Art & Culture

Andy Burnham has revealed his 13 favourite albums and some Manc classics are included

Get Andy on the aux.

Emily Sergeant - 2nd July 2026

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

1. The Beatles – 1962-1966 (The Red Album)
2. The Smiths – Hatful of Hollow
3. The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy And The Lash
4. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
5. The Wedding Present – George Best
6. The La’s – The La’s
7. Billy Bragg – William Bloke
8. Radiohead – OK Computer
9. Doves – The Last Broadcast
10. The Strokes – Is This It?
11. Big Thief – Capacity
12. New Order – Power, Corruption and Lies
13. Courteeners – Falcon

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.

Read more:

• Andy Burnham wants to bring the ‘Greater Manchester way’ to Westminster
• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani gives thoughts on Andy Burnham running for Prime Minister
• ‘This could be the turning point’ – Andy Burnham’s speech in full as he wins the Makerfield by-election

“The Sunday after it, I was on the Marr show and I tweeted ‘I’m only a paper boy from the North West / but I can scrub up well in my Sunday best.’

“It was the anthem of that campaign. I was a paper boy, and I am from the North West. Sadly, I didn’t go on to take over the world.”

Will he take over the world this time though? Only time will tell.

Featured Image – Shaun Peckham (Supplied via GMCA)