Johnny Marr Reveals The Ultimate Manchester Anthems - Free Podcast

By Tim Chester

Posted on 02/06/09 at 03:58:58 pm

So it took five weeks, 300,000 votes and numerous office bust-ups but we eventually did it and worked out the final, definitive Ultimate Manchester Anthems of all time. Ever. Over the course of last month YOU had YOUR say on the best tunes from they city and these are the public's winners.

While it’s bound to provoke as much outrage as the next poll (and it would have been nice to see Magazine/The Fall/insert-favourite-band higher up), you can’t argue with the pedigree on display here. And for once it’s nice to see Oasis fans fail to steamroll their band to the top spot.

From ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ to ‘I Am The Resurrection’, the list encompasses the whole spectrum of emotions and sentiments associated with the city and expressed by its musicians over the past few decades. Paranoia, panic, regret, jubilation, unshakeable swagger, depression and celebration swill around in the collective minds of arguably our most creative city and resonate in millions more.

NME Radio revealed the results during a live broadcast in Manchester last week as part of the month-long license in city, and invited The Smiths’ Johnny Marr to talk about the top 30.

Johnny Marr & Iain Baker

continued...

You can download podcasts of the show from number 20 to numero uno below, and behold the highest placed right here before letting rip in the comments section below.

20 Ian Brown – F.E.A.R.
19 Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love
18 Oasis – Half The World Away
17 The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
16 The Smiths – What Difference Does It Make?
15 Joy Division – She’s Lost Control
14 The Smiths – Panic
13 New Order – Blue Monday
12 The Stone Roses – Made Of Stone
11 Oasis – Morning Glory
10 Joy Division – Atmosphere
9 Oasis – Rock And Roll Star
8 The Stone Roses – Waterfall
7 Oasis – Slide Away
6 The Stone Roses – I Am The Resurrection
5 The Stone Roses – Fools Gold
4 The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
3 Oasis – Live Forever
2 Stone Roses – I Wanna Be Adored
1 Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart

Tune in to NME TV on Sky Channel 382 this Saturday June 6th at 7pm and Sunday June 7th at 5pm for a special show featuring ten of the best Ultimate Manchester Anthems.

Download Ultimate Manchester Anthems 20-10 here
Download Ultimate Manchester Anthems 10-1 here
(Right click and chose 'save as' if necessary)

NME.COM blogs contain the opinions of the individual writer and not necessarily those of NME magazine or NME.COM.

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46 comments

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JC [Visitor] //June 2 2009 at 18:38

Fair one really. There's some admittedly classic tracks in there but it would have been nice to have seen a bit more variety than just oasis/smiths/joy division/roses. Any decent Manchester bands formed in the last ten years anyone? And fuck me, please no one say The Courteeners.

Fergal Kinney [Visitor] //June 2 2009 at 21:32

Too late...the Courteeners

Boggles [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 01:23

Yea, a band called the tides had a track called routine life out last year. Think they still playing. Search it on you tube and they have some videos up there. X

Brim [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 01:25

Elbow not up there! What the Duce?!

[Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 05:09

the doves and delphic both deserved a place in there and as for the smiths/what difference..............no

Martin Rob [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 11:37

wheres 'Wrote For Luck' ?

Martin Rob [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 11:47

Would have been nice to see some older Manc bands in there - The Hollies (arguably the most succesful manc band ever!) , BeeGees, 10CC, etc. Or even some cult bands such as Chameleons or Puressence!?

Rock Lobster [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 11:53

Couldn't be more disappointed with this list

[Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 11:57

no Happy Mondays? c'mon..

SC [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 12:47

I guess most of the people on this site are actually gutted that for once they couldn't vote endlessly for Muse on this poll.

Philipooooo [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:05

I know ya not gunna please everyone with a top 20 list but The Mondays would make any top 10/20 list but not to be in a Manchester list is a bit of an insult!!!!!!!!!

Nicky C [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:09

"Perfume" by the Paris Angels is a shocking ommission

Whitey [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:15

Absolute joke not to have any Mondays in there!!!!!! Complete joke!!!!!

Mr.Manc [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:16

I agree - where's the variety?!! Manchester is and always has been buzzing with music - new music too...I love the way the NME ignored so many good up-and-coming Manchester Bands for years and suddenly this...and it shows in the list (not only Doves, but what about The Rain Band, Puressence, for example)

Mr Manc. [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:17

Stuart Hatfield [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:18

No Section 25, Crispy Ambulance, Adventure Babies ? Bah !

hedge & donna [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:19

yeah yeah same old same old wheres swampthing,second skin,shall we take a trip,hardcore uproar,wfl,kuff dam,pacific,big... power,corruption,lies

Tim Chester [Member] //June 3 2009 at 13:32

'Step On' was at 21, so just missed top twenty. I'm only going to say this once, but the list was voted for by the public. As Susan Boyle will agree, you can't argue with democracy. Well you could add to the "the collective decision of the public is a joke" pile, but you might find it more constructive to comment with your own Top Five instead.

Dog [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 13:46

This list is just Oasis, Joy Division, Smiths n Roses... there's at least 20 Manc bands with an anthem each - this Podcast is gash! Happy Mondays, Black Grape, Elbow, Doves, Fretwell, James, 808 State, Dust Junkies, Inspiral Carpets, The Verve... and thats to name just a few!!!

chuy [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 14:01

some Doves or Elbow would have been great.

Rock Lobster [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 14:43

The Whip - Trash Joy Division - Digital The Fall - Industrial Estate Crispy Ambulance - Deaf I am Kloot - Life in a Day But only if I had too....

MarkEMoon [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 15:19

Hmmm No Fall, no Doves, no 808 State, no World of Twist, no Paris Angels, no New Fast Automatic Daffodils, no John Cooper Clarke, no Delphic, no Whip, no Chameleons....

Albowski [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 16:05

Lets get this in perspective, its a top 20 ffs voted by a faceles random group of people. I personally think every song on that top 20 is a belter but many of those mentioned as being left out are also amazing but people but lets not get our knickers in a twist. Lets enjoy what is there and if nothing else the debate shows what an amazing place Manchester is for British music.

[Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 16:24

NO TAKETHAT ??? !!!

hOFOG [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 16:47

What no doves? Seems you gotta have shifted a certain amount of records to get a mention.

Franko_le_tanko [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 17:10

I can't help but feel a list of this nature wouldn't even reach the likes of Inspiral Carpets/Happy Mondays, even if it was extended to as much as fifty delicous pop songs. Too good a city; too much qaulity music. They've barely touched the iceberg of the big four bands that are named at the minute: it would be nice to see other anthems among what are listed xxx

Jon Regnart [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 18:17

As if Inspiral Carpets didn't get in? Were James from Manchester. I love the Courteeners n'all and LowLines are bloody good. And also hahahah at 808 State

[Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 19:31

elbow?!?!?

SFGlam [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 20:03

wow.....the ONLY New Order song is Blue Monday? You serious? I'm from california - not Manchester- but I do know my way around Manchester bands....Doves? CHAMELEONS? Happy Mondays? THE VERVE? James? Inspiral Carpets This is How it Feels? Good lord. Shocked!

Jon Taylor [Visitor] //June 3 2009 at 22:20

The Charlatans - Tellin Stories, One To Another, North Country Boy....... Enough said...........

J. Kickass [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 00:46

Temptation? Everything's Gone Green? Section 25 - Looking From a Hilltop? A Certain Ratio - Flight? Throbbing Gristle - Adrenalin, United? 808 State - Pacific? Stone cold classics, one and all Though it is only a top 20, not a lot of space I guess

DJ Dave [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 01:51

I'd add plenty more by Oasis, the Roses, The Smiths and Joy Division, plus New Order with True Faith...etc...But yeah add these other Mancunian (area) bands for sure: Elbow, Delphic (who WILL blow your heads off at this summer's festivals), Doves, Happy Mondays' for "Step On" and "Kinky Afro", and defo a mention for "Not 19 Forever" by The Courteeners who are brilliant. Gotta say The Charlatans too, (they're Manchester aren't they?) go for their early stuff. And, oh yeah, Cherry Ghost, cos he's freakin' class.

MUFCOK [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 08:21

Dog, The Verve were from Wigan, doh!

CJ [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 08:45

I think the list would have had more variety if one of two things had happened...1) you just selected you top 5/10 and not asked to rate the list supplied, or 2) include a smaller selection from "the big 4" in the nominee list allowing space for lesser heard bands who were only given one or two songs to be voted on? (not to say that any of those songs are not deserving!)

Zacci [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 09:16

This list is tellin us one thing- Oasis are the last alive big band! Fortunately there is other cities in the world with their own lists, like Rousse, Bg

Cat B [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 12:26

LOVE YOU JOHNNY MARR!

'Doh! [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 13:35

Where the heck was "dont look back in anger?" Not even the best Oasis song, but easily the biggest MANCHESTER ANTHEM! Try telling the 100,000+ people who will be singing along to it at Heaton Park this week that "Love will tear us apart" is a bigger anthem. No chance.

Sumner [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 14:12

what happened to True Faith and Bizzare Love Triangle by new order, those are classics that even if you go to a town in upstate New York , they can be heard playing on radio there, New Order rules.

jason [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 14:24

shut up moaning people... A band that wasn't as successful or well known doesen't mean they deserve to be in this list... The fact of the matter is Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Joy Division ARE the best bands from Manchester... EVER

Sonny-D [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 17:13

5 Oasis???? Someones having a laugh - there are many much better manc bands than them

SFGlam [Visitor] //June 4 2009 at 20:28

I agree Doh! Don't look Back in Anger should be way up there, get rid of #7 & #18. Step on by Happy mondays - shocked that's not on there....or Temptation from New Order, one of THE best songs of all time - period.

Fromagey [Visitor] //June 8 2009 at 17:47

What about the criminally and consistently overlooked New FAD's? Fishes Eyes; Big; It's Not What You Know... New Fast Automatic Daffodils are the great lost Manchester band.

allwins858 [Visitor] //June 10 2009 at 05:55

Good to hear from Johnny!

Chester the Cat [Visitor] //June 18 2009 at 12:37

Re: Tim's comments If think some people's point is an indirect 'why aren't they on the list' ...for e.g. if the NME had shown more support/coverage of new, up and coming Manchester bands, then it could (possibly) have helped build up a wider audience and then.... ??

Chester the Cat [Visitor] //June 18 2009 at 12:38

Carrie [Visitor] //August 2 2009 at 06:05

Not a very diverse list I'll say that much...

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Johnny Marr Reveals The Ultimate Manchester Anthems - Free Podcast

By Tim Chester

Posted on 02/06/09 at 03:58:58 pm

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