Wasn’t Crowded House a New Zealand band? They were based in Oz for a while, I think (long before my time), but always refered to themselves as a NZ band.
More recently Bic Runga was said to have been reasonably successful in the states, and aparently Shihad are doing well for themselves as well.
And when I say Shihad, what I actually mean is Pacifier.
Grr
Best bands in Australia at the moment:
Bluebottle Kiss - moody indie rock (Sydney)
The Sleepy Jackson - gorgeous, sweeping, melodic, country tinged pop. (Perth)
Augie March - moody indie acoustic rock (Melbourne)
Speedstar* - moody indie rock (Brisbane)
Machine Gun Fellatio - bizarre post-funk dance pop grind (Sydney)
The Vines - you know these guys (Sydney)
Architecture in Helsinki - twee pop/electronica (Melbourne)
You can tell I like moody indie rock.
My sis in the US tells me that Craig David is starting to make inroads into the R&B/Garage market. Anyone over there heard of him?
Reading all these I realized something about myself: I really start forgetting things as soon as I start typing a post. I meant to include Zeppellin, Sex Pistols, T.a.Tu and probably a few others (that I’ve forgotten) in my OP.
Popularity of HIM- I listen to some of their stuff, as do two friends. I would never have heard of them if it weren’t for their video for “Right Here in my Arms” at the end of CKY2K (or one of the CKYs anyhow). Speaking of “RHimA” is it about drugs or a woman? The lyrics seem to point towards a woman, but the video has definite herion implications. The jury’s out here.
T.aT.u- What the hell is with them? Some crappy Russian pop, sung by two mildly attractive girls who kiss each other now and again? Why the fuck does that shit sell? Obviously, sex sells, but how does it sell crappy music? Especially since mainstream media (MTV, the most censored station ever) probably wouldn’t let a lot of their stuff through.
Tim and Neil Finn are from New Zealand, but Nick Seymour and Paul Hester are Australian, and Mark Hart is from Kansas.
Tim was with Crowded House for the making of the Woodface album.
Mark joined Crowded House from 1991, for the* Woodface* tour until 1996, when CH broke up. Mark was also in the band Supertramp.
I’d also include Split Enz, and Betchadupa, Dave Dobbyn and Bic Runga.
Is LA another country?..I though Dave came from Ireland awhile ago and formed the band with people he met in LA…I could be wrong though…
HIM bills themselves as a “love metal” band… I’m pretty sure that RHIMA is, like all their songs, about a woman/love. Any other implications may have been accidental, though I don’t really get the heroin thing? Maybe I’m missing something. I love that video because Ville is gorgeous. 
Tanaqui, since posting my RHimA-herion thing, I’ve rewatched the video. I think that perhaps my perception was distorted the first time I saw it, since there’s really nothing to imply that it’s about smack.
I’m serious about my T.a.T.u question though. They have some of the worst synth-backup music ever, can’t sing…what gives? Download a video of them playing live for proof of “worst synth-backup music ever”- the guy on guitar is hillarious.
Foreigner?
Such distinctions are rightly lost upon many Europeans. In Budapest the subway posters hawking her newest album bill her as the hottest new “American” star.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, from Australia. Works very closely with the already-mentioned and very venerable Einstürzende Neubauten.
There’s a Danish singer named Gry Bagøien I listen to with much glee. She’s very obscure, though, although she has worked with F.M. Einheit, formerly of Einstürzende Neubauten. She’s now involved with a band called Æter, last I heard. Great stuff.
Don’t forget Right Said Fred–they were the first foreign band since the Beatles to debut a song at #1 on the U.S. charts.