America

A huge hitmaking force in the ’70s, America filtered folk-rock harmonies and country-rock twang through some major pop songwriting smarts to create a long string of enduring Top 40 tunes. Ironically, the band who came to define a subset of American pop began here in the UK. Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek were Air Force kids who met and started a band together in London in 1970. After scoring big with their 1972 debut single, “A Horse With No Name”, the three moved to L.A. and continued their takeover of the American charts with a classic run of hits including “Ventura Highway”, “Tin Man” and “Sister Golden Hair”, embodying the breezy West Coast pop sound of the era. Beatles producer George Martin even helped them conjure their pop magic for a couple of albums. Things cooled down in the decade’s second half, but America (minus Peek) had a resurgence with 1982’s “You Can Do Magic”.