I thought of Bruce Springsteen.
Once I sent a tape of some Aaron Neville to a pen pal in the UK, thinking he’d love it. His response was, “That was probably a little too American for me to appreciate.” I guess I could understand not liking AN’s music, but the description “too American” surprised me.
An Argentine friend with whom I exchange music keeps asking me to send him Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Harry James, et. al. He absolutely loves American big band swing, but can’t find much of a selection there. (FWIW, he’s in his 30’s.)
I wonder if they would ever expect their audience to link Springsteen with the States, other than the fact that he sings in English. Does Springsteen get much overseas play?
The OP’s question is really good, because it calls to attention what other countries know about each other–really, it’s about cliches. We have cliches about them, and they have cliches about us.
When I lived in Colombia, I’d often find myself (the only gringo) in a nightclub in the wee hours, and someone would get the DJ to play “Hotel California.” I had previously despised the song (and nobody knew what the hell it was about), but it grew on me after a few memorable experiences.
But the thing is, the French do accordion music really well!
In their hands the accordion becomes a serious instrument, evoking romance, melancholy, sophistication, etc. I would never have thought I could listen to accordion music seriously and with pleasure until recently when I happened upon the music of Edith Piaf, and, secondarily, Alegria by Cirque du Soleil. Good stuff.
When I hear the stereotypical French accordion music, I think of it as being played on a concertina.
Anyway, someone mentioned Rule Britannia being associated with England. In the same vein, La Marseillaise over an establishing shot can clearly evoke France.
I wonder if they use Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean for us.
Now that you mention it (and apologies for the slight hijack), I believe the instrument being played during Alegria was a concertina.
Oh, well, same difference, eh, wot? 
In the movies, anyway, Benny Goodman is usually used to connote “New York,” not so much “America.”
Glenn Miller usually signals “no budget for a music consultant.”
Thank you ErinPuff, haven’t seen that for years.
Someone mentioned Springsteen? He did a lot of chart business over here around the time of the “Born in the USA” album, but not so much since. This wiki page has US/UK sales figures if anyone is interested. Personally, I rate “Born to Run”, “Darkness on the Edge of Town” and “Nebraska” very highly. The recent Pete Seeger stuff is very entertaining too.
I think America–Fuck Yeah! pretty much covers it.
I remember in Germany or Switzerland on the radio I’d hear “ldfjs laksdjl lkadjf lkasj df BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN aljkd lkdjf lksd.” See, I don’t speak German, but Bruce’s name stuck out.
A part written and played by an Englishman (I think) on a Scotsman’s song.
Who are, of course, from Ireland.
Indeed. They became famous by sounding more like the yanks than the yanks did however
…about a famous street in London.
Excellent! I don’t think I’ve seen that since it was first on! That has to be a clear statement of the American vision.
Thank You
Springsteen was never as popular outside the U.S. as other acts, which oddly enough makes him even more stereotypically “American”. The Boss has also an all-American feel about him - he’s not from New York or any other large city, he’s not from some specific sub-culture (southern, black, etc. - New Jersey just doen’t register on the non-American radar), you don’t hear much British - Beatles, Stones and so forth - influence in his music.
So yeah, if you want to signify “American-ness”, go for Springsteen, or Springsteen-like music - hoarse, passionate singing with muscular guiltars, a strong beat and maybe some sax.
Always in the perpetual shadow of NYC.
I remember in Hong Kong, Korea, PI & Thailand around 1986 they seem to think Springsteen & Don McLean and R&B were the typical American sound. They also thought of hamburgers, fries, pizza and hot dogs as eating American.
Jim
A group playing “French accordion music” appeared at this year’s International Accordion Festival in San Antonio, Texas.
Someday, I will attend that festival! The diversity of the Texan performers, alone, illustrates one reason that it’s difficult to pick one musical genre to represent our country. Our state has several Central European styles and Tejano conjunto–highly influenced by theose German, Polish & Czech Texans. Louisiana is just next door, so we get Cajun sounds; and Zydeco actually “grew up” in Houston, from rural Louisiana roots.