London Calling - UK pop with an edge

The British pop music scene has seen a sudden revitalization over the past year and a half, with a duo of badass lasses with unique sounds, catchy hooks and enough drama in tow to sink all of the U.K.

First off the boat is the 22-year-old firecracker, Lily Allen. Allen was one of the first musicians who could claim that her success came from MySpace. After receiving several rejections from record companies, it was her hundreds of thousands of MySpace friends spreading her cheaply made demos by word of mouth that got her the recognition she desired.

Alright, Still was a huge hit in Britain, mostly riding the success of her single "Smile," a hip-hop track with ska influences where she sings about getting her brothers to beat up an unfaithful ex. At the end of '06, Allen ended up on several Top 10 lists, even on American ones where her album had yet to debut.

As she became a media sensation in England, Allen's fiery attitude began to show through. She said that anyone who bought Paris Hilton's album should be killed, had choice words for Kylie Minogue, Bob Geldof and George W. Bush, criticized Radiohead for giving away free music and openly mocked the alcohol and heroin addiction of...