Why Are A Disproportionate Number Of Songwriters British?

[Protocol_b]

given the uk is currently tearing itself in two arguing over how quickly we should metaphorically shoot our own brains out, im not sure whatever education system we are using is working

That appears to be a phenomenon, in one form or another, currently in vogue across the western world. An existential crisis of sorts. The cats may prove reluctant to return to the bag.

[jancivil]

Is the UK still seeing value in a more classical education, which might involve music and literature? America doesn't. The culture has devolved. Once upon a time America produced jazz for example. Now it produces extruded music like it was vinyl siding. Fully corporatized and aimed at the lowest common denominator. The triumph of corporate marketing. Each tune analyzed pre-release to ensure that 'X' happens exactly at beat number 'Y', with 'N' breaks. Lyrics have become slogans. The pop'n & lock'n and fashion show is more important than the content. The same downward curve can be observed in language and writing. Cinema as well. If you follow the money far enough you find yourself in Satan's anus.

We actually produce a TON of tunes here. Problem is you can't remember them 5 minutes later.

P.S. Get off my lawn!

[jancivil]

We still make jazz but some of the very greatest have to write books, and come up with Youtube content and online curricula today because the industry has crumbled, the economy is ruined.

[vurt]

Youtube content

does melody even matter?

[deastman]

The entire premise of this topic is baseless. What evidence do you present to back up the assertion that more songwriters come from the UK than from elsewhere? Just a random thought that popped into your head? A gut feeling? An extensive data analysis of music charts across the world, per capita music education levels, sales of music instruments, or...?

True observation: I’ve noticed that many British people have birthdays!

[vurt]

True observation: I’ve noticed that many British people have birthdays!

some of them in eleven days

[jancivil]

Youtube content

does melody even matter?

NO, not that at all.

[harryupbabble]

The entire premise of this topic is baseless. What evidence do you present to back up the assertion that more songwriters come from the UK than from elsewhere? Just a random thought that popped into your head? A gut feeling? An extensive data analysis of music charts across the world, per capita music education levels, sales of music instruments, or...?

True observation: I’ve noticed that many British people have birthdays!

A few years ago, I noticed/realised that the content of my music collection was about 60 to 70 percent British and I wondered "Are other people's music collection just like mine too... disproportionately British?"

So at that time I did some Googling and a few of the articles that I found stated something like what I wrote in my first post and I self-quote:

I read somewhere that the United Kingdom is smaller than the state of Texas. And yet more songwriters came from that little place compared to anywhere else.

I tried finding those articles but I can't find them now probably because I used different search words back then and I can't remember those search words now.

So, recently, the search words I used are "country most songs" but the results are not like what it was a few years ago.
The results now are mostly articles that have titles like "10 of the Most Redneck Country Songs Ever".

So yeah, I guess I can't find the "evidence" or aticles that a few years ago Google pointed me to.

Now, to try to prove my point without those articles, I've been comparing the UK to US states. Here are some self-quotes.

So, I found an article titled "Ranking the 50 States Based on Their Contribution to Popular Music"

https://www.complex.com/music/2013/10/s ... l-ranking/

According to that article, in America, the state of New York is number one in terms of "Contribution to Popular Music".
How does the state of New York compare to the United Kingdom?

The New York state population is 19.85 million (2017)
The UK population is 66.02 million (2017)

The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 square miles)
The total area of the state of New York is approximately 141,300 square kilometres (54,555 square miles)

So, the UK has about three times more people than the state of New York.
The UK is also almost twice as big as the state of New York in terms of land.

From that so-called "research" above (and it's probably a faulty research) I found out that:

1. there are 151 New York songwriters
2. there are 397 United Kingdom songwriters

[elassi]

The troll is back.

[rp314]

Austria has produced quite a number of incredible song writers with a relatively small population.







Just to cite a few examples...

[harryupbabble]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... ongwriters

United States songwriters total 346

50 Cent
Aaron Lewis
Ace Enders
Ace Frehley
Adam Lambert
Adam Levine
Adam Selzer
Adam Shearer
Aimee Mann
AJ Michalka
Alan Jackson
Alicia Keys
Aly Michalka
Angel Haze
Ann Wilson
Anthony Kiedis
Anthony Marinelli
Ariana Grande
Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Tisdale
Axl Rose
B.B. King
Barbra Streisand
Barry Manilow
Bebe Rexha
Beck
Becky G
Ben Folds
Ben Harper
Benjamin Burnley
Benjamin Gibbard
Benji Madden
Bernie Leadon
Bethany Joy Lenz
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Big Sean
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billy Corgan
Billy Gibbons
Bo Diddley
Bob Dylan
Bob Seger
Bobby Kimball
Brandon Boyd
Brandon Flowers
Brian Wilson
Britney Spears
Brooke White
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Sudano
Buck Owens
Buddy Guy
Buddy Holly
Carlos Pena, Jr.
Carrie Underwood
CeCe Peniston
Chan Marshall
Cher
Chris Carrabba
Chris Cornell
Christina Aguilera
Christina Grimmie
Christina Perri
Chuck Berry
Chuck Mosley
Colin Brooks
Conway Twitty
Courtney Love
Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Crystal Waters
Cyndi Lauper
D. S. Bradford
Dan Auerbach
Dan Nelson
Danny Elfman
Daryl Hall
Dave Alvin
Dave Grohl
Dave Matthews
Dave Mustaine
Dave Pirner
David Archuleta
David Byrne
David Crosby
David Draiman
David Gates
David Lee Roth
David Paich
Deborah Harry
Dee Snider
Demi Lovato
Dennis DeYoung
Dickey Betts
Don Dokken
Don Felder
Don Henley
Donald Fagen
Donna Summer
Donnie Van Zant
Doug Kershaw
Doug Yoel
Drew Seeley
Duncan Sheik
Ed Roland
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Rabbitt
Eddie Vedder
Edwin McCain
Eliza Gilkyson
Elliott Murphy
Eminem
Eric Carmen
Faheem Najm
Fergie
Francesca Battistelli
Frank J. Myers
Frank Zappa
Fred Cole
Fred Durst
Freddy Moore
Garth Brooks
Gary Cherone
Gene Simmons
Gene Summers
Glen Burtnik
Glen Phillips
Glenn Frey
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Gaynor
Grace Potter
Gregg Allman
Gwen Stefani
Haley Reinhart
Hank Green
Hayley Williams
Haylie Duff
Helen Slater
Hilary Duff
Howie Day
J.D. Souther
Jack White
Jakob Dylan
James Hetfield
James Lee Stanley
James Maslow
James Taylor
James Young
Janet Jackson
Janis Joplin
Jared Leto
Jay-Z
Jeff Mangum
Jeff Tweedy
Jeffree Star
Jennifer Lopez
Jerry Cantrell
Jesse McCartney
Jessica Harp
Jim Morrison
Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Pop
Joan Osborne
Joe Jonas
Joe Lopez
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Walsh
Joel Madden
Joey Belladonna
John Arch
John Bush
John Curulewski
John Flansburgh
John Fogerty
John Frusciante
John Linnell
John Mayer
John Mellencamp
John Oates
John Popper
John Rzeznik
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Van Zant
JoJo
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon McLaughlin
Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Davis
Joseph Williams
Justin Nozuka
Justin Timberlake
Kaitlyn Maher
Kanye West
Karl Blau
Kate Voegele
Katharine McPhee
Kathy Sledge
Katy Perry
Kelly Clarkson
Ken Andrews
Kendall Schmidt
Kenna
Kenny Loggins
Kenny Rogers
Keri Noble
Kesha
Kevin Cronin
Kevin Jonas
Kip Winger
Kurt Cobain
Lady Gaga
Larry Blackmon
Layne Staley
Leon Russell
Levon Helm
Linda Perry
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsey Buckingham
Lionel Richie
Lisa Coleman
Lisa Loeb
Logan Henderson
Loretta Lynn
Louis Armstrong
Lyle Lovett
Madonna
Marce
Mariah Carey
Marilyn Manson
Mark Heard
Mark Hoppus
Mark Lanegan
Mark Tornillo
Matchstik
Matthew Sweet
Maurice White
Maynard James Keenan
Mean Gene Kelton
Meghan Trainor
Michael Andrews
Michael Bolton
Michael Jackson
Michael McDonald
Michael Nesmith
Michael Sweet
Michael W. Smith
Mike Ness
Mike Patton
Miley Cyrus
Nadia Ali
Nancy Wilson
Natalie Merchant
Ne-Yo
Neil Diamond
Nelly
Nick Jonas
Nicki Minaj
Olivia Bonilla
Paul Butterfield
Paul Simon
Paul Stanley
Paul Westerberg
Paul Williams
Peabo Bryson
Peter Cetera
Peter Cincotti
Peter Criss
Philip Lindholm
Pink
Prince
Priscilla Ahn
R. Kelly
Rachel Platten
Rakim
Ralston Bowles
Randy Meisner
Randy Newman
Ray Alder
Ray LaMontagne
Redfoo
Rhett Miller
Ric Ocasek
Richard Marx
Rickie Lee Jones
Rivers Cuomo
Rob Thomas
Rob Zombie
Robert Cray
Robert Hunter
Robert Johnson
Roger Clyne
Roger Miller
Roger Troutman
Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie Van Zant
Ross Lynch
Roy Orbison
Ryan Adams
Ryan Cabrera
Sammy Hagar
Sarah Buxton
Sarah Perrotta
Scott Stapp
Sean Duffy
Selena
Selena Gomez
Sheryl Crow
Shwayze
Sixto Rodriguez
Smokey Robinson
Sophie B. Hawkins
Stephan Jenkins
Stephen Stills
Stephin Merritt
Steve Miller
Steve Perry
Steven Tyler
Steven Van Zandt
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Wonder
Taylor Swift
Ted Nugent
Terence Trent D'Arby
The Notorious B.I.G.
Thurane Aung Khin
Timothy B. Schmit
Todd Rundgren
Tom DeLonge
Tom Petty
Tom Waits
Tommy Shaw
Tracy Chapman
Travis Meeks
Trent Reznor
Trey Anastasio
Twiggy Ramirez
Tyler Joseph
Vic Fuentes
Walter Becker
Weird Al Yankovic
Wendy Melvoin
will.i.am
William Fitzsimmons
Willie Dixon
Zack de la Rocha
Zendaya

[harryupbabble]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... ongwriters

United Kingdom songwriters total 140

Adele
Adrian Belew
Al Stewart
Alex Turner
Amelle Berrabah
Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough)
Barry Gibb
Betty Boo
Biff Byford
Bill Owen
Blaze Bayley
Brian Johnson
Brian May
Bruce Dickinson
Calvin Harris
Cathy Dennis
Charli xcx
Charlotte Gordon Cumming
Cher Lloyd
Christine McVie
Damon Albarn
Dappy
David Bowie
David Coverdale
David Gilmour
David Gray
David Knopfler
David Tibet
Donovan
Ellie Goulding
Elton John
Elvis Costello
Emeli Sandé
Eric Clapton
Florence Welch
Freddie Mercury
Gary Barlow
Gary Glitter
Gary Lightbody
Gavin Rossdale
George Harrison
George Michael
Graham Russell
Greg Lake
Harry Styles
Heidi Range
Ian Anderson
Ian Gillan
Ian Hunter
Imogen Heap
Jake Bugg
James Blunt
Jeff Lynne
Jem
Jeremy Taylor
Jessie J
Jim King
Jim Noir
Joe Elliott
Joe Jackson
Joe Strummer
John Lennon
John Newman
John Otway
John Payne
John Wetton
Jon Anderson
Joss Stone
Julian Barry
Justin Hawkins
Kate Bush
Kate Nash
Katy Carr
Keisha Buchanan
Keith Relf
Keith Richards
Kim Wilde
Lemmy
Leona Lewis
Liam Gallagher
Liam Payne
Limahl
Louis Tomlinson
Marc Almond
Marianne Faithfull
Marina Lambrini Diamandis
Mark Knopfler
Mark Owen
Matt Hales
Matt Johnson
Maurice Gibb
Mick Hucknall
Mick Jagger
Mick Jones
Morrissey
Mutya Buena
Natasha Bedingfield
Nick Beggs
Nick Lowe
Nik Kershaw
Noel Gallagher
Ozzy Osbourne
Paddy McAloon
Paul Di'Anno
Paul McCartney
Paul Weller
Pete Doherty
Pete Ham
Peter Gabriel
Peter Hammill
Phil Collins
Plunkett
Ray Davies
Richard O'Brien
Richard Wright
Ringo Starr
Rita Ora
Rob Halford
Robert Plant
Robin Gibb
Rod Stewart
Roger Taylor
Roger Waters
Roy Wood
Sade Adu
Sam Smith
Sarah Brightman
Shirley Manson
Simon Le Bon
Simon Neil
Stephen Duffy
Steve Marriott
Sting
Syd Barrett
Thom Yorke
Tim Rice
Tom Vek
Tulisa Contostavlos
Will Young
Zayn Malik

[harryupbabble]

I think this is my final "research" on the topic. The math seems to confirm my thread's title. The "Disproportionate" part, at least.

I found this Wikipedia page. It's a list of songwriters and their countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... ongwriters

United States population is 325.7 million (2017)
United Kingdom population is 66.02 million (2017)

The United States has 5 times more people than the United Kingdom.
Just looking at that Wikipedia page... I can tell that the United States does not have 5 times more songwriters than the United Kingdom.
Oh heck, let me actually count it.

United Kingdom songwriters total 140
United States songwriters total 346

The UK's songwriters total has to be multiplied 5 times because the United States has 5 times more people.
140 x 5 = 700

The adjusted figures should then be:
United Kingdom songwriters total 700
United States songwriters total 346

By that calculation, the UK has 354 more songwriters than the US.
700 subtract 346 equals 354

[yellowmix]

Puerto Rico population: 3,195,153 (2018 estimate)

UK has 20.66 times more people than Puerto Rico.

UK songwriters: 140
Puerto Rico songwriters: 62

Puerto Rico's songwriters has to be multiplied 20.66 times to match UK per capita.

62 * 20.66 = 1280

By that calculation, Puerto Rico has 1140 more songwriters than the UK.

[yellowmix]

Iceland population: 338,349 (2017)

UK has 195.12 times more people than Iceland.

UK songwriters: 140
Iceland songwriters: 8

Iceland's songwriters has to be multiplied 195.12 times to match UK per capita.

195.12 * 8 = 1561

By that calculation, Iceland has 1421 more songwriters than the UK.