Music differences - US vs UK

Someone mentioned in another thread how they find the type of music they are into is not very popular in the US.  I wonder if music tastes vary more between regions in the US than they do here? And if some types of music are more popular over here than in the US and vice versa?

Indie's big over here, but not everywhere.  I know London has a big indie scene but my teenage daughter found it hard to find in Manchester.

Really? I thought Manchester invented Indie!!

So did I!

In Chicago Indie Rock is slightly alive...Rave/Electronica/House/Trance is on life support....Rap/Hip Hop/R&B is overwhelmingly alive and kicking...which sucks for me.

In the US, it's all relative to geography.  Live in a college town?  Indie is everywhere.  Live in the sticks?  Not so much.  Obviously urban areas will have a wide variety of everything assuming you know where to look.

It also depends on what sort of music people are into.  The whole Brit Pop thing never seems to make it over the Atlantic, save for a few groups.  But even then, it's usually a song or two and that's it.  Look at Robbie Williams - he's barely on the radar here.  And even then it's usually some gossipy "Look at the weird British singer" thing and nothing to do with music.

The same goes, I think, for the more independent stuff.  But that may due less to popularity and more to do with labels not really spending (or having) the money to push bands in the US.

In the US, it's all relative to geography.  Live in a college town?  Indie is everywhere.  Live in the sticks?  Not so much.  Obviously urban areas will have a wide variety of everything assuming you know where to look.

Man. I missed college radio when I moved here!

I have to say...and I am really sorry if you guys really like it...but I can not stand Country.  It drives me insane to listen to it.  Then again..maybe its because I haven't heard good country...the stuff I have heard is supposed to be romantic but it makes the hairs on my neck stand up. 

Sorry 

Like rock, there is a whole gamut of country. I'm not overly fond of the super popular stuff but I do like alt-country and a lot of the older stuff.

As for the music scene, yeah, I really miss college radio. I just can't get into the British radio formats.

I was in high school in the 80s so was around during the whole Brit invasion then.. when I started high school it was all underground and by the time I graduated, New Order were playing large outdoor amphitheatres.

I'm out of the loop now which is depressing. I blame being broke all the time along with not really liking the radio here.

Just to say to all the frustrated at the radio people, my husband and I own an independent record label that offers a lot of free music through our main webpage: SVC Records. I also like Dandelion Radio for the college-radio feel. It's an internet only, but nice to stream in the background when you're working on the computer.

In the US, it's all relative to geography.  Live in a college town?  Indie is everywhere. 

Absolutely - even the normal stations in our 2 college town have a bit of college radio feel. 

I always found when visiting hubby before we got married that dance/pop was all I ever heard on the radio in the UK. I'm not a big dance/pop fan at all and it drove me nuts.

Thanks for the links, eliza_beth!  I also grew up in a college town where I was spoiled for choice of indie and Brit pop.  My (Brit) husband thinks my longing for jangly, early- REM/Replacements/Husker Du is 'cute'.  Just wait til we visit NY in November and I get my vinyl collection packed up and shipped over!  

I think that there is much more opportunity here for 'indie' bands to get heard and even sell records (I guess you don't say that anymore!!) here. It seems that in the US, besides the college radio stations, the music on the radio is usually very big pop, hip-hop, r&b or country artists. Here you get greater diversity in music and programming.

I love the music here. I've always been a huge fan of Paul Weller and it is so nice to be someplace he is appreciated. 

See now I am one of the ones who mainly listens to Contemporary Country music    I don't really like the older style country I can listen to some of it but only for a bit. I think some of the more modern country music doesn't have that much twang to it like the older stuff does. I also think some of it could pass for pop possibly light rock myself.    thanks goodness for my Yahoo Music Launch so I can listen to the new country music & some of my older favorite country singers or groups.   I also enjoy alot of the 80's music.      I don't think I have listened to Indie music. when we are in the car we either have my Ipod plugged in to the radio, a listen to Cd's or we listen to Talk Sport.

I have to say...and I am really sorry if you guys really like it...but I can not stand Country.  It drives me insane to listen to it.  Then again..maybe its because I haven't heard good country...the stuff I have heard is supposed to be romantic but it makes the hairs on my neck stand up. 

Sorry 

LuckyCuz Try listening to Rascal Flatt's, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney,       or Carrie Underwood there more upbeat music not there ballads even though I enjoy there ballads they aren't for everyone's taste.    

I think that there is much more opportunity here for 'indie' bands to get heard and even sell records (I guess you don't say that anymore!!) here. It seems that in the US, besides the college radio stations, the music on the radio is usually very big pop, hip-hop, r&b or country artists. Here you get greater diversity in music and programming.

Do you think so? It seems like the mainstream stations (in the UK) hardly play any unknowns to me.

As for country music, I'm not really a fan of most of it except for Johnny Cash (OF COURSE!!!) but I don't mind a bit of bluegrass. We used to go to a bluegrass night at our local in Islington.