If you want to see really talented musicians go to local gigs rather than sitting on yer backside looking at the drivel served up on TV as popular entertainment.
16/02/2013 12:55
I'm still in amazement that Robbie Williams is big anywhere, have never understood what people see in him. Find it laughable that Noel Gallagher constantly referred to Oasis as the biggest band in the world, obviously forgetting the US.
Felt sorry for Slade who never made it over there despite years of touring and paying their dues.
Ed Sheeran should make it anywhere with his talent.
15/11/2012 22:53
At some stage in the near future the raw energy of this Century's rock will retake its rightful place in the west and the emerging Chinese empire. A solid example of this totally independent latent force is Black Magic, currently tucked-up in the depressed north-east UK.
All the processed spoon feeding will stop and people will return to the creative power of artists and the joy they bring.
look for yourself.
www.theblackmagicband.co.uk
love and stuff
25/04/2012 12:34
who says you need to crack america to be big? its them that r missing out on the likes of the Modfather, NG, Beady Eye and bands of this ilk although they do play to packed houses over there. they dont need america. but the next band that should break america if it had any taste would be The Stone Roses. this years gigs and new material are what the world is waiting for.
25/01/2012 08:17
...The black ones.
25/01/2012 13:27
This pile of crap have got nothing to worry about the Yanks don't go for second rate s----e, when they've got bands like The Eagles, Steely Dan, The Killers and all the great Country singer songwriters people like Springsteen, The Gas Light Anthem Band and Billy Joel and all the other greats they don't need some s---e boy band who didn't even win the Pox Factor, listen if Robbie Williams can't make it over there and Take That then this crap have got no chance in fact I've got more chance of getting tonights lottery win and also Fridays and Saturdays lottery than they have of having any hits in America
23/04/2012 13:07
I'm surprised that you haven't included Chezza in this list, not that she stands a chance on earth of cracking America, as MSN does seem to love the talent free one.
29/01/2012 17:27
Probably less than a doz uk acts rated by the usa, as mentioned beatles,stones,fleetwood mac, ledzep, police,george michael, elton, annie lennox, u2, more recent radiohead, others come and go, even one,s successful here like oasis, blur, robbie, couldnt make it, Adele is good enough to, needs to tour. All the beatles loved as individuals. They love and adopt the best. Pity we take some of the usa rubbish acts along with their best. As for one d, little mix, etc, wont even last here.
25/01/2012 13:07
@Melvyn Hill
When I wrote of the Beach Boys, I singled them out as the ALL TIME GREAT boy band who had real talent and were at the forefront of early pop/rock and were NOT manufactured unlike the wannabes of today. The multi skills and talent of the BB as songwriters, vocalists, producers and international stars crossed all genres of music. The reason I mention the BB is because on opening this page I was confronted with the picture of a boy band. If we are to look at UK success in the USA certainly Susan Boyle deserves a mention for having beaten all records. But then she can sing and is NOT manufactured.25/01/2012 12:26
Mark........My out and out favourite are the Beach Boy's and they could sure harmonise, I saw them live and they performed Good Vibrations live for the first time, this was back in the late 60's early 70's at the Odeon in B'ham. I agree with you not many could crack the States now !
07/03/2012 00:41
Technically if you kept updated with everything recent in america you would probably find that most of these acts have probably already made it. For example one direction are over there now and they already have a massive fan base over there so therefore they have made it, so have the wanted as well as JLS, therefore your comments are invalid :)
28/03/2012 02:14
ermmm...MSN....Adele has definitely made it into the USA...more then any other artist's that you have mentioned!!
25/01/2012 12:41
@Pamela polo
Yes I agree with you about the Beach Boys. Just looked up Brian Wilson one of the original Beach Boys and he's listed as being a songwriter,bassist, vocalist, composer, organist and arranger. He can play piano, organ, violin, saxophone, guitar and going on from the days of the harmony the Beach Boys used to sing (eat your heart out UK boy and girl bands), he's gone through many styles of music, pop, rock, surf rock, psychedelic rock, art rock etc. etc. His album Pet Sounds was at the time considered to rival that of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. He's won so many awards it really is unbelievable and he still tours today.The Beach Boys are in the Rock Hall of Fame whilst Brian is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Of course the Beach Boys were made up of brothers which included Brian. The Beach Boys were the ORIGINAL BOY BAND. Nothing has come near them since.
25/01/2012 12:35
Only those with talent would crack the American market....so that counts out One Direction and any other xfactor rubbish!
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