THE BRITS ARE COMING AGAIN

A new invasion of U.K. musicians is making big waves here

By JIM FARBER

The debut CD of British singer Amy Winehouse recently hit No. 1 in her native U.K. and bagged her a Brit Award for Best Female Solo Artist.

For decades that wouldn't have meant bupkis in the States. But, given a rapidly changing climate, Winehouse is getting a very different reaction here now. Her kickoff song, "You Know I'm No Good," just became iTunes' "Single of the Week" as well as the "most added song" on American Rhythmic radio formats, while gaining "Big 10" rotation on MTV.

Luckily for Winehouse (whose full CD arrives March 13), she's coming over amid a British invasion the likes of which America hasn't experienced since the heyday of acts like Culture Club, Eurythmics and Depeche Mode in the '80s.

Paving the way for stars like Winehouse are Brits James Blunt, Corinne Bailey Rae, KT Tunstall, Celtic Woman and Snow Patrol, each of whom has sold at least 1 million records in the States in the last year. At the same time, Natasha Bedingfield moved nearly 800,000 copies of her most recent CD, and promising sales figures continue to mount for up-and-comers Lily Allen, Imogen Heap and Paolo Nutini.

At this year's Grammys, three out of five candidates for Best New Artist were British (Blunt, Rae and Heap). While they all wound up losing - to an American Idol no less (Carrie Underwood) - their sales shot up significantly in the week after the show, as much as 132% and 165% (for Rae and Blunt, respectively).

Compare those triumphs to the low point for British pop - the benighted 2001-02 season. Back then, for the first time since the Beatles led the first British invasion in 1964, not a single U.K. act appeared anywhere on Billboard's Top 200 Album list.

It was the last straw for the British, who'd already endured years in which their biggest acts - from Oasis to Blur to the Verve - enjoyed fleeting, often second-tier U.S. hits, only to bomb quickly afterward.

The Spice Girls had a bigger impact (though briefly) and things began to turn around, by inches, when Coldplay's star started ascending in '02. But it took another few years for this full wave to swell.

So what changed?

For one thing, there's been a dip in pop radio's interest in hip hop, due to flagging sales in that genre. Rap sales were down 21% in '06, opening up room for something else. "British music provides an alternative to the urban music that has dominated American radio for the last 10 to 12 years now," says Phil Patterson, who heads a group that promotes the export of U.K. acts.

At the same time, radio analyst Sean Ross says, "radio has become more pop-friendly, post-'American Idol.'" And that favors the melody-mad Brits.

For all the changes on radio, however, TV has actually provided a bigger boost to many new U.K. artists. Corinne Bailey Rae only broke through after an appearance on "Oprah." Even in its wake, her singles haven't gotten Top 40 airplay. Likewise, Snow Patrol cracked the U.S. market by getting their song "Chasing Cars" on "Grey's Anatomy" before they made headway on radio.

The new emphasis on TV promotion is part of a larger trend in which the battered music industry has been more aggressively exploring nontraditional means of hawking its wares. The same need led it to gamble on a wider range of artists - including once disfavored Brits - if only because the old rules clearly weren't working.

For years, things had spiraled in the opposite direction. "Because of the climate at radio and the live scene for British bands, American labels weren't putting money into them for touring," says Patterson. "The bands thought, 'What's the point of coming over when you'll spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and probably lose money hand over fist.' They were better off staying in Europe or going to Japan or Asia, where they could make money."

Still, it's sobering to note that, for the most part, it's a particular kind of U.K. artist that's been selling over here. Generally, it hasn't been the cutting-edge stars. The cool Arctic Monkeys may be No. 1 at home, but they barely sold 300,000 copies of their debut here. Likewise, big Brit rap stars like Lady Sovereign have been unable to make the transition to these shores. Instead, mature, adult-oriented acts like Blunt and Rae have shot to platinum status.

Ross says these artists are favored by the tilt at radio and TV toward "quality singer-songwriters" as a corrective to all those years devoted almost entirely to teen-driven hip hop.

To further goose the new Brit wave, Patterson's organization will sponsor a huge showcase at this month's major industry festival, South by Southwest, in Austin, Tex. Locally, it will back a concert at Bowery Ballroom March 13 featuring Winehouse and the Pipettes.

Will such artists help escalate the expanding redcoat wave? Given the stagnant nature of American pop, more and more U.S. fans probably hope so.

Here's a look at the 10 most promising Brit names hovering on the horizon

1. AMY WINEHOUSE Already a No. 1 star in England with her controversial, anti-sobriety hit, "Rehab," Winehouse has a barreling '60s soul mama voice that would do Etta James proud. Her marvelous debut CD, "Back to Black," appears stateside March 13.

2. THE PIPETTES The '60s girl group sound shimmies and shakes again in the music of the Pipettes. Sporting matching dresses and spouting lyrics rife with teen melodrama, this trio refigures the Shangri-Las for a new era on their debut "We Are the Pipettes," coming this summer.

3. THE VIEW You'll find Brit-pop at its most brash on "Hats Off to the Buskers," the debut CD from the View. Just out, this 14-song disk crackles with the most youthful music from the U.K. since, well ... last year, with the Arctic Monkeys.

4. THE BASEMENT The warmth of classic Ronnie Lane breathes through the rustic, countryish ballads and ruddy rockers of the Basement. The group, who hail from Ireland, but are now based in Liverpool, release the heartbreakingly sweet "Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs" May 8.

5. THE FIELD The Brits had a fine time with folk-rock in the '60s with bands like Fairport Convention and the Incredible String Band. That autumnal vibe returns in a new form in the music of the Field. Flickering with pruned acoustic guitars and fine vocal braids, the Fields' debut, "Everything Last Winter," wafts this way May 8.

6. THE FEELING Not since 10CC or Leo Sayer (if not Supertramp) have the British produced such a high-voiced munchkin as Feeling singer Dan Gillespie. The group, whose debut, "Twelve Stops and Home," came out last week, has already earned three Top Five hits overseas with a sound that's light, bouncy and just a little bit cheesy.

7. MIKA This pretty boy singer has a powerhouse voice that mixes the range of Freddie Mercury with the R&B swank of George Michael. Look for the 23-year-old's first album, "Life in Cartoon Motion," to appear here March 27.

8. THE KOOKS An engaging foursome from Brighton, the Kooks exude a sloppy rock insouciance that has earned them comparisons to Thin Lizzy (though they actually took their name from the 1971 David Bowie song). Their shaggy dog of a CD, "Inside In Inside Out," came out last month.

9. WINTERKIDS Busy little guitar lines twitch nervously through the manic tracks of WinterKids' debut, "Memoirs," which comes out later this year. The band, who are reminiscent of the Buzzcocks at their most bustling, play Mercury Lounge on March 13.

10. JAMES MORRISON No relation to Jim, this new Morrison offers perhaps the catchiest, and slickest, example of Brit-pop-soul since Simply Red. Along with Amy Winehouse, Morrison has the best shot at becoming the next Brit to explode on this side of the Atlantic.

http://www.nydailynews.co...4108c.html

I can't help but feel like all these acts--even my beloved Lily--are pretty much just novelties. I don't see any real substance that'll keep around much past one album. Paolo Nutini is the most annoying of the bunch--that "New Shoes" song sounds like a Partridge Family castoff.
[Edited 3/6/07 10:07am]

MendesCity said:

I agree. Out of that bunch, Mika's pretty good, if you like Queen/Scissor Sisters/Bee Gees/The Darkness falsetto pop. Amy's got star quality, though the music's not my cup of tea.. The rest? Nothing special

It's a shame my beloved Sugababes didn't crossover to the US.

LittleSmedley said:

The other names meantioned on the articles are virtually unknown to me. I only new about the Pippetes because Sextonseven talked a lot about them on some threads.

It's a shame my beloved Sugababes didn't crossover to the US.

I'm also looking forward to Siobhan's second album...

MikeMatronik said:

best sugababes tune? Freak Like Me gets my vote. To be played LOUD

MikeMatronik said:

best sugababes tune? Freak Like Me gets my vote. To be played LOUD

I have to say that I support the following artists:



I'll try to check out THE PIPETTES.

Thanks for posting the article sextonseven!

MikeMatronik said:

You are very welcome! I have never heard of any of the other artists either--not even Mika.

LittleSmedley said:

The 'original' by Adina Howard vs. Gary Numan is one of my favorite songs of all time.

sextonseven said:

sextonseven - Going by ur profile music tastes i'd recommend the Long Blondes, from Sheffield

sextonseven said:

You should check Mika...

Amy's album has become an album that I listen daily (together with regina spektor's)

Funny how the article staed that Back To Black is Amy's debut album. Was 'Frank' never released stateside?

While I adore the Mika cd, the states may overlook him cause he does have a limited appeal, but if the US doesn't get on the Amy Winehouse wagon this country has no hope.

Check out Amy on Nevermind the buzzcocks clip Pt 3.

http://www.youtube.com/re...rch=Search


Question though, is she really this much of a mess or just having a bit of PR fun?

For years, things had spiraled in the opposite direction. "Because of the climate at radio and the live scene for British bands, American labels weren't putting money into them for touring," says Patterson. "The bands thought, 'What's the point of coming over when you'll spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and probably lose money hand over fist.' They were better off staying in Europe or going to Japan or Asia, where they could make money."

And that is my dilemma. American labels will not put dollars into promoting many UK or Euro acts in the States unless they have some kind of emo, urban or boho angle to them.

I find it strange that MTV is now starting to hype Mika on its mainstream channel in the States, but Scissor Sisters, who are an American act, can't get not ONE of their equally, if not, even more campy videos on the channel. Then when you add in the drama SS had with the FYE chain in the States it just compounded their problem.

Also, they wanna talk about pop, but I'm sorry Amy Winehouse is not slap-you-in-the-face POP like the Spice Girls were. The Spice Girls were responsible for PCD, NSYNC, BSB, what have you. They are still being felt. And, IMO, that was the last REAL British invasion. The pundits wanna downplay that, but it's true. Now, if you want some UK pop, then get some Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Uniting Nations or Booty Luv in the States and then we can talk about us over here embracing "pop" on the mainstream. Other than that, the US is still playing it safe by putting boho, urban and emo-friendly UK material out there.

Take for instance, the Infadels, one of the best electronic rock 'n' roll bands of last year, who didn't even promote their debut in the U.S. because no major label would take a chance on distributing it. They wanted to, but the labels didn't think there was a market for unabashed East London-tinged electronic rock. But I disagree with that. They did one date at Coachella last year and were one of the most memorable, crowd favorites yet couldn't even get one American distributor and they're on Wall of Sound for Pete's sake. The only place in America you could buy their CD was @ Virgin Megastore at an import price and it wasn't even talked up, yet they did a gig on KCRW to try to elicit some buzz. If you lived outside of a Blue State, you missed it.

The last time the US realllly tried to embrace some UK dance on a buzz scale was the whole "Electronica is the new Rock" campaign back in '97 when everybody and their mama was talking about Prodigy, Chemical Bros., Sneaker Pimps, Aphex, etc. Nowadays, you can't even get Mylo to cross the waters, so that's pretty wack.

Most of the best, most adventurous dance music being made in this era is going on outside of the U.S. And it kills me that I cannot go to a lot of really good shows or get physical CDs, mostly because people on both sides of the Atlantic feel they won't make a profit. Which is true for the most part, a lot of fun, really exciting dance acts from the UK wouldn't even elicit a murmur outside of an alpha US city let alone a blue state. And given the cost of putting on a show these days (not to mention Visa issues) it's not even worth it.

And that is my dilemma. American labels will not put dollars into promoting many UK or Euro acts in the States unless they have some kind of emo, urban or boho angle to them.

I find it strange that MTV is now starting to hype Mika on its mainstream channel in the States, but Scissor Sisters, who are an American act, can't get not ONE of their equally, if not, even more campy videos on the channel. Then when you add in the drama SS had with the FYE chain in the States it just compounded their problem.

Also, they wanna talk about pop, but I'm sorry Amy Winehouse is not slap-you-in-the-face POP like the Spice Girls were. The Spice Girls were responsible for PCD, NSYNC, BSB, what have you. They are still being felt. And, IMO, that was the last REAL British invasion. The pundits wanna downplay that, but it's true. Now, if you want some UK pop, then get some Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Uniting Nations or Booty Luv in the States and then we can talk about us over here embracing "pop" on the mainstream. Other than that, the US is still playing it safe by putting boho, urban and emo-friendly UK material out there.

Take for instance, the Infadels, one of the best electronic rock 'n' roll bands of last year, who didn't even promote their debut in the U.S. because no major label would take a chance on distributing it. They wanted to, but the labels didn't think there was a market for unabashed East London-tinged electronic rock. But I disagree with that. They did one date at Coachella last year and were one of the most memorable, crowd favorites yet couldn't even get one American distributor and they're on Wall of Sound for Pete's sake. The only place in America you could buy their CD was @ Virgin Megastore at an import price and it wasn't even talked up, yet they did a gig on KCRW to try to elicit some buzz. If you lived outside of a Blue State, you missed it.

The last time the US realllly tried to embrace some UK dance on a buzz scale was the whole "Electronica is the new Rock" campaign back in '97 when everybody and their mama was talking about Prodigy, Chemical Bros., Sneaker Pimps, Aphex, etc. Nowadays, you can't even get Mylo to cross the waters, so that's pretty wack.

Most of the best, most adventurous dance music being made in this era is going on outside of the U.S. And it kills me that I cannot go to a lot of really good shows or get physical CDs, mostly because people on both sides of the Atlantic feel they won't make a profit. Which is true for the most part, a lot of fun, really exciting dance acts from the UK wouldn't even elicit a murmur outside of an alpha US city let alone a blue state. And given the cost of putting on a show these days (not to mention Visa issues) it's not even worth it.

...
[Edited 3/6/07 13:11pm]

sorry, but i don't think any of these people have much chance of selling more than a couple thousand albums in the U.S.

Tessa said:

Probably, but what does that say for US radio?

sorry, but i don't think any of these people have much chance of selling more than a couple thousand albums in the U.S.

Amy Winehouse and James Morrison get my vote..both are powerful CDs

And the new Joss Stone CD..heard that today...'notha tight one
[Edited 3/7/07 20:37pm]