If you'll allow me to toot my own horn...
> Great topic. There's plenty of others. I always thought "On & On"
> by The Longpigs (1998) should've been a HUGE hit (a la the Goo Goo
> Dolls)...but it got nowhere.
The Irish pop music group whom I have named my ID after -- Westlife -- has a large collection of U.K. hits and album tracks which could be a success on this side of the pond, if only if they were given a fair chance.
Westlife did score a #20 U.S. hit with the pop ballad "Swear It Again" in 2000, but the subsequent death of pop music left their follow-up attempt, the uptempo "World Of Our Own" in 2002, largely ignored, with very little radio airplay despite strong praise from New York'z Z-100 and L.A.'s Kiss-FM.
Here are some of Westlife's song which I feel could best appeal to an American audience in today's musical atmosphere:
Pop Ballads:
Flying Without Wings (1999 UK Record Of The Year, later covered by American Idol winner Ruben Studdard)
Mandy (2003 UK Record Of The Year; Barry Manilow cover. There is also a very good uptempo Dance Remix of this song.)
Obvious (#3 UK hit in 2004)
Pop-Rock:
Bop Bop Baby (#5 UK hit in 2001; note that the album version has more of a Rock sound than the UK single version)
To Be With You (2003 album track; Mr. Big cover)
Uptempo Pop:
Uptown Girl (#1 UK hit in 2001; Billy Joel cover)
Thank You (2003 album track)
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (duet with Donna Summer)
Turnaround (2003 album title track)
R&B-ish Pop:
Hey Whatever (#4 UK hit in 2003)
Imaginary Diva (2001 album track; unsuspecting listeners will probably be quite surprised to learn that the lead singer, Mark Feehily, is white and Irish!)
Country:
Daytime Friends (recorded in Nashville in 2003 & played on WSIX with much listener praise; Kenny Rogers cover. A traditional Country sound; they didn't attempt to "pop-ify" it.)
OK, I think that's enough tooting for now!
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