Uk or Us: which country gave the biggest contribution to contemporary music?

I'd avoid the main question, but address the idea that jazz, blues etc. had to go through the UK to become proper pop. It's got a lot of truth to it, but mainly in the period from the Stones to Led Zeppelin. This kind of "authentic" southern Blues and R&B wasn't as popular in the states, but I'd just point out that pretty much all the songs that the Beatles covered had been big hits. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino etc. were doing fine here (not financially perhaps), although British collectors did keep them alive through some lean years. Since the early 70s anyway, R&B has done fine without going through that filter, and in fact a lot of the black music that's popular here never really sells well there. And jazz never has been proper pop, since the 40s, when the UK didn't figure at all. The thing about the charts is true, I had a book of UK charts, and the differences were fascinating, but I think a lot of this has to do with the smaller scale. I do regret that we don't get the little flash in the pan groups (OK, Shampoo and Daphne & Celeste were both on film soundtracks, but got no airplay and less press), I guess our equivalent would be the annual summer booty anthem; Whoop there it is, Daisy Duks, Tha Dip, Back that Azz up, Who Let the Dogs Out (booty soca, that's some kind of twist anyway).

Pound for pound the UK's contributions are incredible, but the US is an 8,000 ton gorilla. I think our indy bands are largely influenced by UK acts but at the chart level it's at an all time low. Europe, particularly Germany, has now entered the mix in a way that it really never has before (sure, Kraftwerk, Italian disco, Laura Branigan), so things might get slightly more interesting.

The worst of the two. I hate contemporary music.

UK wins. Now lock thread.

You don't like contemporary music from the USA then geir?

In a perfect world, the answer would be New Zealand. Stupid xenophobic music press. >:(

The UK have been responsible for some stunning refinements and innovations, but the US created the framework of popular music.

Which country is responsible for the third biggest contribution, I wonder?

Taking into account more than just the 20th century and beyond, the winner is probably either Germany, Italy or maybe Greece.

Best thread ever.

Which country gave the most interesting contribution to ILM?

1. Every other country in the world
210. England
211. USA
212. Norway

Germany can keep Scooter.

It's talent vs. taste, innit?