Black British Music in America, 1967–2000

Mike Alleyne is Professor Emeritus with the Department of Recording Industry, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). His publications include co-editing the award-winning collection Analyzing Recorded Music (2023), The Essential Hendrix (2020), and The Encyclopedia of Reggae (2012), and co-editing Prince and Popular Music (2020). His work has been published in Popular Music & Society, Rock Music Studies, Popular Music History, Ethnomusicology Forum, and American Music Perspectives.

• Acknowledgements List of FiguresPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: Remixing Black Popular Music History: The Black and the BritishThe Cultural Sound StageBlack British Outsiders The Voice and the Instrumental Text The Weight of HistoryDread Out There: The Plight of Black British ReggaeRelocating HeatwaveChapter 2: Crossing Over, Genre Politics and Music ProductionThe Mainstream and the ChartsCultural DislocationGenre and Crossover: Charting a DiscourseRecord Labels and Genre LabellingMusic Production Chapter 3: Breaking Into America: The 1960s and 1970sThe Artistic SoundscapeThe Beatles and Early Black British PopThe Foundations: American ArrivalThe Equals: The "Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys"Cymande: Sending the Transatlantic Cultural Message Joan Armatrading: Beyond StereotypesChapter 4: The Margin and the Mainstream: The 1970sHot Chocolate: “Brother Louie” and Breaking AmericaBeyond “Brother Louie”Blue-Eyed British R&B: The Average White Band and KokomoChapter 5: Transitions, Technologies, and Tensions: The Late 1970s and 1980sThe Britfunk Era and Echoes of the 1970sSka’s Second Wave and American IndifferenceTechnology TopographyImagination’s New DimensionsChapter 6: The New Black British Invasion Continues: The 1980sTotal Contrast: Sync or SwimEddy Grant: Electric PropulsionBilly Ocean: The Breakthrough JourneyLoose Ends: The Art of “Hangin’ On”Chapter 7: Commercial Consolidation: The 1980s and 1990sFive Star: Broken by AmericaDes’ree: “Listen as Your Day Unfolds” Soul II Soul: American ConquestVisual Grooves: Soul II Soul Music VideosCaron Wheeler and UK Blak Roachford: A Single InstanceSade: Platinum LifeChapter 8: Selling Seal to the StatesThe Beginning The “Crazy” Music VideoThe Second Self-Titled AlbumThe Human Being ResetRecord Company CalamitiesBlack British Songstress StatusChapter 9: The Ephraim Lewis Case Study: 1992-1994Unveiling SkinDiscovery and SigningThe Music Video for “It Can’t Be Forever”The Textures of Skin The Unreleased Second AlbumChapter 10: Remastering the Mix: 1990s Snapshots and Black British EchoesEqualizing the PastMaxi Priest: Reggae Roots, Pop SuccessMassive Attack: Remixing StardomMark Morrison: The Mack Hits Back Atlantic CodaBibliographyDiscographyFilmographyIndex