The British have essentially been everywhere and done everything so it’s no surprise that we have a few icons floating around the earth – all famous for various reasons. Although we may be best known for things such as tea, red telephone booths and double-decker busses, there is a considerable stem of talent that originates from our culture.
These talented people are known for breaking from the crowd and finding their own image within the sphere of influence that is so very important in this era. Similarly, here at The Megaro, we’ve differed from the norm and found a way to express our personality and talents to the world.
Here is a list of 5 British pop culture icons that we all simply adore (in no particular order):
1. THE WHO – formed in the mid 60’s, the Who are up the list in the scene of talented acts from the era. The Who took a bold step toward defining a uniquely British rock vernacular in the 1960’s and had a great amount of success as their record sales of over 100 million worldwide show. Although the Who often take backstage to some of the more well-known influences of the time, their music still remains an incredibly popular and typically British influence in music to this day.
2. DAVID BOWIE – breaking from tradition and introducing the music scene to a variety of sounds are just two of the things Mr. Bowie did during his time. David Bowie was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades as he saw acclaim for his innovative work. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million albums worldwide, made him one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
3. LED ZEPPELIN – yet another late 60’s band made our list but for great reason. Led Zeppelin were a band known for their ability to combine blues, folk, and musical theory into a combination with strong substance. The band’s first four albums are seen as being rock classics for their unique flare amongst the crowded music scene from the rock-crazed time they were at their prime.
4. THE ROLLING STONES – no parent anywhere wanted his daughter to bring home Mick Jagger, Keith Richards or Brian Jones. They were the anti-Beatles with their dirty, sexy rock and roll heavily inspired by American R&B. If time is any metric of sheer success, talent, or ability, the fact that they’ve been a functioning rock ‘n’ roll unit for more than 50 years, the longest run in history, proves their excellence.
5. THE BEATLES – the Beatles are probably the most popular band in history, ever. There’s no way to describe how different the world of pop music was after the Beatles arrived. They were the greatest because they were successful beyond anyone’s standard at the time. They had an unprecedented gift for innovation and thus managed to change the rules of the game forever. To be honest, the list could extend for miles but the easiest way to put it is that they’re simply the best British icon.
