Ay up, you lot – we’re back with another box office batch of music from in and around Greater Manchester for you to get your teeth stuck into.
We’d like to think you know the deal by now, but if not, here’s a quick rundown for you…
Every month, we look back on the local bands and artists, either hailing from or now based in the area, that are spending regular time in our rotation.
It doesn’t matter if they’re still just young prospects or they’ve been at it for decades: if it’s good and it’s been in our ears, it goes on the list. Ready? Let’s go, then.
Five Manc bands and artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. Harry Lyon
First up is April’s cover star: the wonderfully talented Harry Lyon, who is another born and bred and now quietly plying his trade here in Greater Manchester and already showcasing a great level of versatility early in his career.
ADVERTISEMENT
He moved to the city from Sheffield not too long ago, and his creative output has only ramped up since he got here. Toying with everything from alt-pop/indie to straight singer-songwriter stuff that wouldn’t sound out of place on the radio, his often R’n’B-esque vocals mean he can turn to multiple styles.
We actually lucky enough to bump into him in person earlier this month over in Stretford, and you’ll be glad to hear he’s also as sound a person as we hoped he’d be; he even teased a new single on the way, but for now, we’ll recommend ‘Violet’, ‘Backwards’ and the piano version of ‘While We’re Still Young’.
ADVERTISEMENT
In fact, he does acoustic versions for most of his songs, and a fair few of them genuinely rival the originals in their own way.
From an up-and-comer to some Manc veterans that often get overlooked in the shadow of their even longer-standing and more well-known predecessors, but we’re going to go out on a limb and say something controversial here… We think we might prefer Black Grape to Happy Mondays.
Before you bite our heads off, let us explain: while the Mondays are obviously way more iconic and had a huge influence on the overall Madchester scene, we would argue that their progenic spin-off are almost a more honed evolution of at least some of what the Ryders and co. first created a buzz around.
ADVERTISEMENT
Not only do the likes of ‘Kelly’s Heroes’, ‘Nine Lives’, ‘String Theory’ and more have so much more guitar in them (which will always score extra points for me), but more importantly, there is so much more successful experimentation with different instruments, cultural sounds and blends of energy.
It can be hard to know where to start, but those three examples aren’t bad options, and ‘In The Name of The Father’ is also such a vibe – we’re hoping we see it on the setlist for Outwards Fest next month.
BLACK GRAPE play Outwards Festival on Saturday 2nd May 😎
For fans of Sports Team, Spangled, Deadletter, and pretty much any current post-punk pioneers, these former students who originally hail from Cambridgeshire but have come up in and around the local rock scene have been making a splash for a little while, and now it feels like things are hitting a fever pitch.
Sometimes the idiosyncratic lyrics put you in mind of rising Oldham star, Seb Lowe; there’s even one intro that could be the start of a more upbeat and melody-forward King Krule, and you even get notes of Slaves/Soft Play at times. Whatever you hear, personally, you won’t find a bad song – we haven’t yet.
As the lyrics on ‘Are You The Best Yet?’ state, some of this stuff literally makes our knees go weak. We can’t remember the last time a band came around that has you eagerly awaiting the inevitable guitar break, let alone when you fully lock into one and pull a face (we’ve all got our own).
ADVERTISEMENT
They’re so, SO good, and they help prolong some songs that, while brilliant, could feel more like fast-paced flashes in the pan without them. It all amounts to something extra and ups an already healthy dose of swagger: that’s definitely what you get on the recent ‘Cambridge Is On Fire’ and most of their tracks.
In at number four is another one to watch within the genre. Some industry figures have equated them to the likes of the Amyl and the Sniffers, Lambrini Girls, Viagra Boys, and so on, but we think there’s a much cooler sense of darkness going on with their approach – however familiar the repetitive guitar playing and aggressive, shouty vocals may be.
Luckily, their discography – not unlike that of their aforementioned punky peers – isn’t that extensive just yet, so you can easily work your way through all their releases soon enough, and they’ve also got a big gig at White Hotel coming up just after they drop their debut LP, Hodge Podge. Watch this space…
Our present picks would be ‘American Boy II’, ‘Marina’ for the foreboding sense of build and that central riff alone, and you simply have to listen to their latest single, ‘Creeping Offences’, which, understandably, is the best track in terms of production they’ve dropped yet.
We want to see them live before passing any decisive judgement, but we like what we’re seeing so far.
ADVERTISEMENT
5. A Certain Ratio
Now, we’ve touched on electronic-influenced alternative group in Black Grape, but what about another truly influential act from within that fluid space? Probably one of your bands/favourite DJ’s favourite artists, whether you know it or not, A Certain Ratio were tastemakers long before even they knew.
If the previous two are post-punk, then these lot are the funkier forerunners, known for their trademark muted strumming patterns, heavily distorted, codified and multi-layered mixes, ACR have been going nearly half a century now, and they were doing all this stuff long before virtually anyone else.
You’ll inevitably fall down a bit of a rabbit hole listening to their stuff, but ‘All Comes Down To This’ is a good starting point, and ‘1982’ has always made us think of what a Doctor Who-themed rave might sound like.
Oh, and purely because it still sticks with us as an eye-opening first listen, it really doesn’t get much better than this one:
And once again, that’s all she wrote.
ADVERTISEMENT
We hope you dive into at least some of these names over the long bank holiday weekend, as three uninterrupted days of listening couldn’t have timed any better.
The best Northern music artists of the month | June 2026
Danny Jones
It’s that time again: we’re back with more fantastic musical artists from across the country’s incredibly creative and talented Northern reaches.
Yes, in case you missed the switch-up in our last edition, with our Audio North team’s work only ramping up by the minute, we’re no longer just sticking to Manchester acts.
After last month’s edition, which saw us gather five different recommendations from all over the North, we’ve got five more bands and artists for you.
Whether it’s an up-and-coming act or one you’ve just forgotten about – maybe they’ve got some notable new material for the first time in a fair while – so long as they’re from up this direction, we’re trying to give props wherever we can. Let’s get stuck in, shall we?
Names from the North we’ve been listening to lately
1. Aaron Dinning
First up, of course, we most certainly will be starting with our official Audio North Artist of the Month for June: Aaron Dinning – a wonderful singer-songwriter who straddles roots in the North East, Yorkshire and now Greater Manchester.
A fast-growing LGBTQIA+ figure, this Durham-born solo artist reflects plenty on what it was like growing up gay on Wearside, as well as how he’s begun to carve a career path of his own thus far, studying and finding his feet in Leeds before moving to 0161.
There’s simply so much both we and, more importantly, HE has to say about his work: which is why you can read our full write-up about this talented young artist right HERE.
In at number two is a name who’s been steadily growing in popularity and who also has her foot in more than one camp; the Glasgow-born adopted scouser that is Brooke Combe is someone we think is only one or two big moments away from blowing up, so enjoy her as ‘your new thing’ while you can.
From seeing her live at the since-closed Canvas (now Ambers) in Manchester city centre as part of Neighbourhood Festival years ago, to catching her playing one of the bigger slots at 2026’s Weekender version in Warrington, the momentum is building.
So much so, we even saw her opening up for showbiz star Jeff Goldblum earlier this year – she even got him to drink IRN BRU. ‘Are You With Me? is the first song we ever heard, and we’ve been hooked ever since, be it ‘How Can I Tell You? (To Love Me More)’ or her new single ‘Tears Won’t Lie’.
Just by chance, a few years ago, we came across a unique gig series by INNSide North UK and Meliá Hotels, where budding artists were being invited to play intimate stripped-back sets from a bedroom: it was here that we first stumbled upon the Geordie charmer, Andrew Cushin.
We think this lad has the voice, lyricism, style and kind of soon-to-bloom following to go to the next level, especially with the right support shows and festival stages; having his song feature on the BBC’s World Cup 2026 coverage certainly hasn’t hurt.
Recommendation-wise, ‘Where’s My Family Gone’ never gets old and we enjoy the upbeat, summery rock energy of his latest track, ‘Goodbye’, and we love the passion locals show for the cult favourite ‘Wor Flags’ in honour of beloved Newcastle United and the dedicated supporters group of the same name.
4. Keyside
Another Liverpudlian entry, rising quartet Keyside have a fervent and super-engaged fan base that’s developing much faster than most recently formed four-pieces you’ll find within this already oversaturated genre; having only been around since 2022, they’re already doing bits.
Whether it be the somewhat high-pitched and perfect level of nasally vocals, the often folky-sounding style of guitar, or at least three out of four haircuts reminding us of The Kooks, there’s something very attractive about their particular jangly brand of indie revival.
I promise that my own personal passion for anything citrus-related isn’t the only reason I enjoy ‘Lemon And Lime’, and as for other standouts, we’d recommend trying out ‘Angeline’ and ‘Runaway’ from their upcoming self-titled debut album in just a few weeks’ time.
See us live on our UK Instore tour
06 Aug – Bury – 5pm sold out – 9pm show just added ‼️ 07 Aug – Leeds – low tickets ‼️ 08 Aug – Liverpool – selling fast ‼️ 09 Aug – London 10 Aug – Nottingham 13 Aug – Glasgow 14 Aug – Edinburgh – low tickets ‼️
Last but not least, we want to heap some long overdue praise on West Yorkshire‘s very own Embrace, a.k.a. the eternal underdogs of domestic alternative rock but one for which our soft spot will never go away. Call it post-Britpop, ‘dad rock’ – call it whatever you want, all we know is we still love these lot.
Perhaps a slight victim of breaking through right after one of the golden eras of guitar-driven music this country has ever seen, it feels like five-piece has never quite been given the plaudits they deserve for consistently putting out beyond solid studio material for the best part of three decades.
We’ve found that they sometimes fall into the category of band where you know their tracks even if you don’t know it’s the – think ‘Gravity’ and ‘Ashes’ – but we’re still eagerly awaiting the day we get to hear the likes of ‘Road to Nowhere’ and our new obsessession, ‘Funny’, in the, at times, genuinely anthemic stadium rock setting they deserve. Just watch them celebrate another top 10 album this month.
There’s something very charming and old-school about this music video.
Sadly, that’s all she wrote – at least until next month anyway.
As always, we sincerely hope you enjoy our picks, and please do drop in any suggestions of what we should listen to next ahead of July’s round-up.
We’re already totting up a few names, and truth be told, we’re still listening to plenty from May’s list, too.
Andy Burnham has revealed his 13 favourite albums and some Manc classics are included
Emily Sergeant
Music lovers, gather round… fancy finding out what the could-be Prime Minister’s favourite albums of all time are?
Well, we’ve uncovered a list of 13 of them, and there’s some proper Manc classics included.
Right, in case you need bringing up to speed, let’s just get the politics bit out of the way first. After it was announced last month that Andy Burnham had clinched the victory in the crucial Makerfield by-election, winning 24,927 votes (54.8% vote share) and a majority of 9,231, he then went onto announce his intention to run for Labour Party leader, and therefore Prime Minister, after Keir Starmer confirmed he would be stepping down.
This week, Burnham delivered his first speech as part of his ongoing campaign, addressing how he plans to take the country in a ‘new direction’.
He declared that he wants to bring the ‘Greater Manchester way’ to Westminster… but who knew that meant his music taste too?
Uncovered from a couple of years ago now on Quietus – an independent music and cultural criticism online publication – Andy Burnham revealed his 13 favourite albums as part of their ‘Baker’s Dozen’ series, and alongside some famous critically-acclaimed records, there are also a few unexpected gems in the mix, and (of course) some Manchester classics too.
Picking 13 albums for this was apparently ‘really hard’, Burnham said, and not because it’s a lot to choose but because ‘it’s just so few’.
“A disclaimer” he went on to add, “these are not necessarily my favourite 13 albums, but instead these are the ones that had an impact on my life or were significant moments in my life. I tried to use that as my guide.”
On the list you’ll find, in no particular order, selections from some iconic bands like The Beatles’ popular compilation album 1962-1966 – also known as ‘The Red Album’ – Radiohead’s 1997 project OK Computer, often considered to be their magnum opus, and The Strokes’ debut album Is This It?
You’ll also find some of the most revered albums by Manchester bands on there, including The Stone Roses’ self-titled album, The Smiths’ Hatful of Hollow, and New Order’s Power, Corruption and Lies.
Andy Burnham’s 13 Favourite Albums
The Beatles – 1962-1966 (The Red Album)
The Smiths – Hatful of Hollow
The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy And The Lash
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
The Wedding Present – George Best
The La’s – The La’s
Billy Bragg – William Bloke
Radiohead – OK Computer
Doves – The Last Broadcast
The Strokes – Is This It?
Big Thief – Capacity
New Order – Power, Corruption and Lies
Courteeners – Falcon
Andy Burnham has revealed his 13 favourite albums of all time / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
It’s not just the so-called legendary Greater Manchester bands that have been given a shoutout on Burnham’s lineup, as there’s also the inclusion of Courteeners’ Falcon and Doves’ The Last Broadcast.
As well as the more-expected picks, there’s even a couple underrated choices on his list too like The Wedding Present’s George Best, and Big Thief’s Capacity – the latter of which also happens to be one of my personal favourite albums of all time too, and has one of my favourite songs on there as well, so I have to say, I was very (pleasantly) surprised to see it included.
For each of his thirteen picks, Burnham has explained why he’s chosen the albums, where he was in life when he discovered them, and what they all mean to him.
One particularly interesting anecdote he told in relation to Courteeners’ Falcon, Burnham wrote: “There’s a song on there called ‘Take Over The World. Early on in my failed Labour leadership campaign in 2015, I went to see them with my mate Steve Rotherham, now mayor of Liverpool City Region but then my campaign manager.
“We went to see them at Heaton Park, we were in the early days of this campaign where I thought we might win, and we were arm in arm belting out ‘Take Over the World’ together.
Danny Jones -
30th April 2026 
