Summary
This article lists ten of the most popular and acclaimed bands from Manchester, a city with a long and proud reputation for music, featuring bands of the punk era to the cutting edge of today's post-punk revival, and beyond.
Here are ten of the greatest bands to come out of Manchester:
Buzzcocks are an essential part of the city's musical history – they invited the Sex Pistols to play at the legendary Free Trade Hall gig, where Mark E Smith, Morrissey, Tony Wilson and others were in attendance. But more importantly, their classic song “Ever Fallen In Love” remains a local anthem.
The Fall
They may have 29 albums under their belt, but The Fall have never been a mainstream Manchester band, always operating slightly under the radar. Yet their influence is always there: John Peel named them his favourite band, and their chameleonic styles remain a firm favourite to many.
The Smiths
Perhaps the most important band from Manchester's thriving 80s music scene, The Smiths remain as important to the city as ever. Murmurs of a reunion continue to rumble, but unless Morrissey and Johnny Marr patch up their differences, it seems we'll have to settle for their incredible back catalogue.
Joy Division
The mystique of Ian Curtis and Joy Division endures thirty years on – not least because of the continued legacy set by New Order, the band that was born out of it. The few songs that exist hold a bittersweet edge in the light of Curtis' sudden suicide, aged just 23.
The insane reaction seen at The Stone Roses' reunion gig in Manchester's Heaton Park this year is testament to how highly these Madchester heroes are still regarded. Some called it closer to a “religious experience” than a gig – you don't hear many bands talked about like that.
Badly Drawn Boy
Always seen in an unruly mess of hair and beard, and always clad in his trademark grubby-looking beanie, the man known to his mum as Darren Gough first emerged in the late 90s. His likeable, quirky brand of folk has won him plaudits, and sound tracking duties on two films.
Lamb
Existing outside of the guitar-band tradition, Lamb always seemed closer aligned to the Bristol sound of trip-hop and electronica. Nonetheless, they're an important milestone in Manchester's musical history; a recent reunion emphasised some deep affection for the band.
Oasis
Oasis are easily the biggest band ever to come out of Manchester, and one of the biggest ever to come out of the UK. A very long-running feud between the Gallagher brothers ensured that we might not see them on a stage ever again, but the memory of that hot Britpop summer of 1995 still lingers.
Perhaps the biggest Manc band around at the present, Elbow's friendly, heart-warming style has won them fans the world over. This was firmly cemented when they wrote the official Olympics song at London 2012 and performed at the Closing Ceremony.
Egyptian Hip Hop
Egyptian Hip Hop is not a localised genre but actually an English rock band who have been making huge waves in the current Manchester music scene.
Manchester really is the city of music. The three-day festival In the City recognised this in 2010 by gathering the music industry in Manchester and providing a forum to showcase new talent as well as holding workshops, debates and conferences in Manchester wide. It is a city well worth visiting for its music scene – you can visit musical landmarks as well as discover the wealth of new talent that is still emerging from Manchester today.
Manchester voted as having the UK's best live music scene
The NME reports on a live music survey.
Manchester's music scene now has Everything Everything
The Guardian examines the city's current music scene.
Popular music of Manchester
A Wikipedia article on the city's musical history.