I guess you're right about the songwriting. When I say about the musicianship its mainly the live performances that you see a big difference. The normal British style of singing works much better recorded than live, in my opinion. I suppose the difference is that Brits learn to sing in the pub or at football matches, Americans learn by singing the national anthem at school!

(Waits to be crucified).

Haha, yeah I agree with you there. Most live performances from Brits are badly sung but I actually like it that way for some reason. It gives the songs a real gritty edge. Take Oasis for example, when they perform live Liam can't sing at all but for some reason it still sounds brilliant. Same with Razorlight. Awful singing when live, but gritty and IMO great.

can anyone name an american solo artist that has made it big over here recently?

Or if you are american, can you name any british solo artists you've had big over there.

I can only think of Curtis 'Fitty Cent' Jackson over here. having said that he's hardly solo, hes always with that recluse "THE GAAAAAME-AH", Eminem And Dr.when-the-****-am-i-gunna-retire Dre. But i don't consider rap music, so it doesnt count.

I am going to have to say the Brits are better when it comes to overall music.
Here in the US we have our fair share af great musicians, but when you look at the bands that have made an overwhelming contribution to music, they are...Brits.

The Beatles
Radiohead
The Stones

Bands I like have a tendency to come from Europe too.

Belle and Sebastian
Shout Out Louds
Portishead
Radiohead

North America does have some of my favorite musicians too though

Elliott Smith
Bright Eyes
Neutral Milk Hotel (FROM GA WOOT! WOOT!) =)
Cat Power
EITS
GYBE!

I am going to retract my statements and say that we are equal.
North America produces brilliant singer/songwriters, post rock.

I am not able to come to a solid conclusions. :(

BTW. Great thread idea, one of your only good threads hobo....

the fact that im british means even if i have any individual opinion on this it'll be drowned and forced into the back of my head behin a patriotic craving for the ability to say "haha my countrys better than yours in any way possible"
so al i can do is try to back it up here...and sound as far from a c.u.n.t as i possibly can...so here we go.

the stereophonics -are nothing to be proud of!
the sex pistols - i hate them but they did some things right and god forbid probably influenced something.
manic street preachers - great band
the beatles - big pile of awesomeness.
iron maiden - epic!
funeral for a friend - naff but were voted best band in the world in kerrang a little while back and same with lost prophets.
erm...thats all that springs to mind, god i hope some sort of great point that i could make comes to my head in the next couple of hours, but for the moment i'll have to leave it at that.

i think thats bollocks personally. the british punk movement of the 70's was very important to hear as it provided a commentary on the social implications of the time. and since when has american music been all about addressing important issues? the "roots" music fair enough, but british folk does/did the same thing. in fact, id go as far to say if either industry is more important to listen to, its the british.

love the way most of the bands you've mentioned there are welsh, and im sorry but they arent particulary colossal bands on the grand scale of things with exception to the pistols, beatles and maiden.

Times are a changing people... who knows, maybe tomorrow Mr Sensitive will make an intelligent post and madeinNY will take her head out of sabrinas arse!

hehe i was hoping someone would notice that first part:D, i know not collossal, but im not thinking grand influential bands like maiden. i was just listing whatever bands came to my head, they all count for something.

One can only hope