Manchester ahead of London in Radio X Best of British chart
The Radio X Best of British countdown has seen Manchester the most represented city on the list ahead of London.
Votes from Radio X listeners have put Oasis’ seminal 1994 hit ‘Live Forever’ as the best British song of all time, 30 years after its release. This is the second year in a row the song has topped the poll and is one of four Oasis tracks making up the top 10, alongside ‘Slide Away’, ‘Champagne Supernova’, and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Queen’s 1975 anthem ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ came in second, which moves up one place from last year’s poll. New to the list this year, Nothing But Thieves’ 2023 single ‘Overcome’ comes third, and The Stone Roses’ ‘I Am The Resurrection’ moves up one place to fifth. Arctic Monkeys’ ‘505’ and the Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’ place at sixth and seventh respectively.
Having burst onto the scene in 2023, The Last Dinner Party make their debut in the chart with their viral hit ‘Nothing Matters’. Last year’s breakthrough artist, Wet Leg, make the list again with their hit ‘Wet Dream’.
Also this year, Sam Fender’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’ falls out of the top 10, down seven places to 12th place. David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ moves up seven places to 11th, and Pink Floyd move up 12 places with ‘Wish You Were Here.’ Tracks from Joy Division, Courteeners, Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini and Skunk Anansie all make the top 20.
Oasis dominated the top 100 list this year, with 14 songs featured in total. Arctic Monkeys have 11 tracks included in the chart, while The Stone Roses are represented eight times. Nothing But Thieves and David Bowie both have five songs each included, and Welsh rock outfit Stereophonics make the cut with four songs.
As a city famed for its musical heritage, Manchester was the most represented city on the list, with 35 songs from 11 different bands, including tracks from New Order, Blossoms, The Stone Roses, Elbow and The Smiths. ‘Come Together’ is the only track by Liverpool band The Beatles to make the chart this year.
A total of 25 songs from 15 different bands on the list originate from London, with artists like Blur, David Bowie, Florence and the Machine, The Who, and The Libertines all making the top 100.
Matt Deverson, Managing Editor of Radio X, said: “Thirty years after its release, it is fitting to see ‘Live Forever’ retain top spot in this year’s list of the best tunes Britain has to offer.
“While Radio X listeners have given nostalgia a nod, it is also exciting to see contemporary artists like Nothing But Thieves, Wet Leg and The Last Dinner Party come into the fold after another fascinating year in music.”
The Radio X Best of British 2024 top 20:
- Oasis – ‘Live Forever’
- Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
- Nothing But Thieves – Overcome
- Oasis – ‘Slide Away’
- The Stone Roses – ‘I Am The Resurrection’
- Arctic Monkeys – ‘505’
- Nothing But Thieves – ‘Welcome To The DCC’
- The Rolling Stones – ‘Gimme Shelter’
- Oasis – ‘Champagne Supernova’
- Oasis – ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’
- David Bowie – ‘Heroes’
- Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’
- Skunk Anansie – ‘Weak’
- Pink Floyd – ‘Wish You Were Here’
- Courteeners – ‘Not Nineteen Forever’
- Joy Division – ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’
- Arctic Monkeys – ‘A Certain Romance’
- Paolo Nutini – ‘Iron Sky’
- Stereophonics – ‘Dakota’
- The Smiths – ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’