Could the Northern Music Scene be losing its grip, as Southerners take over the BRITS?
- southlivsurveyor
- Feb 29, 2024
- 4 min read
The BRIT Awards 2024 are two days away and there are doubts whether North English artists will recieve any honours.
The biggest celebration of British music takes place on Saturday night, but less than 10% of nominees originate from the North. The ceremony has improved diversity by including artists of more varied backgrounds.
For decades the northern music scene has dominated the charts and shaped British music with artists such as Oasis and The Beatles, but recent trends suggest that this once-dominant force may be losing its grip.
With the rise of pop music and mainstream appeal, Southern artists such as Adele and Sam Smith have catapulted to international fame.
Dr Paul Skillen, frontman of 80s band - This Final Frame, said: "I got to see all these wonderful bands being produced from Liverpool…Now I see bands coming out and I find them quite derivative.
"But I don't feel it's coming out from the South either."
The Northern Music Scene – Then & Now
Imagine standing on a bridge between two train platforms. The platform to your left is vibrant and artistic, while the platform to your right – once colourful - is dull and silent.
This vision is one of the many ways to describe the passing decades of the hardships and the achievements that the Northern music scene has faced.
Dr Skillen recently hosted a TV show, Scouse Pop, and spoke about the music from Liverpool of the late 70s and 80s.
He said: "When the BRITS came out, we were leading the world... And it was showcasing the originality of the British acts and I think that's something that is lost.
"I think we had a splurge at the time and in the 80s there was a point where around 12 [northern] bands were in the top 20 and I don't see that anymore."
As time passed, the North has seen moments of strength and weakness, but London is still seen as the creative hub of music.
Ellie Keegan, a musician and songwriting lecturer at LIPA, said: "There is tonnes of amazing music coming from all around the UK. The Beatles still have such a huge footprint within the Liverpool music scene so it can be hard to breakthrough into the wider UK scene.”
Many people believe the North thrives on nostalgia and tributes, making it almost impossible to create something without it being neglected.
The UK’s Music City
Liverpool is known as the UK's music city due to its rich musical heritage and being home to some of the world's biggest bands.
People from all around the globe visit Liverpool to immerse themselves in its vibrant music scene. The city continues to produce contemporary and talented artists such as The Kairos, Caitlin Eve and Ellis Murphy.
Robert Johnson is a professional multi-talented musician who has lived and played in Liverpool for over a decade.
Originally from Kent, Johnson has become an embedded and respected musician within the industry and plays lead guitar in the three-piece folk band, Motel Sundown.
He said: "Liverpool is a place for all music. Whether you want to listen to jazz, rock or country, there is somewhere to go."
Underneath the glory, communities have been struggling as over the last 12 months crucial venues have closed due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Venues that were golden ground for starting artists such as Jimmys and the Epstein Theatre, have forced small artists into the hands of 'money-fuelled' promoters.
In a poll, 50% of people believe the most significant issue in the industry is promoters using small artists for money.
Johnson said: “I think it’s really discouraging. That sort of culture never used to exist, and performers would get a flat fee to perform.”
Will the North rise to the challenge or does this mean goodbye?
The challenges faced by the North have evolved, from fighting for radio plays to fighting social media algorithms.
According to Dr Skillen, the radio airwaves were the place to be in the 70s and 80s.
He said: “We had people like Frankie Goes to Hollywood and The Seagulls and all these bands were able to get access to the local stations and they would play them. But now I can go on an hour drive and flick through the stations and there’s hardly ever a single British artist.”
BBC Introducing is a radio show that recognises undiscovered artists. These shows are local and have taken a huge hit of cuts this year.
Dr Skillen and Robert Johnson both agree that BBC Introducing helps small artists.
Johnson says: “I think it’s pretty good in the sense that it connects bands together and it’s good for listening to other local artists.”
Dr Skillen says: “I wrote about BBC Introducing in Scouse Pop, about its terms of building up resilience and confidence in bands. I think the fact that they may have written a song in their bedroom, and it’s played on a proper radio station is what it should be about."
In a poll, 67% of people believe that BBC Introducing is helping the industry, but as times change, these challenges have altered. Ticket sales and social media are the rave of the decade.
Dr Skillen believes today's industry revolves around ticket sales and followers.
He said: "It's about access. You can play at these little pubs hoping someone will pick you up, but it never happens like that. And the cut out of the radio station. The DIY now is the internet, that's the only access."
However, the North have a strong fighting force.
Ellie Keegan said: "As an artist, I think it's important to define your own success and your own accolades. For me, if you're making music to be called successful by other people then it's not the right reasons.
"It's an industry wide problem that the North isn't acknowledged enough, definitely not something that will be fixed overnight, but it should be seen as a bonus to win these awards, not a focus."
The North has risen to the challenge by creating their own industry with festivals, record labels and ceremonies like the Northern Music Awards.
Only time will tell if this is a one-off show and the talent from the South has genuinely been more popular in the charts.
Written by Kayleigh Cantrell
