| November 4th, 2004 04:56 PM |
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| Night Clerk |
As an American, I find it hard to understand how some European artists became so popular - Oasis, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard? I know all 3 are or were very hot over in the UK, but with the exception of Oasis, who found some success here, we Americans never "got" the other 2 artists at all and we were left scratching our heads in confusion.
I'm interested in hearing from the Europeans - who are some of the arists popular in the US that you never understood how they became hot? |
| November 4th, 2004 05:05 PM |
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| Moonisup |
no no you're wrong!!
we in Europe are waiting for Garth Brooks and Dolly parton! |
| November 4th, 2004 05:25 PM |
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| Gazza |
Every major country in the world has acts who have cracked it internationally - and other acts who whilst they may be HUGE on their own patch, never appealed to fans across the pond.
The Grateful Dead are an act who, as far as I know, have sold pretty well in continental Europe (maybe some folks in Germany or France etc will correct me if I'm wrong) but who couldnt get themselves arrested in the UK. Phish, who by all accounts seem to be a latter day watered down version, are much the same. Theres lost of other latter day acts who are very big in the US but not so over here - Dave Matthews, Korn etc.
Aerosmith only really took off on this side of the Atlantic around the time they did that version of "Walk This Way" with Run DMC. Since then, they can fill stadiums anywhere.
Theres simply acts whose musical style or attitude just simply wont translate culturally.
Theres nothing to "get" about Cliff Richard at all. Robbie Williams was a member of a boyband in the UK, and then left and had a solo career. He has a certain charm which I can understand to a wide age group who like pop music. There's always going to be someone who fills that void in any country. He just happens to be the one to do so here.
Oasis could have done better in the US but for two main reasons. Firstly, by their own admission, they didnt really try to break America. They were content to be huge in their own backyard and were quite happy with that rather than touring relentlessly in the US. Secondly, their public relations didnt help. If youre going to dismiss your potential audience as "stupid Americans", you're not going to endear yourself to them. They were simply seen as being too boorish and obnoxious to crack the US. However, I doubt they lost much sleep over it.
Its also hard to pigeonhole Europe as one market. Theres two many different languages and cultures to dismiss it that easily. Even acts like the Stones appeal a lot more in some European countries (eg Holland, Germany) than in others (theyve had trouble selling tickets in Italy, for example, on recent tours, although they played a huge show in Milan last year - but still, it was their only show in that country). Similarly a lot of American acts do well in some European countries but not others. (When Garth Brooks was at his most popular he was as big a concert draw in Ireland as U2, for example - and thats saying something)
At the same time, there are some acts who do better in other countries than their own. Jimi Hendrix's career only took off when he moved to England. Remember that band Bush? They were very big in the US, even at a time when the amount of British acts doing well in the US had slowed down to a trickle - but no one bought their records in Britain.. Springsteen has been more successful in Europe than in the US for over a decade (with the obvious exception of the North East of the US where he could probably sell out stadiums every day of the year). However, where his nationwide US tours tend to concentrate on arenas, he can sell out stadiums in every country in Europe. |
| November 4th, 2004 05:41 PM |
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| Back Street Girl |
quote:
Night Clerk wrote:
I'm interested in hearing from the Europeans - who are some of the arists popular in the US that you never understood how they became hot?
Michael Bolton
Willie Nelson
Garth (Thumb with a hat on)Brooks
Billy Idol
Joan Jet
Englebert Humperdink
Kiss
Grateful Dead
Meatloaf
Cher
The Band
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| November 4th, 2004 06:17 PM |
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| Angiegirl |
quote:
Night Clerk wrote:
I'm interested in hearing from the Europeans - who are some of the arists popular in the US that you never understood how they became hot?
Dave 'ew' Matthews!!! |
| November 4th, 2004 06:38 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
Back Street Girl wrote:
Michael Bolton
Willie Nelson
Garth (Thumb with a hat on)Brooks
Billy Idol
Joan Jet
Englebert Humperdink
Kiss
Grateful Dead
Meatloaf
Cher
The Band
Engelbert & Billy Idol were from the UK and popular there first...however both ended up being more popular in the US |
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