It was no surprise when the Guinness Book of Records named Liverpool as the City of Pop in 2001. More artists from here, according to the Telegraph, have topped the UK charts than from any other city around the country, per head of population.
The list of legendary acts from this city on Merseyside is as long and varied as it is impressive. For a city with a population of a little under half a million, it is worth taking a minute to think about just how incredible the sustained musical success coming from here has been over the last few decades.
So, who are the artists that have put Liverpool on the musical map with a combined total of 191 weeks at number one? More importantly, what is the factor they all have in common that has driven them to such staggering success? After all, this city is so famous for music that even its football grounds reverberate with spine-tingling songs.
The story of The Beatles
No musical history of Liverpool can miss out the extraordinary achievements of The Beatles. The Fab Four have spent a record 69 weeks at UK number one to date. With estimated sales of albums in the hundreds of millions, they are by far the most commercially successful and influential act of all time.
The group formed in Liverpool in 1960, with all of their members having been born in the city and grown up there. They started their career with shows in local venues such as the Cavern Club, as well as long stints playing in Hamburg. Anyone too young to have seen them live can now enjoy the Let It Be show that celebrates their legendary career.
Even now, almost half a century after breaking up and going on to have solo careers, The Beatles still lead the way on the vinyl charts. Two of their albums topped the sales figures for 2017. Their lasting influence is also seen in the huge amount of tourism that they generate for their home city.
A Magical Mystery bus tour, Penny Lane, the Cavern Club, Strawberry Fields and a Beatles-inspired hotel are among the top attractions here for fans. Liverpool City Council pointed out in 2017 that Beatles-related tourism adds some £82 million to the local economy while supporting over 2,000 jobs at the same time.
Other famous artists from Liverpool
Indeed, the first number one artist from the city was also the first woman to have a UK number one. Lisa Roza was most famous for How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?, a song she claimed to have never sung after she made the recording.
Apart from the Fab Four and Lisa Roza, artists from Liverpool who have racked up a number of weeks topping the charts include Gerry and the Pacemakers, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Searchers, Cilla Black, Mel C and Atomic Kitten. Perhaps the most lasting influence from these groups comes from Gerry and the Pacemakers.
This band’s iconic hit – Ferry Cross the Mersey -reached number one when re-released in 1989 for charity. They were the first group to make the UK top spot with their first three singles, a record equalled two decades later by fellow Liverpudlians Frankie Goes to Hollywood in the Official Charts.
Other notable acts that hail from the city are Echo & The Bunnymen, OMD, The La’s, The Farm, The Christians and the Merseybeats.
What do they all have in common?
Having looked at the enviable success enjoyed by artists from Liverpool, it is time to consider why they have enjoyed so many hits, sold so many records and won so many awards. Is it something in the water here or does it have to do with geographical or climatic reasons? Maybe people here are just born winners?
Research on the common traits of award winners by Betway found that the average age of an award-winning musician was 26 and that they’d most likely be a cancer, as well as having one child. Now, this definitely doesn’t answer why Liverpool seems to be home to a disproportionate number of successful artists but the research also found that the average award winner has had 13 years in their profession. With local youngsters being able to access a wealth of music facilities, it’s perhaps not much of a surprise that they can hone their talents.
The presence of a thriving live music scene and a strong traditional music heritage are certainly factors to take into account here. The Folk on the Dock festival held in 2018 celebrated the important role that the city’s waterways have played in bringing new musical influences to Merseyside over the centuries.
Its place as a global trade centre led to Liverpool thriving and becoming the UK’s third biggest port, with a booming population of 300,000 in the mid-19th century. Yet, this is hardly the only British city that had those same ingredients in place.
Perhaps, it is also worth thinking about whether it is down to the personalities and childhood experiences of the artists born here, rather than simply where they were born. Is there something in the genetic makeup or the world-view here that encourages the creativity and the immense drive needed to succeed in such a competitive industry?
A recent dry spell for number ones from Liverpool that started in 2002 gave us further reason to consider why this city has such a proud musical heritage. There appears to be no definitive answer but perhaps that just adds to the sense of this being a magical city where unbeatable music is produced on an amazingly frequent basis.