During the mid 60’s America was taken by storm, English rock ‘n’ roll and pop bands invaded U.S. charts and this craze was known as the British Invasion.
British pop of the time took influence from a genre of music known as “Skiffle”, a style of homegrown folk and country music played on homemade instruments. Skiffle became popular amongst aspiring musicians of the time due to it’s “do it yourself” attitude, and the fact that the performers did not need to purchase expensive instruments to play the music. Many of the bands who achieved popularity during the British Invasion had previous incarnations as Skiffle groups including most famously, The Beatles, under the moniker The Quarrymen. This D.I.Y. genre sowed the seeds for the explosion of British rock ‘n’ roll and pop bands between 1964 and 1966.[1]
Young British musicians of the time began forming the beginnings of what would later become the British Invasion and Liverpool saw a boom in up and coming bands. The Merseybeat scene was born featuring the strong use of vocal harmonies and driving rhythms. Taking influence from American Rock ‘n’ Roll bands such as Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Merseybeat bands wrote catchy, polished pop songs and from this scene emerged perhaps the most important band of the British Invasion.[2]
British pop of the time took influence from a genre of music known as “Skiffle”, a style of homegrown folk and country music played on homemade instruments. Skiffle became popular amongst aspiring musicians of the time due to it’s “do it yourself” attitude, and the fact that the performers did not need to purchase expensive instruments to play the music. Many of the bands who achieved popularity during the British Invasion had previous incarnations as Skiffle groups including most famously, The Beatles, under the moniker The Quarrymen. This D.I.Y. genre sowed the seeds for the explosion of British rock ‘n’ roll and pop bands between 1964 and 1966.[1]
Young British musicians of the time began forming the beginnings of what would later become the British Invasion and Liverpool saw a boom in up and coming bands. The Merseybeat scene was born featuring the strong use of vocal harmonies and driving rhythms. Taking influence from American Rock ‘n’ Roll bands such as Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Merseybeat bands wrote catchy, polished pop songs and from this scene emerged perhaps the most important band of the British Invasion.[2]
(The Cavern, one of the most famous clubs in the Merseybeat scene (above). Image taken from http://www.rogerwendell.com/images/unitedkingdom/liverpool_the_cavern_club_10-10-2006.jpg)
The Beatles launched the British Invasion in earnest with their 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, a performance watched by over 70 million American viewers. The Beatles remain the only act to have been simultaneously top 5 in the U.S. charts, and sold over 2 million records in one month. After a more than warm welcome from U.S. audiences, The Beatles played their first concert at the Washington Colliseum, Washington D.C. attracting over 14,00 fans the day after their first ever television appearance in the country. The arrival of The Beatles occurred only a short time after the assassination of President Kennedy and “Beatlemania” breathed some much needed hope into a country mourning the loss of it’s leader. Songs such as “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”, “She Loves You” and “Help” all proved to be massive hits and The Beatles success paved the way for other British artists achieve U.S. hits. 
(The Beatles arrival in the U.S.A. Image from http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39837000/jpg/_39837967_beatles_leaving.jpg)
Band such as The Hollies, The Kinks, The Who, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders all had hit singles during the invasion. Other big hits from British Invasion artists included: The Animals “House of the Rising Sun”, The Troggs “Wild Thing”, Manfredd Mann “Do Wah Diddy” and Petula Clark’s “Downtown”. It marked a time of international success for many British artists.
The sound of the British Invasion was very similar to that of the Merseybeat sound. Catchy pop songs laden with hooks, harmonies, clean guitar sounds, driving drumbeats and pumping basslines, with accessible lyrics that most fans could easily relate to, these combined attributes were defining factors in the genres gain of popularity in the U.S. market.
British Invasion Bands had a distinctive style with the bands keeping a smart, uniform look amongst all members. Suits and ties and smart hair were popular amongst British Invasion bands. The Beatles even started off a trend with their so called “Moptop” hairstyles. London became a place of fashion and trend setting clothes with Carnaby Street providing many of the Bands with their look.
British Invasion artists have gone to influence many other genres of music. Psychedelic rock took some inspiration from British Invasion rock ‘n’ roll, and many of the British Invasion bands went on to influence bands who became part of the 90’s britpop movement such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiffle
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Music
(The Beatles arrival in the U.S.A. Image from http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39837000/jpg/_39837967_beatles_leaving.jpg)Band such as The Hollies, The Kinks, The Who, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders all had hit singles during the invasion. Other big hits from British Invasion artists included: The Animals “House of the Rising Sun”, The Troggs “Wild Thing”, Manfredd Mann “Do Wah Diddy” and Petula Clark’s “Downtown”. It marked a time of international success for many British artists.
The sound of the British Invasion was very similar to that of the Merseybeat sound. Catchy pop songs laden with hooks, harmonies, clean guitar sounds, driving drumbeats and pumping basslines, with accessible lyrics that most fans could easily relate to, these combined attributes were defining factors in the genres gain of popularity in the U.S. market.
British Invasion Bands had a distinctive style with the bands keeping a smart, uniform look amongst all members. Suits and ties and smart hair were popular amongst British Invasion bands. The Beatles even started off a trend with their so called “Moptop” hairstyles. London became a place of fashion and trend setting clothes with Carnaby Street providing many of the Bands with their look.
British Invasion artists have gone to influence many other genres of music. Psychedelic rock took some inspiration from British Invasion rock ‘n’ roll, and many of the British Invasion bands went on to influence bands who became part of the 90’s britpop movement such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiffle
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Music
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