British Invasion is a term used to describe the popularisation of British music and other cultural aspects in the USA. In this article, we’ll focus on the pop and rock female singers coming from the UK as well as what impact they had on American society. We will try to explain this phenomenon, as well as why it happened in this direction. After all, the 1960s were characterised by the extremely rapid development of many musical styles in America, especially if we take a look at the female artists. The world will always remember singers like Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Ella Fitzgerald.
British Invasions First Wave
Officially, the British Invasion started in 1963-1964 with Beatlemania as they were the first British singers to enter the US Hot 100 chart in 1963. Only a few months later, Dusty Springfield improved their 45th place to No.12 with the pop hit “I Only Want to Be with You”. This opened the way for many other talented performers from the UK as their different voices and looks were quite attractive for the US music fans. Lulu, Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark, and Cilla Black are just a few of all British girls who made it to Billboard’s Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary. Although the First Wave ended relatively quickly, around 1967, the solo Brit girls completely changed the landscape of music in the United States. Maybe this revolution would never have happened if it weren’t for the 60s rock bands. Now, let’s take a look at the most famous female singers from the UK and their never-dying hits!
Girls Hit the US Charts
As we already mentioned, Dusty Springfield was the first to break in the US charts. However, “I Only Want Want to Be with You” is not the highest-ranked song, as “Wishin’ and Hopin’ ” became 6th in 1964 and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” – 4th in 1966. For many people in the US, another girl singer from the UK is the first lady of the Invasion – Petula Clark. She was 32 in 1964 when she topped the US Hot 100 and CashBox with “Downtown”. The audience very well accepted her songs, and in 1965, My Love also became No. 1. Petula Clark entered the American music charts with 19 of her recorded singles during the 1960s. Shirley Bassey is another British solo singer who has made a solid name in the US. The immense popularity brought her an honour to sing the music theme for the “007: Goldfinger” movie in ’64. The article took her almost to the top of the charts in that year. Still, Shirey remained much more loved at the home stage than in the US. Even so, she managed to record the soundtracks of 6 more movies, including the 7th James Bond movie – “Diamonds are Forever”!
Here is a list of the top-rated hits of the most iconic British Invasions female singers:
- Dusty Springfield – “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” – 1966
- Petula Clark – “Downtown”, “My Love” – 1964 – 1965
- Shirley Bassey – “Goldfinger” – 1964
- Cilla Black – “You’re My World” – 1964
- Lulu Kennedy-Cairns – “To Sir With Love” – 1967
- Sandie Shaw – “Girl Don’t Come” – 1964
Many other girls have been part of the British Invasion, although their success is rather variable and for a short period of time. Some of the best UK voices suffer for various reasons, most often related to the inability of British managers to promote their clients across the Atlantic. Helen Shapiro is a good example of that negligence! She topped the UK charts at the age of 14 but then slowly vanished in obscurity. The hits “You Don’t Know” and “Walkin’ Back to Happiness” were appreciated across Europe and New Zealand.
US Music Will Never Be the Same
Before the UK solo artists and beat bands invaded, the music in the United States was dominated by genres, like Motown, Surf Music, 1960s R&B, and Folk Revival. Well, all that changed when the Beatles took over the charts and opened the door for other artists and British culture in general. The careers of many stars such as Chubby Checker, Ricky Nelson and Bobby Vee have eclipsed. Because of that, the British Invasion is considered a culture shock and even a music revolution. Even the King, Elvis Presley, lost much of his popularity, although he managed to come back to the stage after 1967.
On the other hand, the events of 1963-1964 encouraged American teenagers to broaden their horizons. Affected by the British music style, many girl and boy bands started recording singles in their garages. They strive to get as closer as they can to the original British sound, although the accent barrier ruins the overall performance. At the same time, many girls start solo careers, inspired by the success of Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark. Of course, good US examples are not missing, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article. We can even go further and sow the idea that, unlike men, female singers in America took advantage of the British Invasion!
Conclusion
In the 1980s and 2000s–2010s, the United States felt second and third British Invasion waves. Singers and bands achieved even larger success, but the market was already prepared. The music and culture phenomenon from the 60s have changed the understanding of sound and creativity on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean!
