That wasn't what I was saying. I was saying that because anyone can become huge in Britain, not just rap artists and Pop Punk bands, it means that bands experiment a lot more. They will try out new things because they know that as long as they are talented at the music they make then they stand a good chance of getting famous. American artists don't get this freedom, they either stick to the formula or else they (usually) get nowhere. I'm not saying Britain is better because it has better mainstream music, I'm saying that the British artists aren't afraid to try something different with music because they know that ANYONE can get somewhere over here. You look at the best, original bands we have had. I doubt that they would have been quite as fortunate if they had started off in America.

IMO, Flaming Lips' best album was released in 93, long before Radiohead's influence could be felt.

And going year by the year the way you did, for me it would go like this...

1950s = US
1960s = UK
1970s = US
1980s = Tie
1990s = UK
2000s = US

Urban, like I said, Liars' new album is FAR more experimental than anything they've done so far. I still like the first two, though.

Hobojesus, all you've really said this whole time is that mainstream British music is better (which it is), which is silly since popularity doesn't decide how good a band is.

Thats not what he`s saying though , he`s saying that it stands a better chance of being made because it`s accepted.

But that doesn't really make any sense, because the American charts right now are littered with crap Rap and R&B artists, and we don't exactly have a shortage of experimental bands.

No it doesn`t , but bands are influenced by whats out there.

You hear more variety it makes more sense that you`ll have more variety yourself

70's US?? examples please!!

Modern Lovers, Suicide, Talking Heads, Television, NY Dolls, Stooges & Iggy Pop, The Beach Boys, Ramones, VU & Lou Reed, Dylan, Tom Waits, Ramones, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Blondie, James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic, Theoretical Girls, Devo, Pere Ubu, Mission of Burma, all the bands on No New York, Gil Scott-Heron, Liquid Liquid, Johnny Thunders, Richard Hell, etc.

you forgot the british counterparts.... c'mon brits, i'm sure there was a shitload of awsome british bands in the 70's!! that was like your golden age wasn't it!? is noone going to challenge this?!

Oh alright then

Nick Drake , Black Sabbath , Bowie , Roxy Music , Sex Pistols , Joy Division , T-Rex , Sensational Alex Harvey Band , Pink Floyd , Fairport Convention , Queen (Although I hate them myself) Led Zep , Deep Purple , XTC , Elvis Costello , Hawkwind , Throbbing Gristle , The Clash , The Specials , Loads of prog bands that Boo Boo has probably mentioned before , Public Image LTD , The Cure , Siouxie & The Banshees , ELO , Badfinger etc etc etc

i say the brits win expletive....