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Liverpool has a lengthy tradition of music bothclassical andpop. It is well known forthe Beatles (recording 18UK and 20US number-one singles). Its pop and rock music scene has also been important in the development of a number of other bands and artists since the 1950s.[1]
In 2001, theGuinness Book of Records declared Liverpool the "City of Pop" due to the many number one records to have emerged from the music. The most famous band to have come from Liverpool isthe Beatles which played many early gigs at theCavern Club.
Many sea shanties specifically refer to Liverpool, such as "Heave Away", "Liverpool Judies", and "Maggie May", which was later performed bythe Beatles.
In the 1960s, the city was home to the development of theMerseybeat style ofpop music, popularised by artists includingGerry & The Pacemakers. However, even before Merseybeat, Liverpool had successful acts such as:Frankie Vaughan,Lita Roza andBilly Fury. In the late 1970s/early 1980s,Echo & the Bunnymen,A Flock of Seagulls,Teardrop Explodes,the Mighty Wah!,OMD,China Crisis,Frankie Goes to Hollywood andDead or Alive emerged. Apunk rock andpost-punk scene rose during this period, centred around the venue Eric's on Matthew Street, until its closure in 1980 lead way to newer acts andindependent labels with "do-it-yourself" ethos.Record Collector's Tim Peacock said regions of this movement were documented with five compilation albums:A Trip to the Dentist (1980) forBirkenhead;Jobs for the Boys (1985) and its sequelSon of Jobs for the Boys (1985) for Merseyside;Elegance, Charm & Deadly Danger (1985) forSt Helens; andWays to Wear Coats (1986) for Liverpool in general.[2]
1990s bands that enjoyed success werethe Boo Radleys,the La's,the Real People,the Farm andCast. Peacock said the compilation albumDark Side of the Pool (1991) encapsulated the evolvingindie music scene in Liverpool in the early 1990s.[2] During the 2000s bands such asthe Zutons,the Wombats andthe Coral became popular. As a backlash to this style of guitar pop music, another scene far more influenced bypost punk andexperimental music has emerged more recently, spearheaded by bands such asSpace,Ladytron,Clinic,a.P.A.t.T.,Hot Club de Paris and Kling Klang. Rappers such asTremz,Aystar,Hazey,Still Brickin,Mazza_L20 andEsDeeKid have also emerged, using strongScouse accents.
In 2008, World Museum Liverpool (in partnership the Institute of Popular Music at University of Liverpool) created "The Beat Goes On"[3] exhibition charting the history of music in Liverpool in depth, from 1945 to the present day.
The 2020s saw the introduction of bandGirl Group, who formed as university students in Liverpool. They began by playing at local grassroot venues.[4] A fellow all-female group,Girls Don't Sync, followed a similar trajectory during the same time period and have been since been staunch supporters of Liverpool's music and nightlife scenes.[5]
The Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF)[6] evolved from the Mathew Street Music Festival, which was the largest annual free music festival in Liverpool attracting over 200,000 visitors to the city.
In 2011 theGIT Award[7] - formed through influential Liverpool music blog Getintothis - was founded. Dubbed the 'Scouse Mercury Prize' by NME, the GIT Award celebrated and championed Merseyside's revitalised music scene. Garnering backing from over 90 businesses and with a judging panel including the Guardian, NME, 6 Music and founder Peter Guy from the Liverpool Echo, the GIT Award nominated 12 artists representing the best artists from that calendar year.
Liverpool hosts several music festivals each year which celebrate and represent the different cultures within the city.Africa Oye[8] is the UK's largest free festival of African music.
Each year the Liverpool Irish Festival[9] is held featuring mostly folk music celebrating the cultural links between Liverpool and Ireland. Liverpool contains a very large Irish population.
In 2017 the music event Melodic Distraction became a radio station in and serving Liverpool.[10]
The 1960s saw the emergence ofMerseybeat and theCavern Club, the late 1970s and early 1980s a punk scene centred on another club,Eric's also onMathew Street, while 1990s dance clubs includedQuadrant Park,Cream and Club 051.[11] The majority of the city's largest and most popular music venues and clubs are located atConcert Square,Mathew Street,Hardman Street andHope Street, though the Baltic Triangle region of the city has seen a growth in popularity, with a number of venues appearing in previously disused warehouses. Current venues include theEcho Arena Liverpool, East Village Arts Club,The Kazimier (moved toInvisible Wind Factory),The Zanzibar,O2 Academy,Quarry (occupying the former premises of The Magnet), Camp & Furnace and Leaf on Bold Street. In 2022, theTung Auditorium opened in the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre.[12]
A number ofindependent record labels are currently active in the Liverpool scene:
Below is a list of songs by artists from Liverpool that attained the number one position in theUK Singles Chart.
