60s - The British Invasion

Britain and America have always had several differences between themselves like traditions, fashion, sport and even music. In terms of music the two countries were hardly connected and they knew nothing about each other’s music and t he two countries were completely anonymous to each other, until the 1960s where a new musical movement took the American public by storm and it was called the British invasion.
Until the British invasion it was very difficult for British bands to make it big in America because of the different music societies except for three artists in particular who managed to break through the American barrier and make it big one of them was a solo artist called Dame Vera Lynn. Dame was the first ever solo artist to emerge from Britain and make it big in America in 1952 with a number 1 hit, then in 1962 a British band called the Tornados were second British act to make it big in America and were the first ever British group to so. Even though they were completely unknown in America they had managed to connect with the American public with their number one hits, but one group back in the 60s started the British invasion and changed the American music society forever and that group was called the Beatles.
Undoubtedly one of the greatest bands ever in history that started the pop music era is also the one band that started the British invasion in America. Surprisingly the Beatles got an outstanding welcome when they arrived in New York in 1964, fans were lining up waiting for the band to arrive and since they had a top hit in the American music charts beforehand the welcome they received was to be expected. In America there was a very popular show at the time of their arrival and it was called the Ed Sullivan show which was watched by Americans all the time at that point. The Beatles had made appearances on the Ed Sullivan show many times during the British invasion and played many of their songs including a song called Love me do which went to the top of the charts in May 1964 but the song that started the British invasion was a song called I want to hold your hand which got them into the charts at number 45 in January 1963 which kicked off the British invasion.
Aside from the Beatles other British bands made it into the America music charts like the animals and Petula Clark also had as much success as the Beatles did during the 60s. The British invasion still continues even today but it declined towards the 70s because I believe that with the rise and success of Jimi Hendrix that everyone forgot about the British invasion. During those few years we saw a great change in the music connection between America and Britain. Since then there have been other British groups that have broken the barrier into the American music society including bands like The Kinks and Oasis.

Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CIIsTIEhl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iim6s8Ea_bE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles