Great thread topic. To me it's a decade-by-decade shift almost.
50s - undoubtedly American. The birth of Rock, and the forefathers of it all. Chuck Berry, Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis. The list goes on. Meanwhile, Lonnie Donegan and Cliff Richards and the Shadow just don't compare.
60s - British for me. The greatest of all time in The Beatles, plus all the bands they opened the door for. First wave "British Invasion" bands like the Stones, Who, Hollies, Kinks, etc. Second wave was the blues-based bands like Cream, Led Zeppelin, etc. There was some good US music as well, like all the great early Motown records, CCR, and (leaving out some I can't think of - apologies!) but I'd say Britain had the better music.
I don't listen to too much 70s and 80s stuff, but the 90s seems pretty split down the middle for me. Obviously Oasis was huge, but so were Nirvana and Pearl Jam, for example.
What makes it all so great is the constant influence each country has on the other's music.
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