Good point.
The Proclaimers got to number 3 in the US singles chart with (I’m gonna be ) 500 Miles, although I’ve no idea what they made of some of the lyrics. Also some of the Liverpool bands from the 60’s who sang with local accents did okay over there I think, maybe on the back of The Beatles success? Gerry and the Pacemakers spring to mind with ‘Ferry cross the Mersey’.