Dust off your mop-top wigs and Union Jack tees—it’s time for a musical invasion! The British Invasion wasn’t just a moment in music history; it was a cultural tidal wave. In the 1960s, bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Kinks stormed the U.S. airwaves, forever changing the sound of rock and roll.
Trivia break: Which Beatles song made its U.S. television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964?
(Note: Answers can be found below.)
Two decades later, the “Second British Invasion” brought a whole new vibe. Bands like Duran Duran, Eurythmics, and the Police dominated MTV and turned music videos into must-watch events.
Pop quiz: Before he was selling out stadiums, what day job did Sting (the Police) have?
I first created this British Invasion ride after the London Olympics in 2012, and it quickly became one of my most popular theme rides. Riders love it—because these songs never get old! A few years ago, I rewrote the profile to make it easier to follow, swapped in some fresh tracks, and added a little twist: optional trivia questions you can sprinkle into class.
My original profiles were, dare I say…a bit wordy; 2012 was before I hired an editor to clean up my writing! 😀 If you’re curious, you can check out the original version, warts and all, right here—it’s a fun trip down memory lane! It includes an audio version (which we no longer do).
This new version gives you flexibility: keep it classic with a mix of both invasions, or split them into two completely different rides—one retro ’60s rock, one MTV-fueled ’80s new wave. To make it easy, I’ve curated two bucket playlists for the two “invasions” (200 songs combined!) to help you customize your own playlists. ICA members can find them below the profile at the end of this post.
Trivia cue: Which ’80s British duo notched five different U.S. top 10 singles over the decade?
And since we love to celebrate Rocktober with all my rock ’n’ roll–themed rides, this British Invasion profile is a perfect one to pull out in October. But your riders will love singing along as you pedal through some of the greatest rock classics from both decades any time of the year.
When I taught this profile last year at two different facilities, the room was electric—one group even sang along to “G-L-O-R-I-A” at the top of their lungs. That’s the magic of these songs: they’re timeless, they’re iconic, and they’ll have your riders singing in the saddle.
Below is what this ride looks like visually, as depicted on the Stages Studio software. Blue is Zone 1 (easy). Green is Zone 2 (somewhat easy), yellow is Zone 3 (moderate), orange is Zone 4 (threshold, hard), and red is Zone 5 (very hard). (There is no Zone 6 or Zone 7 in this profile.)
You can see how the work is laid out as longer, moderate intervals (yellow) with a few harder pushes (orange and a little red). The blue sprinkled throughout the middle of the ride is the recovery taken at the beginning of the flat road sections preceding each climb. As you’ll see in the profile, you can invite your riders to extend the recovery if needed.
Trivia Answer Key
- Beatles U.S. debut on Ed Sullivan (1964): “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
- Sting’s pre-fame day job: He was a schoolteacher.
- 1980s “Fab Five”: Duran Duran
Need some additional trivia cues?
1960s British Invasion
- Which British band was nicknamed the “bad boys” compared to the Beatles’ squeaky-clean image?
- The Rolling Stones’ first big hit in America was actually written by another famous British band—do you know which one?
- The Kinks had a song banned by the BBC because of its risqué lyrics. Can you name it?
- Which legendary British guitarist was discovered as a backup player for Little Richard before going solo in London?
- What British band gave us the rock anthem that repeats a girl’s name—“G-L-O-R-I-A”?
1980s British Invasion
- Which British band’s music video was the very first played on MTV Europe?
- Who was the female powerhouse with orange hair who shocked audiences in a suit and tie in the “Sweet Dreams” video?
- Which British band once had five singles from the same album in the U.S. top 10 at the same time?
- Before they were pop stars, members of which ’80s band worked as models and on yachts in the Caribbean?
Answer Key
1960s
- Beatles vs. Stones: The Rolling Stones were the “bad boys.”
- The Stones’ “I Wanna Be Your Man” was written by Lennon & McCartney.
- The Kinks’ banned hit: “Lola.”
- Legendary guitarist: Jimi Hendrix.
- “G-L-O-R-I-A”: Them (featuring Van Morrison).
1980s
- First video on MTV Europe: “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits.
- Orange-haired suit-wearer: Annie Lennox (Eurythmics).
- Pet Shop Boys
- Yacht + models band: Duran Duran.
The updated profile is below. Try it, tweak it, and let me know how your riders respond!
(And stay tuned—I’ll be updating my “Modern British Invasion” profile soon, which celebrates even more UK greatness.)