The Beatles' triumphant American debut in 1964 opened the floodgates for British bands to capture the hearts and minds of American teenagers. By the mid-'60s, the Elvis phenomenon had died down in the U.S. and cute, modern British combos were all the rage, with their impeccable manners and mop-top hairdos. The sugary pop of the Dave Clark Five and Herman's Hermits, along with the blues-influenced raunch of the Kinks and the Rolling Stones, captivated the American psyche. The delicate folk-rock of the Searchers and the Hollies and the borderline-baroque pop of the Zombies contrasted with the primitive howling of the Who and the Troggs; then there was Lulu and Dusty Springfield, who proved it wasn't just boys with guitars who could sell records. The British dominance of the American pop charts lasted until the late '60s, when the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band shifted pop's consciousness towards the psychedelic.

Notable Artists: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Walker Brothers