This is the first topic I have created here.

For starters I am using the term "English Music" in this thread to refer to the traditional music that springs from England and originating with non-Celtic Anglo Saxon people (eg.ballads,jigs), as well as any more contemperary versions that stay true to it's basic structures and sound.I am not refering to just any music in the English language (eg.rock,classical).

Now when it comes to Celtic music most of us have a fairly good idea of what that is and what it sounds like.I realise there have been debates about what is and isn't Celtic (debates of that kind exist for possibly any music category).But most of us know enough about Celtic music to know that U2 is not stylisticly Celtic, even though they come from Ireland.Most people won't even use the term "Irish music" to refer to U2.So I'm not going to bother defining Celtic music for people.

With this introduction out of the way, I would like to get down to what this thread is really about:

It has been my observation that Celtic music is much more well known and emphasised in culture than English music.As a result most people can instantly or quickly recognise the Celtic sound in a matter of seconds, be it traditional stuf by The Chieftons, Celtic-rock of the Pogues, or Celtic tinged new age material by Enya (which leans stronger on the new age/adult contemperary side of things).But how many of us would be able to instantly or quickly recognise the English sound in a matter of seconds, be it traditional, English-rock, or English tinged new age music? I doubt that most of us would recognise it quickly if at all, since most rarely get any exposure to it (including myself).

Another result of the emphasis of Celtic sounds over English tunes in the world today, is the fact that English music is often overlooked in written music history or diminished in it's importance.For example when books or articles write about bluegrass or country music, you often hear about the Scots-Irish roots of this music, but there doesn't seem to be that much mention about the English contribution.The English after all brought over there jigs, fiddle tunes, and ballads to America, just like the Scots and Irish did.The English also imported the Sacred Harp singing style to New England and America (though a Celtic flavour can often be heard in it).

Continued with 5 questions I have on this subject, and related comments.....