British breakthrough in US charts 'down to teamwork'

In the next week Lady Gaga is likely to end what has been one of the most remarkable periods of global chart domination for British artist Adele.

In the UK, she's spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at number one in the UK's official album chart with 21, only pipped by Foo Fighters in week 12.

While the Tottenham-born songstress has been almost ever present at the top of the charts in the UK this year, she can also be considered the pin-up girl for the current British invasion Stateside.

In America, her second album has also spent nine weeks on top of the pile shifting over two million copies.

Rolling In The Deep has also topped Billboard's Hot 100 for four weeks.

British invasion

But Adele's triumph is just the main headline for what has been a highly successful year so far for breakthrough British talent in the US.

As of this month Tinie Tempah can add a US platinum disc to his cupboard full of Brit, Ivor and Mobo awards.

He has now become the first British rapper to achieve platinum sales status with a debut single in the US.

That means he's sold one million copies of Written In The Stars featuring Eric Turner.

Tinie Tempah thinks he knows the key to this current British invasion - confidence.

"I just think we're [the British] starting to love ourselves a whole lot more," he says.

"I love Adele, I love Jessie J, I love James Blake, I love Eliza Doolittle, I love Ellie Goulding - all these people are making their mark over there.

"We all support each other and push each other and we want each other to succeed."

'Fly the flag'

In 2010 Plan B had a sensational year in the UK with his second album The Defamation Of Strickland Banks.

He's now admitted he's had to put his other projects - his second album, debut film and part in the upcoming film remake of The Sweeney - on hold as his career takes flight in the US.

Ellie Goulding has just released her debut album in the United States

"I'm glad that a real artist like that has blown up so much because it says so much about manufactured pop music when someone like Adele goes and does what she's doing in America," he said.

Jessie J, whose career first took off in the US, says she's fiercely proud of representing British music in other countries.

"It's amazing that I'm given these opportunities to take UK music around the world," she said.

"I feel like I'm part of a cool little crew that are able to fly the flag and it's a great feeling.

"Adele has blown my mind with how amazing she's done.

"I can't imagine how she feels to be at number one in America, that doesn't happen every day. She deserves every single bit of success which comes her way."

'Not too different'

Ellie Goulding released her debut album Lights shortly after topping the BBC's Sound Of 2010.

It's only now, 18 months later, that she's released it in the US.

"I have to go back over there because my album is doing really well," said Goulding. "I won't ever abandon my fans over here because I love them so much. I will be back."

And of course there are the singer's good friends Mumford & Sons.

Their debut album Sigh No More (currently at number 12 - it peaked at number three) in the Billboard top 200 album chart has now sold in excess of 1.4 copies on that side of the Atlantic.

US rapper Wiz Khalifa sums up why he thinks American fans have taken so readily to the sounds of artists like Tinie Tempah.

"His flow is amazing. It's different, but not too different that people can't grasp it," he notes.

With huge global sales predicted for Lady Gaga's Born This Way - according to the weeks UK Official Charts Company it's already forecast to record the biggest first week sales of any artist this year - Adele's run on top, in the UK and in the States, could soon be ended.

But, with the communal spirit that Tinie Tempah notes, don't bank against more success for UK artists in the US this year.