The British Isles produces the best music.

[Rage]

Last night, I was having a conversation with a mate in the pub who's a big music buff. He explained for about half an hour why the British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales, NI, ROI) produce the best music. I asked a few people after that about their thoughts on this, and all of them agreed.

I then proceeded to see where the majority of bands and artists on my iTunes list were from, and it came out something like 85 British Isles and 10 American and Other.

So what is EWB's thoughts on this idea? Does the British Isles produce the best, and most popular music? Where are the majority of your favourite artists from?

[apsham]

It all has to do with location. I mean, I don't currently have one band from the area on my computer (that's important enough for me to remember) so the answer for me is a flat out no.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Iceland make the best music.

It dates back to musical instruments being banned under Catholicism which led to haunting melodic singing and storytelling to song. Then two instruments were allowed back into the country a while back before things were opened out.

There is no money in the Icelandic music scene and people there make music for the love of it and the enjoyment of others. Many people from around the world go to Reykjavik for the big music festival there and many would agree with this suggestion.

However due to the small size of the market VERY little of it makes its way out into the mainstream European and US market. If you look deeply though they have excellent rock/metal/electronic/singer-songwriter/acoustic/country/vocal groups.

On the other hand, Japan make the WORST type of music, that is, J-Pop *shudders*

[Skummy]

From what I've heard of Icelandic music, it is fucking brilliant, I've yet to hear one bad piece of music come out of there, so in terms of consistency, you might be right on the money there.

That said, I don't think you can really say, there's good music everywhere if you just look for it. America and Britain both produce an awful lot of absolute shite, but then most of the best bands in history come from one or the other. Australia produces a lot of rubbish, but also gave us The Birthday Party and, by extension, Nick Cave.

That said, most of my favourite bands do appear to come from the British isles (you didn't include Jersey in your list, boo you, sir! ), so I'd be inclined to agree with you.

On a bizarre aside, has anyone heard much Cajun music? CSAMH's brief history of Icelandic music reminded me of a Cajun dancehall track on Morrissey's "Under The Influence" CD, which is beautiful, and when describing it he explains how none of the venues could afford microphones for the bands in that scene, so the singers trained themselves to sing at an incredible pitch and volume so that they could be heard above the crowd and the other instruments, and it really sounds incredible.

[Steeb]

Music is subjective, so no one place produces the 'best' music.

The majority of my personal favourites are American and Canadian though.

[Rage]

I guess it is due to your own location but when someone says to me the phrase, 'most influential artists of all time' or 'best selling artists of all time', it is mostly British Isles (including Jersey ) artists that come to mind. Is this due to my location too?

[Iain76er]

Back in Black is the third biggest selling album of all time, so my money's on Australia, via Scotland.

[apsham]

I guess it is due to your own location but when someone says to me the phrase, 'most influential artists of all time' or 'best selling artists of all time', it is mostly British Isles (including Jersey ) artists that come to mind. Is this due to my location too?

No, that has to do with genre preference.

[Rage]

I guess it is due to your own location but when someone says to me the phrase, 'most influential artists of all time' or 'best selling artists of all time', it is mostly British Isles (including Jersey ) artists that come to mind. Is this due to my location too?

No, that has to do with genre preference.

[Toe]

Currently the only artists on my computer that are from the British Isles would be Queen. Everything else is from North America.

[apsham]

I guess it is due to your own location but when someone says to me the phrase, 'most influential artists of all time' or 'best selling artists of all time', it is mostly British Isles (including Jersey ) artists that come to mind. Is this due to my location too?

No, that has to do with genre preference.

Not necessarily. The artists that would come to mind, are not ones I listen to.

Well, alright. But you still changed the context of the original question so if you want to say something for certain um, the best British artists come from the... British Isles?

[Heel Turn]

Other individual acts might do it better, but the US is unquestionably the most influential and dynamic country in the world as it pertains to modern music. Rock, blues, jazz, hip-hop, rap -- it all originated here. What's more, most of the great foriegn acts were directly influenced by American artists. Not getting all patriotic and jingoistic, but it's a fact.

[ADG]

Took a look through my music collection and ordered it based on country of origin. 46 from the UK, 46 from the USA, 4 from Canada, 4 from Australia, 2 from Sweden, 1 from Finland, 1 from Iceland, 1 from France and 1 from Luxembourg.

However in only counting the acts I see as the most influential or able to stand the test of time I score my own collection 14-7 to the UK

UK: The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Blur, The Charlatans, Muse, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, The Police, Radiohead, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The Undertones, The Verve and The Who

USA: Bob Dylan, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Nirvana, R.E.M, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

[Benji]

Hell no, go back a couple of decades and I'd agree with you, go back another couple of decades and America would be champion, fast forward back to now, America is number one again. In fact, the only REALLY good band Britain has produced in years is the Kaiser Chiefs to my recollection.

[Jook]

Hell no, go back a couple of decades and I'd agree with you, go back another couple of decades and America would be champion, fast forward back to now, America is number one again. In fact, the only REALLY good band Britain has produced in years is the Kaiser Chiefs to my recollection.

[TheArsenal]

I thought after Eurovision we decided that Finland made the best music?

[apsham]

I think that 15 minutes ended a while ago.

[Liam]

Hell no, go back a couple of decades and I'd agree with you, go back another couple of decades and America would be champion, fast forward back to now, America is number one again. In fact, the only REALLY good band Britain has produced in years is the Kaiser Chiefs to my recollection.

I agree with Jook, thats a shocking statement

And my favourite bands tend to leap between UK and US, via Scandanavia. I'd argue that quite a lot of the more influential UK bands are potentially better than the US ones I like, but thats a personal preference.

[Benji]

Hell no, go back a couple of decades and I'd agree with you, go back another couple of decades and America would be champion, fast forward back to now, America is number one again. In fact, the only REALLY good band Britain has produced in years is the Kaiser Chiefs to my recollection.

You've not been looking very hard, have you?

Name some British REALLY good genuine bands from the year 2000 on then, by really good I mean their music sounds like they could become a 'legendary' rock group.

[YI]

Razorlight

"Golden Touch" was possibly the first/last song in a long time that I thought "Whoa...that's a classic".

Muse could count...people only really started giving a rats arse about them in 2001.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Steve Mandela