Hospital Radio: The golden age of British music

Since the 1950s, the face of British music has changed beyond all recognition.

The days of the music hall and the big bands are long gone and have been replaced by what I would describe as pop music. Of course it did not all happen in one go; it started with skiffle, a kind of folk music with influences from folk and jazz, that was generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and often homemade instruments.

It was most famously made in Britain by Lonnie Donegan, but it was also a major part of the early careers of many others, including the Quarrymen (who were later renamed the Beatles), and was a stepping stone for the British Invasion of American popular music.

The 50s also saw the birth of rock’n’roll, and whilst seen as starting in the USA, Britain had a crop of stars who excelled in those early days. The most notable being Cliff Richard, who is the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Many of his early hits were undoubtedly of the genre. Move It from 1958 is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song. He continued to dominate the pop scene until the advent of the Beatles.

The Beatles were unique when they came along, appealing to a teenage audience; they were one of the first bands to write and perform their own songs. Lennon and McCartney are legendary when it comes to songwriting. They are widely considered the most successful musical partnerships ever, with the Beatles selling over 600 million records worldwide.

The pair wrote over 150 songs, of which the majority were recorded by the Beatles, the bulk of their catalogue. A true British success story, born in Liverpool. The band played Torquay in August 1963, and it was their one and only visit here to the Princess Theatre.

The sixties saw many notable British bands who shaped the course of musical history. Another The Rolling Stones came to the Bay in August 1964 and stayed for five days, performing every day in concerts across the Southwest. They played two concerts at Torquay Town Hall, the only dates on the tour which were not complete sell-outs.

Hard to believe, considering they continue to tour worldwide, filling stadium-sized venues. They too have a famous songwriting duo in Mick Jagger and Keith Richard, with at least 178 songs officially credited to them and in the main recorded by the band. Over the years they have sold over 250 million records, and their influence on rock music and global music is undeniable.

The list of great British songwriters is a long one. David Bowie, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and Jeff Lynne have all written and sold millions of records around the world. Proving conclusively that Britain is a hotbed of talent. The great British band Queen had four songwriters all contributing to their catalogue of well-known songs; it is hard to believe, but they may have outsold the Rolling Stones.

They have written some of the most famous songs in existence, and their greatest hits can make even the largest stadium audience sing and clap like there's no tomorrow.

The past is a good guide of how good we are at producing music, but what does the future hold? Clearly this piece is not long enough to cover all that is great about British music and its influence on the world of music. The facts speak for themselves, and its success shows no sign of abating.

Now I can hear you say he has not even got up to the present day, so I think it would only be fair to explore and celebrate that. Unfortunately, that will have to wait until next time around, when I look at the influence of British music in the 21st century.