On Air Now
The Chris Moyles Show 8am - 11am
The 50 best songs from Manchester
27 July 2024, 15:00
Let's celebrate the greatest music city in the world with some of its finest music.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
-
The Smiths - This Charming Man
With its danceable bassline and jaunty guitar riff, this 1983 single quickly became Morrissey and Marr’s calling card and ushered in a whole new era of indie.
The Smiths - This Charming Man (Official Music Video)
-
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Hailing variously from Salford and Macclesfield in Cheshire, Joy Division became one of the great post-punk bands. This was their epitaph, released after the death of singer Ian Curtis aged just 23.
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]
-
Oasis - Acquiesce
The B-side of Some Might Say, this is an anthemic celebration of friendship.
Oasis - Acquiesce
-
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
A wry Mancunian punk classic from the pen of Pete Shelley in 1978.
The Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
-
Oasis - Slide Away
One of the Gallaghers’ most underrated songs, this was an attempt by Noel to emulate the beauty of the mundane that characterised the music of The Smiths.
Oasis - Slide Away (Official Lyric Video)
-
The Charlatans - The Only One I Know
Although formed in the West Midlands, the band became honorary Mancs when they relocated to Northwich and enlisted the talents of frontman Tim Burgess, of Salford. Their first hit, from 1990, put them firmly at the centre of “Madchester”.
The Charlatans - The Only One I Know
-
Elbow - One Day Like This
The classic Elbow song from The Seldom Seen Kid, an inspiring ode to a beautiful day.
Elbow - One Day Like This
-
Happy Mondays - Step On
The song that took the Mondays from quirky indie underdogs to genuine pop stars was a cover of the 1971 John Kongos hit He’s Gonna Step On You Again.
Happy Mondays - Step On
-
Ian Brown - F.E.A.R
Brown hails from Warrington, but grew up in Altrincham and, of course, fronted one of the most iconic Manchester bands of all time, The Stone Roses. Each word in every line of this 2001 song starts with the letters F.E.A.R.
Ian Brown - F.E.A.R.
-
Inspiral Carpets - This Is How It Feels
Written by former Radio X DJ Clint Boon, this 1990 classic is a succinct slice of life and mortality. "This is how it feels when your work means nothing at all."
Inspiral Carpets - This Is How It Feels
-
New Order - Blue Monday
The band continued their adventures into electronica with this tribute to New York’s clubland. The stylish sleeve helped ensure that the song became the biggest-selling 12” single of all time.
New Order - Blue Monday 88 [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]
-
Joy Division - Atmosphere
Recorded in late 1979 and released as a very limited edition in France, this graceful ballad later got a wider release and became famous for its stylish Anton Corbijn video.
Joy Division - Atmosphere [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]
-
The Stone Roses - Sally Cinnamon
A 1987 for the Roses, this was a more straightforward indie ballad and appeared on the label FM-Revolver. When it was re-released in the middle of Roses-mania three years later, the band were not happy.
The Stone Roses: Sally Cinnamon (Official Video)
-
James - Laid
James drafted in producer Brian Eno and created a more experimental sound on their fifth album Laid. The title track remains one of the band’s most recognised songs.
James - Laid (Version 2)
-
Oasis - Champagne Supernova
Taken from the mega-selling (What’s The Story) Morning Glory album, this mellow meditation on life features one of Liam Gallagher’s greatest performances.
Oasis - Champagne Supernova
-
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
Lilting, shuffling guitars and floating vocals, this album track was later issued as a single in its own right.
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
-
Oasis - Wonderwall
The ultimate Oasis song: concise, memorable and anthemic. It made Number 2 in the UK charts, being kept off the top by TV hearthrobs Robson And Jerome.
Oasis - Wonderwall - Official Video
-
New Order - True Faith
A standalone single designed to promote the 1987 compilation Substance, this excellent tune was accompanied by a bizarre but memorable video directed by Philippe Decouflé.
New Order - True Faith (1987) [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]
-
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
An unusual song in the Smiths canon, this hypnotic 7-minute ode to shyness was a showcase for Johnny Marr’s guitar pyrotechnics and was only originally considered as a b-side.
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now? (Official Music Video)
-
The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
The track the opened the Roses’ 1989 debut album: slow build, then a pure statement of intent from Ian Brown. “I don’t have to sell my soul / He’s already in me.”
The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
-
Oasis - Live Forever
An antidote to the dourness of grunge, this instant classic was written by Noel Gallagher while skiving off work and was the band’s earliest anthem.
Oasis - Live Forever - Official Video
-
The Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection
The lengthy, peerless final track on the debut Stone Roses album, this is really two songs in one - Ian Brown’s verses… followed by an epic solo from John Squire.
The Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection
-
The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make
Steven Morrissey (from Stretford) met Johnny Marr (from Wythenshawe) and a classic songwriting partnership was born. This was taken from their self-titled debut album and was one of their most memorable early singles.
The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make? (Official Music Video)
-
Oasis - Cast No Shadow
Dedicated to Verve man Richard Aschroft, this is a quieter moment from the million-selling (What’s The Story) Morning Glory album.
Oasis - Cast No Shadow (Official Lyric Video)
-
Courteeners - How Good It Was
A bittersweet classic from Liam Fray, taken from the band’s 2014 album Concrete Love.
Courteeners - How Good It Was (Official Video)
-
The Stone Roses - Love Spreads
The Roses’ big comeback single, after the lengthy sessions for their album The Second Coming: “Let me put you in the picture / Let me show you what I mean / The messiah is my sister / Ain't no king man she's my queen.”
The Stone Roses - Love Spreads
-
Oasis - Half The World Away
Best known now for being the theme tune to the TV comedy The Royle Family, amazingly this acoustic masterpiece was only a b-side.
Oasis - Half The World Away (Official Lyric Video)
-
The Verve - Lucky Man
Hailing from Wigan in Greater Manchester, The Verve made a huge impression with their third studio album Urban Hymns.
The Verve - Lucky Man
-
The Stone Roses - This Is The One
A hugely anthemic track from The Stone Roses’ self-titled debut album, the track spent some time being used to introduce Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Stone Roses - This Is the One (Audio)
-
Oasis - Talk Tonight
Another great song that was only released as an Oasis b-side, this song was inspired by Noel’s high-profile flounce after a disastrous gig in LA.
Oasis - Talk Tonight (Lyric Video)
-
Elbow - Grounds For Divorce
Formed at Bury College in 1990, Guy Garvey and co had a huge hit in 2008 with the album The Seldom Seem Kid… which was actually their fourth album.
Elbow - Grounds For Divorce
-
Oasis - Cigarettes And Alcohol
The absolute anthem for 90s “laddism”, Noel Gallagher once claimed this song was pure “social comment”.
Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol
-
James - She’s A Star
Taken from the 1997 album Whiplash, this underrated classic featured Line Of Duty’s Keeley Hawes in the video.
She's A Star
-
New Order - Temptation
Following the dissolution of Joy Division, the remaining members regrouped and started to experiment with electronic music. This 1982 hit was later included on the soundtrack to the classic movie Trainspotting.
New Order - Temptation [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]
-
Courteeners - Take Over The World
Liam Fray formed the Courteeners in 2006 and his stirring lyrics are served with a heavy dose of Mancunian wit. This classic is taken from their second album, Falcon, in 2010.
The Courteeners - Take Over The World
-
Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger
The first Oasis tune to feature Noel on vocals, this legendary track pegged the Gallaghers firmly as kings of Britpop in the autumn of 1995.
Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger (Official Video)
-
The Verve - The Drugs Don’t Work
This song was number 1 in the UK charts the week Princess Diana died and is a tribute to Richard Ashcroft’s late father.
The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
-
James - Sit Down
Originally released as a seven minute single in 1988, Sit Down was re-released three years later and saw the band included as part of the “Madchester” scene.
James - Sit Down
-
Oasis - The Masterplan
Wonderwall’s b-side uses a brass section to create another mini-masterpiece.
Oasis - The Masterplan
-
Morrissey - Suedehead
Following the split of The Smiths in late 1987, singer Morrissey went solo and enlisted the help of fellow Mancunian Vini Reilly (of The Durutti Column) to collaborate on this, his first single.
Morrissey - Suedehead
-
Inspiral Carpets - Saturn 5
Featuring one of the most memorable keyboard riffs of all time, this song was written after seeing a re-assembled Saturn 5 rocket at the Johnson Space Centre.
Inspiral Carpets - Saturn 5
-
808 State - Pacific State
808’s Martin Price ran Manchester record store Eastern Block and formed this instrumental acid house electronica quartet. Originally released on the album Quadrastate in the summer of 1989, Pacific was later reissued in a re-recorded form.
808 State - Pacific 707
-
The Charlatans - North Country Boy
A tribute to the lads of the North from The Charlatans’ excellent 1997 album Tellin’ Stories.
The Charlatans - North Country Boy - V98
-
Doves - Catch The Sun
Nestled on the edge of Manchester in leafy Wilmslow, Doves are brothers Jez and Andy Williams, plus frontman Jimi Goodwin. They started life as Mancunian dance act Sub Sub, but changed their name in 1996.
Doves - Catch The Sun
-
Electronic - Getting Away With It
Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr collaborated with New Order guitarist Bernard Sumner for this Mancunian supergroup in 1989. And who’s on backing vocals? Only Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys… who is from Tyneside.
Electronic - Getting Away With It (1990 Official Music Video) [HD Upgrade]
-
Blossoms - Charlemagne
One of the best new bands to come out of the North West, Stockport’s Blossoms have a huge future ahead of them.
Blossoms - Charlemagne
-
The Verve - Sonnet
The final single to be released from the Urban Hymns album, Sonnet is another peerless ballad from the pen of Richard Ashcroft.
The Verve - Sonnet
-
The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
Designed to signal a comeback for the band after the long wait for their third album The Queen Is Dead in 1986, this humorous track was written by Morrissey as an attempt to apologise for his own troublesome comments.
The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again (Live) [Official Audio]
-
The 1975 - Chocolate
The quartet met Wilmslow High School in Cheshire as teenagers and quickly established themselves as one of the Manchester area’s hottest young bands. This 2013 song made the UK Top 20: “Now we run run away from the boys in the blue, and my car smells like chocolate.”
The 1975 - Chocolate
-
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - The Ballad Of The Mighty I
Noel Gallagher, joined by Johnny Marr. Perfect. “The colours around me are fading away / And I'll be waiting, come what may / I'll find you.”
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Ballad Of The Mighty I
