British music artists has been very successful prior to 1990. We saw how The Beatles and The Rollings Stones dominated the US Billboard music charts. In the 1980s, the New Wave era has also ruled the US charts. In 1990s, some of British artists did well, but not as huge as they had performed the past decades. Here are SOME of the notable British artists who are able to keep up with the competition with their American counterparts in US music charts.
George Michael
After his stint with Wham in 1980s, and a successful solo album the latter part of that decade, George Michael released his second album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, which became his second top 10 album in the US. It peaked at number 2, but its sales is not as huge as the US 11 million seller Faith. The album still achieved 2x platinum, still a good amount. It scored two top 10 hits, Praying for Time at number 1, and Freedom! 90 at number 8.
It took several years to follow the album up, and in 1996, his third album Older was released. It has been a huge success worldwide, though it only peaked at number 6 in the US. That's still a good performance, and it was certified platinum in the country. It also scored two top hits such as Jesus to a Child and Fastlove, which reached number 7, and 8 respectively.
The album was followed up by his first compilation album in 1998 with Ladies and Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael, which only peaked at number 24 (still a platinum seller), and his 1999 cover album Songs from the Last Century, which failed to reach the top 100.
EMF
EMF was known for their hit Unbelievable which reached number 1 in 1991. Some may say they are a one-hit wonder, but a top 20 single is a hit as Lies reached number 18. Their album Schubert Dip peaked at number 12. Their subsequent albums didn't make an impact
UB40
UB40 has already charted in the 1980s, however, their first 1990s album was the most notable. It was Promise and Lies, which was an international hit, and peaked at number 6 in the US. It was eventually certified platinum in the country. The success of the album was pushed by their own version of the song (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You, which has been a number 1 hit, and was one of the biggest 1993 hits in the US. The second single only reached number 45 though, and they didn't score another top 10 album and singles after that.
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart is aldeady popular in 1970s and 1980s even in the US. He extended his chart success in 1990s. His first album of the decade Vagabond Heart peaked at number 10, and was certified platinum. It scored the number 5 hit Rhythm of My Heart, number 10 hit The Motown Song, and number 20 hit Broken Arrow.
He released two studio albums that decade but faile6to reach the top 10. In the same decade, he released the live album Unplugged... and Seated, which reached number 2, and was certified 3x platinum. It featured the number 5 hit *Have I Told You Lately, and and number 19 hit track Reason to Believe.
He also released two compilation albums Downtown Train - Selections from the Storyteller Anthology which peaked at number 20, and certified 2x platinum, and If We Fall In Love Tonight* at number 19, and certified platinum.
Aside from those chart performances, he is one of the three artists who sang the soundtrack single of The Three Musketeers with Bryan Adams and Sting, All For Love. It was a global number 1 hit, and including the Billboard Hot 100.
