So, aside from our nearest and dearest neck of the woods Manchester, we at Pie Radio are venturing further along to the region home to our favourite frenemies. Liverpool and the Merseyside region, we have to admit, is home to the invention of popular music.
Here are our ten picks of the most influential artists to come from the region.
10. Aystar
Most likely a well known name amongst Pie Radio listeners. Aystar might be the newest artist on this list, but his sound is changing the face of music coming out of Liverpool, whilst reminding the country that they are still producing great artists.
9. CamelPhat
Camelphat are one of the most underrated DJ duos to come out of Liverpool. This particular song reminds me of nightclubbing and has me hoping I can dance away to this hit sometime soon. They’ve also just been announced to be performing at this year’s Parklife.
8. Atomic Kitten
I had to, I just had to. This is my favourite cover by them, gives me serious nostalgia to the Lizzie McGuire movie. Also, Natasha’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 contributed to me adding the girl group to this list.
7. The Real Thing
Such a fantastic 70s soul song – you’d have thought it had been an American group. Yet alas, these lads all hailed from Merseyside and created a track worthy of a Soul Train dance-a-thon.
6. Dead or Alive
Two words, Pete Burns. Not only razor sharp in his wit and insults, but he was actually a great singer too. This song will always be a dance floor hit across the country and he will always be revered as an icon.
5. Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Amazing group who went to number one with this classic that was initially banned from the radio. They were central not only to music of the 80s, but they serve, still to this day, as icons of the LGBTQ+ community.
4. Billy Fury
A rock and roll singer who was arguably one of the U.K.’s rivals to Elvis Presley. He even equalled another major group’s record of 24 hits in the 1960s. This song was covered by a fellow Merseyside boy Miles Kane with Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys in their double act, The Last Shadow Puppets.
3. Gerry and the Pacemakers
For all you fans of Liverpool FC, when you are chanting this anthem, you are chanting a piece of Liverpool history. Even though this song was written by Americans, Gerry and the Pacemakers were part of the patchwork, central to Liverpool’s music history. Gerry sadly passed away earlier this year, but his legacy lives on.
2. The Searchers
Another one to add to the Merseybeat sound. This group, along with number 3 and 1 on this list, originally started as a skiffle group. They took their name from a western film of the same name and the rest they say is history. They had some mega hits, but this one might be a favourite.
1. The Beatles
Would it be a list about musicians of Liverpool without mentioning the band responsible for one of the biggest cultural revolutions in the history of music?
So there you have it, our top 10 artists to come out of Liverpool and the Merseyside region.
One thing for certain is that there are so many more artists that could have been added to this list. To name a few honourable mentions – Circa Waves, Tabitha Jade, Clean Cut Kid, MiC Lowry, Ty Lewis, Remée, Jono, TEE, Tremz, Rico Don and MC Nelson.
We at Pie Radio cannot wait to see what Liverpool has to offer in the way of new music in the future.