How Has The Beatles Changed America
It was February 7, 1964 when four British gentlemen stepped from a plane onto American soil. Americans’ ears will be changed forever. These four gentlemen are better known as The Beatles, and they were quite possibly the most popular British band of all time both in UK soil and American. The Beatles paved the way for other British musicians in the American music industry. The following list will show you which artists from the UK are most popular here in America.
One thing to remember the music industry doesn’t typically label artists by popularity based solely on money earned from album sales, instead they label them as Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, Diamond, and Platinum Europe Award. This awards are given based on volume of sales instead of money from sales.
25. Adele
Born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins she had an early love of music. In 2008 Adele released her debut album titled “19” was a major hit across the board. The debut album was certified four times platinum in the UK and double platinum here in the US. What a way to kick start a career in music. Adele’s second album release wasn’t too shabby either. In 2011, she released her second album titled “21”, most times the second of things don’t go over well, but that is not the case for this artist. When “21” was released it was more popular than the debut album. Adele’s …show more content…
second album went platinum 16 times in the UK and US. Selling over 30 million copies internationally the album is also RIAA certified diamond. With popular songs like “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Someone like You” it’s not hard to see how Adele has sold about 40 million albums and 50 million singles total around the world.
24. Bee Gees
“Staying Alive” is one of those songs I think everyone knows the lyrics to. The Bee Gees have been around since 1958 and have been popular since entering the world of musical entertainment. The John Travolta movie “Saturday Night Fever” didn’t hurt either, after the movie release the Governor of Florida named the Bee Gees honorary citizens of the state. The group has sold over 220 million albums worldwide; in fact in 1999 the Isle of Man Post Office released a set of 6 stamps that honored the group. It was 1979 when they were given their Hollywood Walk of Fame star; they took their place with some of the most memorable people and bands in American history. A few years later in 2001 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Bee Gees have been nominated for many awards throughout their career, and have won every single one of them!
23. Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad or better known to his fans as Billy Idol, the famous London born musician was first inspired to become a singer thanks to The Beatles and The Rollingstones who came before him.
Billy’s career kicked off in 1977 and he continued to make music until 2010ish. Songs like “White Wedding”, “Mony Mony” and “Cradle of Love” will always have a place in the 80’s rock category. Did you catch Idol’s appearance in the popular Adam Sandler movie “The Wedding Singer?” Idol’s part was a cameo appearance, meaning he played himself. Idol’s “Greatest Hits” album sold over 500,000 copies in the US alone, giving way to his
comeback.
22. Coldplay
The year was 1996 when Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion joined forces and created a band called the Pectoralz. Their name changed only 2 years later in 1998 to the Starfish. Although neither of these names really caught on, their music showed talent. A few years later the band finally decided on the name Coldplay and it has stuck ever since. Coldplay’s single titled “Yellow” was a worldwide hit, some say it was this single that started their career. Seven studio albums later and over 60 million album sales globally, we can still see why their tours are sell outs.
21. Culture Club
You might remember this group by their lead singer, the flamboyant Boy George with his bright colors and intense eye makeup. The band was formed in the year I was born, 1984. When Culture Club came out with “Colour by Numbers” their second album, it sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The album was certified triple platinum in the UK and quadruple platinum in the US. People really loved the sound of Culture Club, so when Boy George went solo it was no surprise he was successful. The Culture Club group over the course of their career sold over 50 million records and that is not counting Boy George’s solo records. With ten of their singles hitting the US Top 40 so often some would say Culture Club is the Second British Invasion, their popularity can be attributed not only to their talent but also because about the same time they came out the music channel known as MTV was gaining in popularity.
20. Ed Sheeran
Beginning his career in 2005 it hasn’t taken Ed Sheeran long to gain awards. In fact, Spotify recently named him the “most-streamed artist in the world,” for having more than 860 million streams in 2014 alone. Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” video along had almost 3 million views within 24 hours of its release! Sheeran is certainly on the path to becoming a highly recognized face in the music industry. In fact, his independent extended play “No. 5 Collaborations Project” caught the attention of both Elton John and Jamie Foxx! To top all this other success off Sheeran’s debut album titled “+” was certified six times platinum in the UK. I have a feeling we are going to see much more of Ed Sheeran here in the US as time goes on.
19. Elton John
One of the more famous names in music, Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight also goes by the name Sir Elton Hercules John. Sir Elton John began his career in 1964 and continues today. He has been in the music industry for over 5 decades and has sold over 300 million records. These sales have made John one of the bestselling musical artists in the world. In 1994 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elton John has won numerous awards over his 5 decade musical career. Awards such as an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award, Disney Legend Award, as well as two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music. With songs like “Tiny Dancer” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” which was the theme song to the movie Lion King, it’s no wonder why Americans love this British born musical master.
18. Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, besides his talent in music he has used his past addictions for good in the world. Clapton founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a safe medical facility where recovering addicts can go to get themselves better. Clapton has received 18 Grammies over his career, which began in 1962. Gibson has ranked Clapton number four on their list of “Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.” Clapton has 29 solo studio albums and has also been ranked second in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” I guess you could say Eric Clapton is a pretty good guitarist, huh? Clapton’s album “Unplugged” has sold 20 million copies.
17. Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin, the 70’s rock band from the UK, they were as influential in the 70’s as the Beatles were in the 60’s. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham had a unique sound, which might be the reason the RIAA, listed the bands certified album sales as being 111.5 million units, of course having 9 popular studio albums that makes a lot of sense. Led Zeppelin is the second bestselling band in America. Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, followed by the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
16. Leona Lewis
“Bleeding Love” is probably the song you think of when you see Leona Lewis, but did you know she also did a remake of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This?” In fact, her remake was so popular it peaked at the number one spot for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart. Fans loved this remake so much it set a world record for being downloaded 50,000 times in only 30 minutes! At the young age of 29 years old Leona Lewis already has five studio albums and one film. Her Spirit album alone has sold more than eight million copies around the world! She is well on her way to stardom!
15. One Direction
If you are tween or teen in America you might know these guys by the name “1D.” No matter which name you know them by, it’s unanimous that they are a very popular musical group. By 2012 One Direction represented a $50 million business empire. With a combined estimated wealth of $41.2 million the group is listed as the wealthiest UK musicians under the age of 30. Forbes recently listed One Direction “as the second highest earning celebrities under 30.” Having four studio albums, four films, and four books it’s easy to see how One Direction has earned an estimated $75 million from 2013-2014.
14. Ozzy Osbourne
One of the most memorable metal British musicians, you might remember him from the concert where he bit off the head of a bat after thinking it was a prop. I don’t know if this incident was a good or bad thing for Ozzy, it has definitely made his name stick in the minds of Americans. If you haven’t heard of the bat incident you probably heard his name in association with Black Sabbath. Ozzy got his musical start with this band back in 1968. Every single one of Ozzy’s albums has gone multi-platinum according to the RIAA. Between his time with Black Sabbath and his solo career it is estimated that Ozzy has sold over 100 million albums worldwide! In April 2012 Ozzy was honored with a star on Hollywood’s walk of fame.
13. Black Sabbath
It’s only fitting we would have Black Sabbath next on our list. This band started in 1968 and played together until 2006. After a short break they reunited in 2011 and continue to go strong. This band falls under the category of heavy metal music, in fact they are often said to be the start of the heavy metal music revolution. Selling over 70 million albums internationally they were “inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.” With 19 studio albums it’s not hard to see how they sold over 70 million albums worldwide.
12. Pink Floyd
College students Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright founded Pink Floyd in 1965, the band made music until 1994 together. After a short eight year break they reunited and began making music again together until 2014. In 2013 the band had sold over 250 million records globally, which includes the 75 million units sold in the US alone. It has been said that Pink Floyd are the most commercially successful and influential rock bands of all time. Their album, “The Wall” has sold more than 30 million copies by itself. Here is a little test of your Pink Floyd knowledge; did you know the band were huge supporters of Monty Python? In fact, the group helped to finance Monty Python’s 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
11. Radiohead
After releasing their first single in 1992, “Creep” the band Radiohead became a worldwide name among rock music fans. Album sales estimated to be 45 million albums and 32 million singles. They are also one of the few if not only musical groups that released an album digitally and let their fans decide how much they wanted to pay for the album. It seems Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Phil Selway, and Ed O’Brien make quite the team, their musical talents blend perfectly and it shows in their album sales. Radiohead is not only a hit in the US but also in the UK where they formed in 1985.
10. Rod Stewart
Maybe you know this man by his more common name “Rod the Mod.” Mr Stewart came to our American ears in 1961 and it didn’t take long for him to start earning awards for his talent in music. This artist was the very first musician to receive the Diamond Award from the World Music Awards for the sale of over 100 million albums internationally. It was 1994 when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2001 the UK Music Hall of Fame followed suit by inducting Rod into their hall of fame. Between Rod’s solo career and his time spent with the band “Faces” his total album sales have been estimated to between 100 and 200 million. His popularity and amount of album sales has earned him a place on the best-selling music artists list.
09. Sam Smith
At the young age of 23 years, Sam Smith has made his mark both on the UK and the US already. It was October 2012 when he was on the group Disclosure’s single title “Latch” and received his big break so to speak. It was this single that kick started Smith’s musical career. Since the debut album release he has gone on to win Grammy awards and have number one and two hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart! With popular singles such as “Money on My Mind,” “Stay with Me” and “Like I Can” Smith can only go up from here. His popularity is rising especially among the younger generation.
08. Spandau Ballet
Started in 1979 by Tony Hadley, Gary Kemp, Steve Norman, John Keeble, and Martin Kemp this group was considered one of the most successful bands to get their start during the New Romantic era in music. Spandau Ballet has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The group also spent 500 weeks on the UK music charts. The Americans and British really like this group as you can see. I would say they have been successful in their invasion into the American music industry. Like so many groups on our list this band has had on again and off again moments, but when they are on again and creating music it’s pure talent banging through the speakers.
07. Spice Girls
The 90’s female band has to be the second most recognized group since The Beatles. Spice girls sales are over 85 million worldwide; their track “2become1” sold 430,000 copies within the first week on the stands. Seven weeks after Spice Girls came out they had sold 1.8 million copies of their album in Britain alone. Their album has been certified 10 times platinum and in Europe it was certified 8 times platinum with sales exceeding 8 million copies. Their wave of popularity has been compared to that of beatlmania. They are sort of like the modern female version of The Beatles. The Spice Girls weren’t around long, when the girls began branching out and trying their hand at solo careers the group kind of fell apart. None of their solo careers lasted long either.
06. Sting
You and I know him as Sting, but his birth name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Summer and he got his start with the 70’s band The Police before he went venturing out on a solo career. Sting was presented with his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2000 for his solo success as well as his success with the band The Police. Sting has made 16 total albums, 11 solo and 5 with the band, he has also made 31 films. Sting’s album sales are over 100 million according to RIAA. His successful musical and acting careers earned him 36 different awards over the years.
05. The Rollingstones
Formed in 1962 by Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts, The Rollingstones were in the forefront of the British invasion of bands becoming popular in the US. They were first heard in 1964-1965 on Americans radios. Between The Beatles and The Rollingstones America was destined to fall in love with British bands. The Rollingstones made 29 studio albums, 13 live albums, 24 compilation albums, 3Eps, 109 singles, 20 videos, 57 music videos, 5 box sets, and 7 official bootlegs, giving them a total of 68 million album sales from 1964-2005 alone. That 68 million does not include any solo albums made by any of the members during their own solo careers.
04. Queen
Freddy Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor formed the hard rock/pop style band commonly known as Queen in 1970. Their most known song has to be “Another One Bites The Dust” or “We Will Rock You.” They are as popular among the Americans and they are the British, Queen’s albums have spent 1,322 weeks on the UK Album Charts. That is equivalent to 26 years on the charts, that’s more time than any other act. Queen has been said to be in competition with the Beatles album sales over the years. Queen has sold over 150 million records; some estimate their sales to be over 300 million worldwide.
03. Iron Maiden
You could say Iron Maiden was the pioneer musical group for the heavy metal category, making way for other bands like Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold. Getting their start in 1975, they are still pumping out albums today. The New York Times reports the band as selling over 85 million copies worldwide. They have been considered one of the most successful heavy metal bands in musical history. Iron Maiden has a series of Platinum and gold records both in the US and the UK. They are one of the few bands to have a mascot; they lovingly refer to him as “Eddie.”
02. Fleetwood Mac
This group has been on again and off again ever since 1967. One thing I know, when they are on again they make some pretty fantastic music and I am not the only one who thinks so. Fleetwood Mac’s album “Rumours” brought the band four US top 10 singles and has sold over 45 million copies across the world and 19 million in the US alone. The sale of that one album has put it at the six spot as the highest selling album of all time. The RIAA has given Fleetwood Mac the diamond album certification for their “Rumours” album. Stevie Nicks has been pretty successful herself in a solo career.
01.The Beatles
Beatlemania hit America the hardest, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr brought their music to America it was the first time British music hit the airwaves. I suppose you can call The Beatles the pioneer British musicians in America. The band was welcomed with open arms; they have been the most influential band of the rock era. The Beatles are the bestselling musical group in the US, their total sales can be estimated between 600 million and 1 billion units worldwide. When you break down their total album sales The Beatles have been awarded six diamond, 24 multi-platinum, 39 platinum, and 45 gold albums just in the US. Back home in the UK they have been awarded four multi-platinum, four platinum, eight gold and 1 silver albums. Can you imagine how the US music industry would be different if The Beatles never brought their musical talent across the Atlantic?
One thing to remember the music industry doesn’t typically label artists by popularity based solely on money earned from album sales, instead they label them as Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, Diamond, and Platinum Europe Award. This awards are given based on volume of sales instead of money from sales.
25. Adele
Born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins she had an early love of music. In 2008 Adele released her debut album titled “19” was a major hit across the board. The debut album was certified four times platinum in the UK and double platinum here in the US. What a way to kick start a career in music. Adele’s second album release wasn’t too shabby either. In 2011, she released her second album titled “21”, most times the second of things don’t go over well, but that is not the case for this artist. When “21” was released it was more popular than the debut album. Adele’s …show more content…
second album went platinum 16 times in the UK and US. Selling over 30 million copies internationally the album is also RIAA certified diamond. With popular songs like “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Someone like You” it’s not hard to see how Adele has sold about 40 million albums and 50 million singles total around the world.
24. Bee Gees
“Staying Alive” is one of those songs I think everyone knows the lyrics to. The Bee Gees have been around since 1958 and have been popular since entering the world of musical entertainment. The John Travolta movie “Saturday Night Fever” didn’t hurt either, after the movie release the Governor of Florida named the Bee Gees honorary citizens of the state. The group has sold over 220 million albums worldwide; in fact in 1999 the Isle of Man Post Office released a set of 6 stamps that honored the group. It was 1979 when they were given their Hollywood Walk of Fame star; they took their place with some of the most memorable people and bands in American history. A few years later in 2001 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Bee Gees have been nominated for many awards throughout their career, and have won every single one of them!
23. Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad or better known to his fans as Billy Idol, the famous London born musician was first inspired to become a singer thanks to The Beatles and The Rollingstones who came before him.
Billy’s career kicked off in 1977 and he continued to make music until 2010ish. Songs like “White Wedding”, “Mony Mony” and “Cradle of Love” will always have a place in the 80’s rock category. Did you catch Idol’s appearance in the popular Adam Sandler movie “The Wedding Singer?” Idol’s part was a cameo appearance, meaning he played himself. Idol’s “Greatest Hits” album sold over 500,000 copies in the US alone, giving way to his
comeback.
22. Coldplay
The year was 1996 when Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion joined forces and created a band called the Pectoralz. Their name changed only 2 years later in 1998 to the Starfish. Although neither of these names really caught on, their music showed talent. A few years later the band finally decided on the name Coldplay and it has stuck ever since. Coldplay’s single titled “Yellow” was a worldwide hit, some say it was this single that started their career. Seven studio albums later and over 60 million album sales globally, we can still see why their tours are sell outs.
21. Culture Club
You might remember this group by their lead singer, the flamboyant Boy George with his bright colors and intense eye makeup. The band was formed in the year I was born, 1984. When Culture Club came out with “Colour by Numbers” their second album, it sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The album was certified triple platinum in the UK and quadruple platinum in the US. People really loved the sound of Culture Club, so when Boy George went solo it was no surprise he was successful. The Culture Club group over the course of their career sold over 50 million records and that is not counting Boy George’s solo records. With ten of their singles hitting the US Top 40 so often some would say Culture Club is the Second British Invasion, their popularity can be attributed not only to their talent but also because about the same time they came out the music channel known as MTV was gaining in popularity.
20. Ed Sheeran
Beginning his career in 2005 it hasn’t taken Ed Sheeran long to gain awards. In fact, Spotify recently named him the “most-streamed artist in the world,” for having more than 860 million streams in 2014 alone. Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” video along had almost 3 million views within 24 hours of its release! Sheeran is certainly on the path to becoming a highly recognized face in the music industry. In fact, his independent extended play “No. 5 Collaborations Project” caught the attention of both Elton John and Jamie Foxx! To top all this other success off Sheeran’s debut album titled “+” was certified six times platinum in the UK. I have a feeling we are going to see much more of Ed Sheeran here in the US as time goes on.
19. Elton John
One of the more famous names in music, Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight also goes by the name Sir Elton Hercules John. Sir Elton John began his career in 1964 and continues today. He has been in the music industry for over 5 decades and has sold over 300 million records. These sales have made John one of the bestselling musical artists in the world. In 1994 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elton John has won numerous awards over his 5 decade musical career. Awards such as an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award, Disney Legend Award, as well as two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music. With songs like “Tiny Dancer” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” which was the theme song to the movie Lion King, it’s no wonder why Americans love this British born musical master.
18. Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, besides his talent in music he has used his past addictions for good in the world. Clapton founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a safe medical facility where recovering addicts can go to get themselves better. Clapton has received 18 Grammies over his career, which began in 1962. Gibson has ranked Clapton number four on their list of “Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.” Clapton has 29 solo studio albums and has also been ranked second in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” I guess you could say Eric Clapton is a pretty good guitarist, huh? Clapton’s album “Unplugged” has sold 20 million copies.
17. Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin, the 70’s rock band from the UK, they were as influential in the 70’s as the Beatles were in the 60’s. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham had a unique sound, which might be the reason the RIAA, listed the bands certified album sales as being 111.5 million units, of course having 9 popular studio albums that makes a lot of sense. Led Zeppelin is the second bestselling band in America. Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, followed by the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
16. Leona Lewis
“Bleeding Love” is probably the song you think of when you see Leona Lewis, but did you know she also did a remake of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This?” In fact, her remake was so popular it peaked at the number one spot for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart. Fans loved this remake so much it set a world record for being downloaded 50,000 times in only 30 minutes! At the young age of 29 years old Leona Lewis already has five studio albums and one film. Her Spirit album alone has sold more than eight million copies around the world! She is well on her way to stardom!
15. One Direction
If you are tween or teen in America you might know these guys by the name “1D.” No matter which name you know them by, it’s unanimous that they are a very popular musical group. By 2012 One Direction represented a $50 million business empire. With a combined estimated wealth of $41.2 million the group is listed as the wealthiest UK musicians under the age of 30. Forbes recently listed One Direction “as the second highest earning celebrities under 30.” Having four studio albums, four films, and four books it’s easy to see how One Direction has earned an estimated $75 million from 2013-2014.
14. Ozzy Osbourne
One of the most memorable metal British musicians, you might remember him from the concert where he bit off the head of a bat after thinking it was a prop. I don’t know if this incident was a good or bad thing for Ozzy, it has definitely made his name stick in the minds of Americans. If you haven’t heard of the bat incident you probably heard his name in association with Black Sabbath. Ozzy got his musical start with this band back in 1968. Every single one of Ozzy’s albums has gone multi-platinum according to the RIAA. Between his time with Black Sabbath and his solo career it is estimated that Ozzy has sold over 100 million albums worldwide! In April 2012 Ozzy was honored with a star on Hollywood’s walk of fame.
13. Black Sabbath
It’s only fitting we would have Black Sabbath next on our list. This band started in 1968 and played together until 2006. After a short break they reunited in 2011 and continue to go strong. This band falls under the category of heavy metal music, in fact they are often said to be the start of the heavy metal music revolution. Selling over 70 million albums internationally they were “inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.” With 19 studio albums it’s not hard to see how they sold over 70 million albums worldwide.
12. Pink Floyd
College students Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright founded Pink Floyd in 1965, the band made music until 1994 together. After a short eight year break they reunited and began making music again together until 2014. In 2013 the band had sold over 250 million records globally, which includes the 75 million units sold in the US alone. It has been said that Pink Floyd are the most commercially successful and influential rock bands of all time. Their album, “The Wall” has sold more than 30 million copies by itself. Here is a little test of your Pink Floyd knowledge; did you know the band were huge supporters of Monty Python? In fact, the group helped to finance Monty Python’s 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
11. Radiohead
After releasing their first single in 1992, “Creep” the band Radiohead became a worldwide name among rock music fans. Album sales estimated to be 45 million albums and 32 million singles. They are also one of the few if not only musical groups that released an album digitally and let their fans decide how much they wanted to pay for the album. It seems Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Phil Selway, and Ed O’Brien make quite the team, their musical talents blend perfectly and it shows in their album sales. Radiohead is not only a hit in the US but also in the UK where they formed in 1985.
10. Rod Stewart
Maybe you know this man by his more common name “Rod the Mod.” Mr Stewart came to our American ears in 1961 and it didn’t take long for him to start earning awards for his talent in music. This artist was the very first musician to receive the Diamond Award from the World Music Awards for the sale of over 100 million albums internationally. It was 1994 when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2001 the UK Music Hall of Fame followed suit by inducting Rod into their hall of fame. Between Rod’s solo career and his time spent with the band “Faces” his total album sales have been estimated to between 100 and 200 million. His popularity and amount of album sales has earned him a place on the best-selling music artists list.
09. Sam Smith
At the young age of 23 years, Sam Smith has made his mark both on the UK and the US already. It was October 2012 when he was on the group Disclosure’s single title “Latch” and received his big break so to speak. It was this single that kick started Smith’s musical career. Since the debut album release he has gone on to win Grammy awards and have number one and two hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart! With popular singles such as “Money on My Mind,” “Stay with Me” and “Like I Can” Smith can only go up from here. His popularity is rising especially among the younger generation.
08. Spandau Ballet
Started in 1979 by Tony Hadley, Gary Kemp, Steve Norman, John Keeble, and Martin Kemp this group was considered one of the most successful bands to get their start during the New Romantic era in music. Spandau Ballet has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The group also spent 500 weeks on the UK music charts. The Americans and British really like this group as you can see. I would say they have been successful in their invasion into the American music industry. Like so many groups on our list this band has had on again and off again moments, but when they are on again and creating music it’s pure talent banging through the speakers.
07. Spice Girls
The 90’s female band has to be the second most recognized group since The Beatles. Spice girls sales are over 85 million worldwide; their track “2become1” sold 430,000 copies within the first week on the stands. Seven weeks after Spice Girls came out they had sold 1.8 million copies of their album in Britain alone. Their album has been certified 10 times platinum and in Europe it was certified 8 times platinum with sales exceeding 8 million copies. Their wave of popularity has been compared to that of beatlmania. They are sort of like the modern female version of The Beatles. The Spice Girls weren’t around long, when the girls began branching out and trying their hand at solo careers the group kind of fell apart. None of their solo careers lasted long either.
06. Sting
You and I know him as Sting, but his birth name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Summer and he got his start with the 70’s band The Police before he went venturing out on a solo career. Sting was presented with his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2000 for his solo success as well as his success with the band The Police. Sting has made 16 total albums, 11 solo and 5 with the band, he has also made 31 films. Sting’s album sales are over 100 million according to RIAA. His successful musical and acting careers earned him 36 different awards over the years.
05. The Rollingstones
Formed in 1962 by Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts, The Rollingstones were in the forefront of the British invasion of bands becoming popular in the US. They were first heard in 1964-1965 on Americans radios. Between The Beatles and The Rollingstones America was destined to fall in love with British bands. The Rollingstones made 29 studio albums, 13 live albums, 24 compilation albums, 3Eps, 109 singles, 20 videos, 57 music videos, 5 box sets, and 7 official bootlegs, giving them a total of 68 million album sales from 1964-2005 alone. That 68 million does not include any solo albums made by any of the members during their own solo careers.
04. Queen
Freddy Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor formed the hard rock/pop style band commonly known as Queen in 1970. Their most known song has to be “Another One Bites The Dust” or “We Will Rock You.” They are as popular among the Americans and they are the British, Queen’s albums have spent 1,322 weeks on the UK Album Charts. That is equivalent to 26 years on the charts, that’s more time than any other act. Queen has been said to be in competition with the Beatles album sales over the years. Queen has sold over 150 million records; some estimate their sales to be over 300 million worldwide.
03. Iron Maiden
You could say Iron Maiden was the pioneer musical group for the heavy metal category, making way for other bands like Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold. Getting their start in 1975, they are still pumping out albums today. The New York Times reports the band as selling over 85 million copies worldwide. They have been considered one of the most successful heavy metal bands in musical history. Iron Maiden has a series of Platinum and gold records both in the US and the UK. They are one of the few bands to have a mascot; they lovingly refer to him as “Eddie.”
02. Fleetwood Mac
This group has been on again and off again ever since 1967. One thing I know, when they are on again they make some pretty fantastic music and I am not the only one who thinks so. Fleetwood Mac’s album “Rumours” brought the band four US top 10 singles and has sold over 45 million copies across the world and 19 million in the US alone. The sale of that one album has put it at the six spot as the highest selling album of all time. The RIAA has given Fleetwood Mac the diamond album certification for their “Rumours” album. Stevie Nicks has been pretty successful herself in a solo career.
01.The Beatles
Beatlemania hit America the hardest, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr brought their music to America it was the first time British music hit the airwaves. I suppose you can call The Beatles the pioneer British musicians in America. The band was welcomed with open arms; they have been the most influential band of the rock era. The Beatles are the bestselling musical group in the US, their total sales can be estimated between 600 million and 1 billion units worldwide. When you break down their total album sales The Beatles have been awarded six diamond, 24 multi-platinum, 39 platinum, and 45 gold albums just in the US. Back home in the UK they have been awarded four multi-platinum, four platinum, eight gold and 1 silver albums. Can you imagine how the US music industry would be different if The Beatles never brought their musical talent across the Atlantic?