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The diverse nations that now make up the United Kingdom were much more distinct from each other prior to modern times. There was little culturally uniting the varying Welsh, Scottish, English and Irish villages and regions until relatively recently. Broadside ballads were the first pan-British popular music tradition, and were quickly followed by popular British operas and musicals, music hall and, following the invention of recording technology, pop music.

1 Broadside ballads

Main article: Broadside ballad

The earliest forms of music popular across all of the United Kingdom were broadside ballads. These were popular folk songs printed on sheets of varying lengths (broadsides); most were originally lyrics with a note on the sheet that the words were to be sung to some well-known tune. Broadside ballads were popular across Western Europe beginning in the 16th century. They were written by hand before the invention of the printing press, and only grew extremely popular after they could be cheaply reproduced. Broadside ballads were sold by travelling peddlers or by merchants in stalls in a town's marketplace, and were pasted on walls or other locations before being learned; after the words had been committed to memory, the broadside was replaced or pasted by another.

The earliest broadsides come from about 1506, and their popularity grew quickly -- one merchant sold 190 ballads in 1520, a remarkable sum considering the rarity of literacy at the time. After 1556, printers were required to register with the Stationers' Company in LondonLondon is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England, and with over seven million inhabitants in the Greater London area, is the second-most populous conurbation in Europe (after Moscow). From being Londinium the capital of the Roman province of Bri, and had pay four pence to register each balld beginning in 1557Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. June Mary I of England joins her husband Philip II of Spain in his war against France. August 10 Battle of St. Quentin French forces under Marshal Anne de Montmorency are decisively defeated by the Spanish under Duke and continuing to 1709Events January 12 Two-month freezing period begins in France The coast of the Atlantic and Seine River freeze, crops fail and at least 24. 000 Parisians die February 2 Alexander Selkirk is rescued from shipwreck on a desert island, inspiring the book Robi.

Broadsides were often folded into pamphlets called chapbooks, which were popular in the 18th century17th century 18th century 19th century more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701- 1800; however, historians will sometimes specifically refer to the 18th Century as 1715- 89,, sold by chapmen. The earliest garland, or a collection of songs and ballads in chapbooks. By the beginning of the 20th century19th century 20th century 21st century more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901- 2000 in the sense of the Gre, broadsides were declining in popularity due to the influx of newspaperBrookgreen Gardens Pawleys Island, South Carolina A newspaper is a lightweight and disposable publication, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint, containing a journal of current news in a variety of topics. These topics can include politicals, and the tradition soon died out.