Manchester has been crowned one of the world’s best cities for music lovers, even beating out New York along the way.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known and loved for over anything else, it’s music.
From Oasis and Joy Division, to Happy Mondays, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The 1975, and even more modern-day acts, there’s no end to the amount of talented artists this city has produced or been home to over the years, all contributing to Manchester being one of the most prestigious music cities there is.
The city’s live music scene has always been thriving, and that continues right through to this very day, as you’ll see big-name musicians including Manchester as a destination in their UK tour schedules more often than not.
This summer is all set to be a sensational celebration of sound, as not only is an immersive art trail, Music for the Senses, taking over the city from this week, but this year’s annual Manchester Day will be music-themed too, marking one of the biggest years for Manchester music in a long time.
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Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers / Credit: Manchester City Council | Eldhose Kuryian (via Unsplash)
Oh, and there’s also the small matter of Oasis reforming for a UK tour, including a run of gigs at Heaton Park this month.
So it’s no surprise that Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers, especially as the IFPI Global Music Report has revealed that the UK has the third largest music market globally – with the music industry’s contribution to the UK economy being £6.7 billion on average.
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Taking this recent report into consideration, the experts over at SeatPick have collated data to uncover the best UK cities for music lovers, analysing factors such as the number of concerts, homegrown talents, music businesses, and the total number of music venues, to reveal each city’s overall music score out of 10.
Coming in at second place with a music scene score of 8.97/10 is Manchester.
2025 is all set to be a sensational summer of sound in our city / Credit: Supplied
“Manchester remains one of the UK’s most iconic music cities and with 1,204 concerts between 2025-2026, 116 live music venues, and 380 homegrown acts, the city’s live music offering is as strong as ever,” SeatPick said of its findings.
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“2025 is shaping up to be a historic year for Manchester, with Oasis reuniting for the first time in over a decade, with a massive comeback show at Heaton Park – the very spot where they played their last hometown gig in 2009.”
While Manchester may have missed out on the UK’s top spot, with that title going to London, in the global rankings, our city has claimed an impressive sixth place, beating out New York’s influential music scene.
Liverpool and Leeds are two of the other northern cities in the UK’s top 10, taking fifth and sixth place respectively.
“Cities which have a larger number of music businesses are key in creating the perfect city for music fans, as this impacts the city’s cultural, economic, and social vibrancy,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO of SeatPick.
“A thriving music scene within a city means it can provide more artistic expression, support a wider range of genres, and enrich the cultural landscape, as well as attracting creative talent.”
Featured Image – Alex Bracken (via Unsplash)
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Ticket prices for Take That at Etihad Stadium revealed ahead of The Circus Live Tour
Lilly Boardman
Manchester-formed band Take That are back on tour, with ‘The Circus Live’, a reprise of their 2009 tour of the same name – and ticket prices have just been released.
The trio – Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald – are back after nearly 17 years since the original The Circus tour, which became one of the fastest-selling tours in the UK.
The return of The Circus Live Tour gives fans who experienced the first, the opportunity to reminisce and watch the same show more than a decade later, whilst also allowing newer fans to create new memories and witness high-quality live performances from the band.
The original setlist will be performed (with a few surprises along the way), and the trio will have support from The Script (who were support on the 2009 tour) and Belinda Carlisle.
Take That initially announced two nights at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on 19 and 20 June 2026, before adding a third on 21 June due to phenomenal pre-sale demand – and the best news is, ticket prices have been released.
Tickets for the stadium shows start from £61 (plus booking fee) for seating.
General admission standing is priced at £76 (plus booking fee).
For the ultimate fan experience, you can buy a one of the two packages on offer which include a limited-edition circus inspired gift, a collectible laminate lanyard and exclusive online content.
You can choose between the front standing package costing £200 (plus booking fee) including a front standing ticket or the premium seat package priced at £241 (plus booking fee) which includes a premium reserved seat.
There are also amazing VIP and hospitality tickets available with Seat Unique, which you can check out HERE.
If you missed the presale, the general sale takes place on Friday 26 September at 9.30am HERE.
Legendary rock band Pixies announce Manchester gig at leading arts venue for anniversary tour
Danny Jones
Legendary band Pixies have announced a brand new global tour to mark an incredible landmark anniversary, and will be coming to one of our favourite Manchester venues.
The Boston rock icons are celebrating 40 years as a band in 2026, and as part of the newly announced ‘P40’ world tour, they have revealed a run of European dates and a dedicated leg of live gigs right here in the UK.
In terms of dates here in England, the Manc show is also one of just three, so count yourselves lucky.
With a fandom as die-hard as the one they’ve maintained for going on 40 years, you can expect this one to sell out rather quickly.
P40 • Celebrating 40 Years of PIXIES
2026 marks the 40th year since the bands formation.
In celebration we're pleased to announce that we're heading back on the road. Announcing the first of many tour dates for next year.
The major live plans will see founding members Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering, as well as bassist Emma Richardson, visit Britain, Ireland and beyond – including their very first performance at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall.
Seems hard to believe given their legacy, right?
As for the Manchester date, Pixies will be playing at our leading city centre arts and cultural venue, Aviva Studios, located right next to the banks of the River Irwell.
Not only a thriving live music space, but the home of Factory International’s hub here in Greater Manchester, it’s fast become one of our favourite places to watch a gig.
You can find the rest of the P40 UK/EU live shows down below.
Pixies’ 40th anniversary tour UK and Europe dates
20 May – Barbican, York
21 May – Alhambra theatre, Dunfermline
25 May – Aviva Studios, Manchester
28 May – Royal Albert Hall, London
31 May – Live at the Castle, Limerick
2 June – Olympia, Dublin
30 June – Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin
1 July – Parkbühne Clara-Zetkin-Park
2 July – myticket Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt
14 July – Parco Della Musica, Milan
17 July – Maassilo, Rotterdam
18 July – Muziekcentrum, Enschede
19 July – PLT, Heerlen
This announcement comes amid their ongoing worldwide tour, which kicked off back in August and wraps up this November.
Not only is it approaching four whole decades since their formation as a band, but it’s also 35 years since their groundbreaking Platinum-certified third album, Doolittle, and the 20th anniversary of their reunion at Coachella.
Commenting underneath the post, Factory International‘s official account replied: “Cannot wait to welcome you to Manchester.”
Tickets go on sale this Friday, 26 September at 10 – get ready to grab yours HERE.
Another groundbreaking group of musicians are celebrating the exact same milestone this year and couldn’t resist booking a Manchester date either.
Emily Sergeant -
1st July 2025 
