# Best UK bands that never 'broke' America **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788 "2018-03-18T17:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/121 "2018-03-21T08:37:33Z")
> [@](#): > > I posted based on the Subject Line but yeah, Kate was popular all over the world, except America. Yes, I was being nitpicky, sorry. > [@Penfeather](#): > > Pulp had been around since 1978 {!) in one form or another, and although they hit it big when Britpop broke, they were always standing off to the side, sneering slightly: I can admire Jarvis Cocker’s writing, but after a couple of songs it’s always, “I get it, you’re smarter than everyone else”. Too cold to love, ultimately. Still preferable to Oasis’ galumphing laddishness now, which is just painfully dated: they were always the band for people who wanted to pretend they were in a gang at school. Too dumb to love, in the end. Suede had that louche androgyny which never really goes out of style, and they weren’t afraid to wear their heart {or at least Bryan Ferry’s heart} on their sleeve: by mooring themselves somewhere between _Aladdin Sane_ and The _Queen is Dead_, they managed a kind of timelessness. Spot on. ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/122 "2018-03-21T15:33:15Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > To try and illustrate her fame (everywhere else), Kate played a 22-date residency at the Eventum Apollo (formerly the Hammersmith Odeon) in 2014. She had not performed in concert since 1979. This was because her house in Salcombe, Devon was slowly slipping down the cliff it was perched on. The firm I worked for tendered for the design of the stabilisation works. It was going to be enormously expensive. I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned Glaswegian band **Deacon Blue**. Obviously the name came from the Steely Dan song. They were/are pretty famous over here in the 80s and 90s: everyone would know their hits “ **Dignity** ” or “ **Real Gone Kid** ”. They are still touring over here and occasionally put a new album out. I saw them in Plymouth in 2012. My 10-year old daughter loves them, and their first album, “ **Raintown** ” is one of both her and my favourites! ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/123 "2018-03-21T15:36:15Z")
> [@2Bits](#): > > oh, they’re Irish? Oops! I was going to say Horslips (an Irish band). ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/124 "2018-03-21T18:14:48Z")
Please tell me these two bands were successful: Portishead and Massive Attack? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/125 "2018-03-21T18:16:58Z")
Massive Attack was, if only because “Teardrop” is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, hits in that genre in America. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/126 "2018-03-21T18:22:39Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Please tell me these two bands were successful: Portishead and Massive Attack? Portoisehead was huge at my college. I git so sick of hearing that album (Dummy). Masisive Attack less so, ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/127 "2018-03-21T18:29:10Z")
Phew. Great! This gig in New York is actually one of my absolute youtube favs. For the uninitiated, flick through to Glory Box at 51:30: [Portishead - Roseland New York City - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFwnlCudeC0) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/128 "2018-03-21T19:05:28Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Phew. Great! Yeah, I think it also depend on region. But that whole Bristol trip-hop thing was pretty common in coffeeshops around here, college campuses, etc. I also remember Sneaker Pimps “6 Underground” and DJ Shadow (OK, neither were Bristol, but part of that chill down-tempo breakbeat trip hop sound) as being part of my college soundtrack . In my circle, Portishead was the biggest act from this genre, but, years later, I find Massive Attack the one I keep going back to, although I wasn’t _as_ familiar with their work as Portishead’s back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/129 "2018-03-21T19:06:47Z")
> [@Dave.B](#): > > I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned Glaswegian band **Deacon Blue**. Obviously the name came from the Steely Dan song. They were/are pretty famous over here in the 80s and 90s: everyone would know their hits “ **Dignity** ” or “ **Real Gone Kid** ”. They are still touring over here and occasionally put a new album out. I saw them in Plymouth in 2012. My 10-year old daughter loves them, and their first album, “ **Raintown** ” is one of both her and my favourites! I hada tickets for that gig in 2012, in the Pavillions, but I couldn’t go because of some reason I can’t remember now and gave my tickets to someone else. My wife is a big fan. For a long time, I thought Gary Numan and Gary Oldman were the same person, it never connected in my brain that their names were, in fact, different. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/130 "2018-03-21T19:13:20Z")
The way to tell the difference is that one of them does a really shit impersonation of Winston Churchill. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/131 "2018-03-21T19:13:40Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Massive Attack was, if only because “Teardrop” is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, hits in that genre in America. That said, it never cracked the Top 100 chart ([making it to #10 on Billboard’s “Bubbling Under Hot 100” list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Attack_discography#Singles)). So, “among the biggest hits in that genre” doesn’t look to have translated to “a big hit overall in the US.” I’ve heard _of_ both band, but couldn’t identify any of their music. My suspicion is that, like a lot of the others that have been suggested on this list, they were pretty popular among a college / alternative / niche audience in the US, but didn’t make much (if any) of a mark in the broader consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/132 "2018-03-21T19:17:32Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > That said, it never cracked the Top 100 chart (making it to #10 on Billboard’s “Bubbling Under Hot 100” list). So, “among the biggest hits in that genre” doesn’t look to have translated to “a big hit overall in the US.” > > I’ve heard _of_ both band, but couldn’t identify any of their music. My suspicion is that, like a lot of the others that have been suggested on this list, they were pretty popular among a college / alternative / niche audience in the US, but didn’t make much (if any) of a mark in the broader consciousness. Yeah, I have very little recollection of them getting radio play. I want to say I’ve heard both Portishead and Sneaker Pimps on Q101 back in the day, but I can’t swear to it. Of course, “Teardrop” (Massive Attack) has had a second life over the past decade, or whenever it was that _House_ came out, as it’s the theme song. I personally did not get into Massive Attack until about 2001/2002. I just downloaded “Teardrop” from Napster, was blown away, and bought the Mezzanine album. Still one of my favorite “mood” albums. That said, I still have no recollection of ever hearing “Teardrop” on the radio here. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/133 "2018-03-21T19:23:25Z")
I don’t know House but hopefully it’s Teardrop with Liz Fraser. ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/134 "2018-03-21T19:29:28Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > I hada tickets for that gig in 2012, in the Pavillions, but I couldn’t go because of some reason I can’t remember now and gave my tickets to someone else. My wife is a big fan. > > For a long time, I thought Gary Numan and Gary Oldman were the same person, it never connected in my brain that their names were, in fact, different. It was a brilliant gig. Ricky Ross is a great showman. Fun fact: Gary Numan is thirteen days older than Gary Oldman! Coincidence: Gary Oldman’s 60th birthday is today. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/135 "2018-03-21T19:35:10Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > I don’t know House but hopefully it’s Teardrop with Liz Fraser. It’s an instrumental edit—doesn’t get to the vocals, but it’s the Massive Attack recording. That said, I’ve heard at least one fantastic cover of it by Jose Gonzalez. I thought that song was uncoverable, but he does a great job with it, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/136 "2018-03-21T19:36:54Z")
> [@Dave.B](#): > > Coincidence: Gary Oldman’s 60th birthday is today. 'nother fun fact: I played pool with him for a while, in the afternoons upstairs in a pub at Worlds End, Chelsea. Way back in the day (1992-ish). We were both quite good 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/137 "2018-03-21T19:39:54Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s an instrumental edit—doesn’t get to the vocals, but it’s the Massive Attack recording. That said, I’ve heard at least one fantastic cover of it by Jose Gonzalez. I thought that song was uncoverable, but he does a great job with it, IMHO. I’ll check that out. The vocal is so important, the whole ethereal thing … ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/138 "2018-03-21T19:44:29Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Please tell me these two bands were successful: Portishead and Massive Attack? I was a huge Protection lover. I have mentioned here before that my drummer in my last band co-wrote and produced Tricky’s Maxinquaye. I loved the Bristol bands and lots of trip hop. Morcheeba was a favorite. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/139 "2018-03-21T19:46:05Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > I’ll check that out. The vocal is so important, the whole ethereal thing … Oh, he doesn’t try to ape her articulation. Which is a good thing. Only Beth can do Beth. Plus I don’t want to hear copies when it comes to covers. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788/140 "2018-03-21T19:48:34Z")
How well is Kylie Minogue known in the US? She’s been pretty huge for 20 years in the UK [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-bands-that-never-broke-america/810788.md?page=8)