Which Country's Top 5 Best Cities is the Best "Top 5" in the World?

[arr430]

I've been inside people's homes in some of those poorest slums. They are often neat and tidy. They have pride. and there is a strong sense of community. What their neighborhood looks like on the outside is not always an indicator.

I've even started making it a practice to try to get myself invited in -- it is astonishing how nice their homes are, behind the shabby walls.

[easthome]

Originally Posted by Pueblofuerte

R&B and Ska are not British. That's very obviously the immigrant imprint of Afro-Caribbeans (The Specials) and gospel influenced artists of African descent (Eternal). The fact that in your mind you class this as culturally British, you've just proved my point. It's testament to the level of mainstream impact the immigrant population have had on UK pop culture that some people class this as just British now when it's origins are not solely British.



Yes the above is British! But it wouldn't have been created without external influences of immigrant populations on the mainstream. Like the whole Garage movement from the early 00's.

The Specials are a two-tone band, that is a music genre from the West Midlands in the UK:-

"The two-tone sound originated among young musicians in Coventry in the West Midlands of England, who grew up listening to 1960s Jamaican music.[5] They combined influences from ska, reggae and rocksteady with elements of punk rock and new wave. Bands considered part of the genre include the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the Beat, Bad Manners, the Bodysnatchers and Akrylykz."

I love a bit of two-tone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLLL1KxpYMA

[Brave New World]

Originally Posted by whylie

Can't disagree with any of this. I find it odd how common this kind of post is: "Britain or *place in Britain* dominates music! I mean, here's proof *proceeds to list bands and musicians, one or two hugely popular and influential, the rest middling, unpopular, or not unique acts at all*"

The US has the largest music market - this is typically ignored, for some reason - and I find it funny how we always have to put up with these silly, bloated lists containing every band and musician from the UK or a given British city, but posters recoil into stony silence when the same is done for the US.

Music isn't really a notable force in the culture brand of British cities outside of London and Liverpool (the latter, really just for the Beatles, who lend more global relevance to 'Merseybeat'). Madchester just was not a global phenomenon. House, Soul, Funk and Techno, incubated in US cities like Chicago, New York City, and Detroit, were. Rock and roll, incubated in a broad array of Southern and Northern US cities, was also a global phenomenon, that contributes to strong branding for parts of the US, like the South. Jazz is a part of the St. Louis, Kansas City, and New Orleans brands. Psychedelic rock, Surf rock, Heavy metal, and Hardcore are heavily associated with California. Grunge and Alternative rock with Washington, particularly Seattle. Punk, Hip Hop, Disco - New York City, Miami, LA, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. The only strong, globally impactful associations with a British city and a music genre is London and Punk. Atlanta and Athens, Georgia have a stronger New wave and Indie brand than most British cities.

Back Again under a different username.

No one is suggesting that US cities don't have a lot of very god music scenes and an influential history in terms of modern music, and I don't think anyone would deny that fact that the UK and it's cities played a significant role in terms of modern music.

As for Manchester it's only around 30 miles from Liverpool with both cities having a notable impact in terms of their music scenes.