Certain cities seem to have a musical pedigree that's a cut above most others, and Manchester is one such example. Over the years, and particularly during the 80s and 90s, the northern city produced a succession of hugely influential acts. Here is our list of ten Mancunian music legends...
10. Stone Roses
Defined the sound of the baggy era with their eponymously titled debut album in 1989. We had to wait five years for the second but it failed to live up to expectations and by 1997 the band had split acrimoniously.
9. The Smiths
Jonny Marr's unique guitar style set against Morrissey's immediately identifiable vocal groan made The Smiths idols amongst legions of angst-ridden cardigan wearering teenagers all over Britain in the mid to late 80s.
8. Inspiral Carpets
Organ grinding indie kings from the early 90s. Bobbed keyboard player Clint Boon is now a DJ on XFM Manchester.
7. Joy Division
Love Will Tear Us Apart is frequently cited in various “greatest song ever”
lists. Their iconic status has no doubt been aided by the stories surrounding the tragic suicide of troubled singer Ian Curtis the night before the band's first US tour in 1980.
6. New Order
The band formed by the remaining members of Joy Divison following Curtis' untimely demise. Enjoyed huge critical and commercial success with songs such as Blue Monday and Regret, and the greatest football song ever committed to tape, 1990's World in Motion.
5. Doves
Formerly dance outfit Sub Sub who had a big hit in 1the early 90s with Aint No Love. After their studio was destroyed by fire, they reinvented themselves and came back as epic alternative rockers and have enjoyed significant success ever since.
4. Happy Mondays
Founding fathers of the Mad-chester scene who made hedonistic dance rock for the E generation. Singer Shaun Ryder went on to form Black Grape while the legendary Bez is probably still dancing with his maracas somewhere.
3. Oasis
Fuelled by a love of the Stone Roses, the Beatles and the Sex Pistols, a young Inspiral Carpets roadie called Noel Gallagher borrowed some guitars from Jonny Marr, got a band going with his younger brother and ended up being one of the biggest acts in the world.
2. Simply Red
Named not after singer Mick Hucknall's hair, but in homage to his loved Manchester United. Not what you'd expect from a Manchester band – they don't tend to be as smooth as this lot...
1. James
Tim Booth & Co had been around since the mid 80s but really rose to prominence when Manchester became the country's musical Mecca in 1990. Sit Down beame a student anthem the length and breadth of the country and James seemed to sell as many T shirts as they did records.
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