Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham in Their Shadow
When talking about the United Kingdom and music, the first cities that come to mind are Manchester and Liverpool. However, Birmingham, the birthplace of heavy metal and home to legendary bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and half of Led Zeppelin, as well as Electric Light Orchestra and Duran Duran, has unfortunately remained in the shadow of these two cities.
Among the cities that shaped modern music, Liverpool emerged in the 1960s with The Beatles and the Merseybeat movement, while Manchester became the center of post-punk, Britpop, and alternative rock. Located just 56 km apart, these two cities stood out by leading the evolution of British music.
LIVERPOOL: The Rhythm That Changed the World – The Beatles and the Merseybeat Explosion
Liverpool’s reputation as a music city began in the early 1960s with The Beatles. Their worldwide success brought the Merseybeat movement to prominence. Merseybeat, a rock and pop music movement that emerged in early 1960s Liverpool, was named after the Mersey River that runs through the city.
This movement gained fame with bands like The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, and The Swinging Blue Jeans. Fast-paced rhythms, melodic guitars, and strong vocal harmonies defined Merseybeat’s core sound.
The Cavern Club became the birthplace of many young musicians and an essential landmark in Liverpool’s cultural map, making it one of the most significant venues for the development of this music. Merseybeat paved the way for rock music’s expansion in Britain, ultimately leading to the global British Invasion.
Merseybeat is considered Liverpool’s great contribution to the music world, the movement that gave birth to The Beatles legend.
(The Beatles and the iconic Abbey Road album cover)
Punk and Post-Punk Rebellion
By the late 1970s, Liverpool’s music scene shifted away from pop sounds and embraced a more experimental and alternative direction. Eric’s Club was Liverpool’s answer to Manchester’s Factory Records, hosting bands like Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, and Big in Japan. These groups blended post-punk, psychedelic music, and new wave, shaping the future of the alternative scene.
Meanwhile, in mid-1970s London, bands like Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Damned were spearheading the punk movement.
(From Eric’s Club)
(Liverpool punk scene)
The Alternative Rock and Britpop Era
In the 1980s and 1990s, Liverpool continued to produce music with bands like The La’s, Cast, and The Lightning Seeds, embracing melodic and narrative-driven styles. Later, The Coral and The Zutons redefined Liverpool’s scene within the indie rock movement.
MANCHESTER: Sound Factory
The Birth of Punk and Post-Punk
While Liverpool had its 1960s golden era, Manchester emerged in the late 1970s, powered by punk. Bands like The Buzzcocks captured the youth energy of punk, but it was Joy Division that transformed its aggressive nature into a darker, more atmospheric sound, forever changing music history.
Following Joy Division’s tragic end, New Order merged post-punk with electronic music, laying the foundation for the Madchester movement.
(New Order are born in Manchester)
Madchester and the Rave Revolution
By the late 1980s, Manchester was leading a new musical revolution with the Madchester movement. Combining alternative rock, dance music, and psychedelic sounds, this era was dominated by bands like The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, and Inspiral Carpets.
During this time, The Haçienda nightclub became Britain’s most iconic music venue, defining Manchester’s nightlife and music culture.
The Rise of Britpop: Oasis
The 1990s brought Manchester back to the forefront with Oasis, the biggest name in the Britpop movement, sparking a legendary rivalry with London’s Blur. At the same time, bands like The Verve, The Charlatans, and James reinforced Manchester’s indie rock legacy.
(Oasis made a huge comeback in 2024)
LIVERPOOL VS. MANCHESTER: Rivalry or Collaboration?
On the football field, these two cities are eternal rivals, with clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Everton fiercely competing. However, in music, Liverpool and Manchester have always complemented each other. Liverpool brought melody and emotion to British music while Manchester contributed rebellion, darkness, and innovation.
BIRMINGHAM in the Shadows
Despite being the birthplace of heavy metal, Birmingham still remains in Liverpool and Manchester’s shadow. The city that produced Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and half of Led Zeppelin, as well as Electric Light Orchestra and Duran Duran, deserves equal recognition as a music capital.
Liverpool still thrives on The Beatles legacy and The Abbey Road poses, despite being the home of a single music genre and
(Black Sabbath invented Heavy Metal in Birmingham)
Manchester’s musical identity is supported and made more visible by luxury fashion houses like CHANEL with its Manchester Collection (2024).
(CHANEL models present the Manchester collection in the Northern Quarter – Manchester)
Birmingham’s diversity and musical heritage remain overlooked, despite the various genres of music the city has exported, including heavy metal, progressive rock, reggae, bhangra, and techno. Birmingham was also home to legendary venues like Mothers club (1968-1971), once named the world’s best rock club, yet now mostly forgotten. Henry’s Blues Bar at The Crown hosted bands like Black Sabbath (then known as Earth) and John Taylor before joining Duran Duran. Legendary bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, and other progressive rock pioneers all once used Birmingham as a creative hub. And the city hosts far more genres of music than Liverpool and Manchester.
(Duran Duran in the 80s)
Birmingham Music Archive puts in a lot of effort restoring Birmingham’s musical visibility and is currently working on a music museum project in Digbeth district, aiming to turn the city into a cultural hotspot.
Is the musical visibility of Liverpool and Manchester as music cities based on their association with more mainstream genres compared to heavy metal and progressive rock? Maybe.
July 5, 2025 – Birmingham’s Black Sabbath Farewell Concert
Black Sabbath recently announced via their official social media that they will perform their final farewell concert, “Back to the Beginning,” on July 5, 2025, in their hometown of Aston, Birmingham.
This once-in-a-lifetime event will take place at Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa Football Club. The lineup will feature a full Black Sabbath reunion, including Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, alongside metal superstars like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, Slash, Duff McKagan, Tom Morello, Sammy Hagar, Sleep Token, and Ghost’s Papa V Perpetua, among many others.
(According to Tom Morello, the concert’s musical director, Back to The Beginning
will be the greatest heavy metal concert ever.)
Ozzy Osbourne stated:
“Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever!”
This historic event will undoubtedly put Birmingham back on the music map and contribute to the visibility of the home of heavy metal, attracting metalheads from all over the world.
Even though Birmingham’s glorious past as the rock and metal capital has faded, Black Sabbath’s legendary farewell concert, featuring both veteran metal icons and a new generation of metal superstars, marks a crucial step in restoring the city’s reputation as a music capital.
Güzin Paksoylu
All rights reserved. Quotations without reference is forbidden.
(All photo copyrights belong to copyright owners)
