Classically trained British singers are a surprise hit in the US charts

Britain's leading female singers are conquering America, bringing to an end a fruitless period for UK pop acts trying to repeat their success in the US.

After two of the weakest years for decades, figures to be published this week in Billboard magazine will show a transformation in British fortunes. British artists had an 8.8 per cent share of Billboard's top 100 albums over the year, compared with 1.7 per cent last year and 0.2 per cent in 1999, an all-time low. This year will prove Britain's best since 1996.

Stars including Dido and Sade are among the artists who had big-selling albums in America in 2001. But one of the most sought-after new stars is the Welsh teenage diva Charlotte Church – despite the controversy sparked by her remarks about New Yorkers' "overdramatising" the effects of the 11 September terrorist attacks. She has spearheaded the "classical crossover" invasion of America, and the US appears to have been fascinated by the concept of classically trained singers presented as pop stars and performing a range of material from operatic to middle-of-the-road and pop. Russell Watson, Bond and Sarah Brightman are others who have done well this year as part of the classical wave.

The biggest British success in the US is, unsurprisingly, The Beatles with their album of number-one hits. The most popular live British acts are also vintage performers including Elton John, Eric Clapton and Black Sabbath.

While the older performers maintain their popularity, Britain's biggest young rock star, Robbie Williams, has failed to make any impression in the US. There has been success, though, for a number of his contemporaries, including David Gray, Craig David, Radiohead, Coldplay and Gorillaz.

But the success that could not have been predicted is that of Church, Watson and the classical invasion. Church, Brightman, Watson and Bond have collectively sold more than four million albums in the US over the past two years and Brightman is also one of the most popular UK acts on the American touring circuit, selling $5m (£3.4m) worth of tickets at 21 concerts.

Adam White, the London editor of Billboard, said: "A lot of people in the industry will be surprised by how well the crossover classical has done. A lot of those artists are somewhat off the radar.

''They don't get radio play; they are not in the rock and pop mainstream, but we found that there is really no equivalent in America. As in 1964 and The Beatles or the New Romantics in the Eighties, there is a fresh new sound coming from England."