Who has the better musical scene right now the UK or US

btb002

I love the US and all, but right now our music stations are in the tank compared to what's coming out of the UK. Hinder instead of Pearl Jam, Evans Blue instead of whatever comes to mind (the point being Evans Blue sucks). Spelled it wrong, I know.

P.S. Feel free to discuss anyway you want, radio, artist, festivals, ect.

I believe the UK has better music right now as compared to what's popular over here.

MaxpowerSupreme

I'd have to say the US, just cuz we're neighbors with Canada, and that place has been a fucking goldmine of great bands for the last few years. A lot of great music has run down the pipe. Niether country, I'd say, has put anything out themselves that significant. The UK has kinda sucked since the British Invasion...well, aside from Radiohead.

harmless_little_f***

I despise the whole indie post-punk/post-newwave movement that's been violating my radio for so long over in the UK. I don't think there are any 'scenes' I appreciate anymore; they seem to have all but disintegrated and spintered with the ipod generation.

Having said all that, there is an exciting amount of new folk music I have loved in the past few years from both US and UK - whether you can call that a 'scene', I don't know; it's certainly not as cut-and-dry as US or UK. You're right that the UK has given the world a lot of music lately, but I find a lot of it to be pretty shite.

I'm actually into quite a few European artists at the mo: Sigur Ros, Gogol Bordello...

Raybees

Being from the UK the current bands i like at the moment are mostly from the US:

The Shins,
Built to Spill
Yo La Tengo
Lemonheads

UK bands like the Dirty Pretty Things and Babyshambles are the most hyped and have recently come to my town and they were at best OK but i wouldn't buy and of their CD's.

parel jam

Lately I would say the UK...I really like Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, the Coral, sometimes Coldplay, most of the times Radiohead...

I really hate the movie-punk bands like SUM41 and so on from the States...I have seen too much of that crap when I was in the States...

One of the best Americans bands in the last 10 years from the States is Cake imo...great great tunes!

lalalalaaaaaaaa

btb002 wrote:

I love the US and all, but right now our music stations are in the tank compared to what's coming out of the UK. Hinder instead of Pearl Jam, Evans Blue instead of whatever comes to mind (the point being Evans Blue sucks). Spelled it wrong, I know.

P.S. Feel free to discuss anyway you want, radio, artist, festivals, ect.

I believe the UK has better music right now as compared to what's popular over here.

I don't think the stuff on the radio defines the music scene anymore. I think what is popularized in America stinks, but I still think that most good rock/alt music (if that's what we're sticking to) comes out of America. What do they play on the radio in the UK right now? I don't even listen to the radio here because it's so bad. But I do think I've bought plenty of good albums this year, and they were mostly American bands...Tool, Pearl Jam, NIN, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Isis, etc. I think Lacuna Coil is from Italy maybe? They're excellent. I'm trying to think of a British band though...

Jeremy1012

I've always much preferred American music to be honest. While a lot of the underground stuff in the UK is brilliant, the mainstream stuff that gets played on the radio is, almost without exception, shite. I can't stand any of the arty-punk indie bands like Bloc Party, The Futureheads, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian or any of those bands. All this bullshit about them writing songs about every day life and mundane things is rubbish. They say nothing to me about my life (thanks Morrissey, incidentally The Smiths being the only GREAT mainstream UK indie band).

stu gee

Its all personal opinion but aside from Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sigur Ros, the majority of music i listened to last year was from bands/artists from the UK.

I hate the Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian and the Futureheads who have been mentioned in this thread, but i have been listening to bands like Babyshambles, Bloc Party, Dirty Pretty Things, Larrikin Love, Radiohead, the Cribs, Good Shoes and Patrick Wolf constantly.

Bloc Party's silent alarm is actually in my top 5 album's of all time, along with albums from Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, Jimi Hendrix and Radiohead.

I have no doubt that people will come on this thread and slate bands like Babyshambles and DPT but im not really bothered about what people think of the music i listen to. Pete Doherty gets quite a lot of stick, but i think thats more because of the media attention he recieves, i think he has written some really great songs, with the libertines and with babyshambles.

Tek Money

I think Canada is making a comeback... watchout!

Jeanie

Yep, sorry guys, you're all wrong! The best tunes are happening in Oz right now! Bring on the John Butler Trio, Hilltop Hoods and Eskimo Joe!
There's plenty more too. Just going for the asking!

lalalalaaaaaaaa

Jeanie wrote:

Yep, sorry guys, you're all wrong! The best tunes are happening in Oz right now! Bring on the John Butler Trio, Hilltop Hoods and Eskimo Joe!
There's plenty more too. Just going for the asking!

Just don't mention The Butterfly Effect....

Magic Dirt is ok though

whole_lotta_dunny

Being from Australia, i would have to agree we have the best music scene. But i wouldn't necessarily include the bands already mentioned.

Bands like Cog, The Mess Hall, Dallas Crane, The Cops, Wolf and Cub, Ground Components, The Exploders, Vasco Era and of course You Am I are what makes my countries music so great.

It is just unfortunate that most other countries will only see all the retro rock acts, such as Wolfmother and Jet, doing the same old thing.

gobrowns19

Well, talking about newer bands, the US has My Morning Jacket, and that's the end of the argument for me.

chrisopalooza

if we are talking mainstream/commercial/pop music then the UK will ALWAYS, ALWAYS win.

if we are talking under the radar/indie rock n' roll, then i have no idea.

Jeanie

whole_lotta_dunny wrote:

Being from Australia, i would have to agree we have the best music scene. But i wouldn't necessarily include the bands already mentioned.

Bands like Cog, The Mess Hall, Dallas Crane, The Cops, Wolf and Cub, Ground Components, The Exploders, Vasco Era and of course You Am I are what makes my countries music so great.

It is just unfortunate that most other countries will only see all the retro rock acts, such as Wolfmother and Jet, doing the same old thing.

Isn't that the best bit about our music scene here in Oz anyway wholelottadunny? We have such a rich variety that we can each pretty much pick and choose. And we don't even have to agree! Oz music is just going from strength to strength and it's a really good time to have ears!!

Jeanie

Saturnal wrote:

Just don't mention The Butterfly Effect....

Magic Dirt is ok though

:D Can't I just whisper B...............? Oh go on let me!!!

Ok I won't just for you! And yes Magic Dirt is pretty damn good!

Todd76

If I have to pick between the US and the UK I pick......Canada

Broken Social Scene
Feist
Arcade Fire
Metric
Emily Haines
Sarah Harmer
Luther Wright & The Wrongs
the Dears
Hayden
Sloan
Stars
Amy Millan
Sarah Slean
Wolf Parade
Final Fantasy
the Stills
Matt Mays
Godspeed You Black Emperor
A Silver Mt. Zion
Set Fire To Flames
Elevator To Hell
Julie Doiron
the Tragically Hip
controller controller
the New Pornographers
Hidden Cameras
the Sadies
the Unicorns/Islands
the Weakerthans
Sianspheric
Wintersleep
the Constantines
Kathleen Edwards
Tegan and Sara
Ron Sexsmith
the Rheostatics (for a couple more months anyways)

lars

the only two years uk have had a bigger and better scene than us was in 95-96

harmless_little_f***

lars wrote:

the only two years uk have had a bigger and better scene than us was in 95-96

Remind me. What bands are you referring to?

surfanddestroy

I personally think that both are equally as shite if we are talking about newer bands and artist, I can't think of any I like. It all pretty much sucks.

Byrnzie

I haven't listened to the radio in years.
Long before John Peel died I stopped listening. I haven't got a clue...about anything! :(