In 1964 a major change took place in popular music in the United States. There had been cases of foreign imports registering some success in the states. Italian Domenico Modugno had a #1 record with "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" ("Volare") in 1958. Japan's Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki" reached #1 in 1963 as did the French Singing Nun's "Dominique." But the most likely source for successful imports would have been Great Britain due to the shared language. However, records from the UK had not done that well. Instrumentals "Stranger on the Shore" (Mr. Aker Bilk, 1962) and "Telstar" (The Tornadoes, 1962) had reached #1, but British pop stars such as Cliff Richard had not been able to register hit records in the U.S. But in 1964, The Beatles came to America and they were followed by a string of British artists that peppered the U.S. charts for the next two years. It was a change in music that eventually affected fashion, photography, movies, language, and even values. It was a cultural change that came to be called the "British Invasion."
The launching of the invasion and a jukebox of the imports that made the top twenty in 1964. A list of the major 1964 invasion events and view a slideshow of '64. The British acts continue to find success on the U. S. Charts -- includes a jukebox of the imports that made the top twenty in '65. A list of the major 1954 invasion events and view a slideshow of '65. How The Beatles were first viewed in the U.S. and a video of their first Ed Sullivan appearance.
The American artists who managed to find success during the British Invasion, including a jukebox of the major records. The American artists whose careers declined after the British Invasion. An evaluation of the influence of the British Invasiion including a chart of American artists who survived. A chart of all the number one songs from January of 1964 to December of 1965 with a jukebox. A chart of the songs from Britain in '64 & '65, including their record on the charts -- sortable.
A chart and jukebox of the top 100 songs for 1964 according to Billboard magazine. A chart and jukebox of the top 100 songs for 1965 according to Billboard magazine. APlaylist of the 30 best of the British Invasion A Jukebox of all the songs that made the top 20 in 1964 A Jukebox of all the songs that made the top 20 in 1965