This is a list of notable bands and artists from Merseyside, North West England. For over fifty years, the area has had a thriving pop and rock music scene, particularly since The Beatles popularised Merseybeat.[1]
- Badfinger: Although originally formed in Swansea, two members came from Liverpool.[12]
- Banners: Michael Joseph Nelson, known under the stage name Banners is a singer-songwriter from Liverpool[13]
- The Bandits: 2000s blues rock band[14]
- BB Mak: 1998–2003 pop/rock band, biggest hit "Back Here" was No. 1 on the US Billboard AC chart for seven weeks; sold three million albums worldwide
- The Beatles: 1960s rock band, widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history[15]
- Benny Profane: 1985–1990 indie pop band
- Big in Japan: 1970s punk band that launched the careers of Budgie, Ian Broudie, Bill Drummond, David Balfe, Jayne Casey and Holly Johnson
- The Big Three: Merseybeat band managed by Brian Epstein[16]
- Cilla Black: 1960s singer discovered by Brian Epstein, later to become a successful television presenter
- Black: 1980s singer-songwriter best known for the hit "Wonderful Life"[17]
- The Black Velvets: 2000s rock band[18]
- The Boo Radleys: 1980s/90s Britpop/indie rock band, biggest hit "Wake Up Boo!"[19]
- Peter Beckett is an English musician and songwriter who has written songs for many prominent recording artists, his own bands and solo work, and for several films. He is likely best known as the lead singer and guitarist for 1970s soft rock group Player, which scored a U.S. number 1 hit in 1977 with "Baby Come Back"
- Buster
- Jimmy Campbell known in the 1960s for bands such as The Kirbys and the 23rd Turnoff.
- CamelPhat CamelPhat is a British DJ and production duo, consisting of Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala, formed in Liverpool in 2004.
- Carcass: 1990s death metal band and forebears of melodic death metal
- Cast: 1990s Britpop group[20]
- Carcer City, Metalcore band
- Care
- Cecil (band), rock band from Liverpool, active 1993–2000.
- The Cheap Thrills 2010s indie rock band from Liverpool.
- The Cherry Boys 1980s New wave band Byrne, Gunsun, Minns, Hughes
- China Crisis: 1980s new wave band
- The Christians: 1980s/90s soul-influenced sophisti-pop band
- Circa Waves: indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 2013.[21]
- Clean Cut Kid: indie pop band[22]
- Clinic: 2000s acid punk band[23]
- Colonel Bagshot
- The Coral: 2000s indie group inspired by old-fashioned country, 1960s-style psychedelia and folk
- Peter Edward Clarke (born 21 August 1957, in St Helens, Merseyside), better known as Budgie, is an English drummer. His first recording was with The Slits in 1979. He then became the drummer of the influential band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1979–1996) and its side-project The Creatures (1981–2004).
- Conan
- Cook da Books: 1980s new wave band
- The Crescent: 2000s indie band influenced by the La's
- Crawlers, rock band, formed in 2018
- Crucial Three: 1980s "supergroup in reverse" which launched the careers of Ian McCulloch, Julian Cope and Pete Wylie
- The Cryin' Shames: 1960s pop group[24]
- Malik & the O.G's
- Jim McCarty: best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.
- Marc Almond: lead singer for Soft Cell
- Marseille: 1970s heavy metal band from Liverpool, featuring television celebrity Neil Buchanan
- Marsha Ambrosius: Singer-songwriter, former member of the soul/R&B duo Floetry, she released her first solo album Late Nights & Early Mornings in 2011. Her debut album topped the Billboard R&B chart. Has been nominated for Grammy Awards
- The Maybes?: Band active since 2001
- Mazza_L20: rapper[43] whose track "Murdaside" peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart[44]
- George Melly: Jazz musician, writer and expert on surrealist art
- The Mekano Set: Alternative Electro Post-Punk collective formed 2007
- The Merseybeats
- Mic Lowry, pop/R&B vocal group who have supported Justin Bieber
- Miles Kane: Musician originally from the Wirral, best known as the co-frontman of The Last Shadow Puppets and former frontman of The Rascals. Formerly the vocalist and lead guitarist for The Rascals, but announced the band's break-up in August 2009. Pursuing a solo career, and continues to be part of his side-project, The Last Shadow Puppets. His debut solo album, Colour of the Trap, was released in May 2011
- Modern Eon: Post-punk band active 1978–1981
- The Mojos[45]
- The Moonies: alternative rock band[46]
- Nick McCabe is an English musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.
- S.F.X. Boys' Choir, Liverpool
- The Sand Band: alternative folk band
- The Scaffold: 1960s group featuring Mike McGear, Roger McGough and John Gorman. Had a number 1 with "Lily the Pink", and other hits with "Thank You Very Much", "Do You Remember?" and "Gin Gan Goolie" in the 1960s and "Liverpool Lou" in the 1970s
- Scorpio Rising: 1990s indie rock group, whose style is inspired by Manchester's indie dance scene.
- The Seal Cub Clubbing Club: Post-punk band[49]
- The Searchers: 1960s Merseybeat group. No. 1 hits include "Sweets for My Sweet", "Needles and Pins" and "Don't Throw Your Love Away"
- Shack: Cult band led by Mick Head, formerly of The Pale Fountains. Influential on Britpop bands such as Oasis; Noel Gallagher repaid the debt by signing them to his record label
- She Drew the Gun: are a 4-piece dreamy psych pop outfit.
- Short Sharp Shock: Crossover hardcore/thrash band from Wirral[50]
- Siobhan Maher Kennedy: lead vocalist of River City People during the late 1980s and early 1990s, solo career since 2002
- Skinny: 1995 to 1998 indie pop band later known as Monochrome
- Smaller: Mid-1990s indie band featuring Digsy of Oasis fame
- Sonia: Pop singer from the PWL stable. Born in Skelmersdale but mostly associated with Liverpool
- Sound of Guns: Alternative Rock band formed in 2008
- Space: 1990s indie band best known for "Female of the Species" and their six other Top 20 hit singles
- Spider: new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) band
- The Spinners Liverpool folk band
- The Spitfire Boys: punk band
- The Stands: 2000s rock & roll band led by songwriter Howie Payne. Split in 2006
- Stealing Sheep: pop band formed in 2010
- Still Brickin: rapper who featured on Digga D's "Pump 101"[51] which peaked at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart.[52]
- Sunday Jones: indie rock band
- Rory Storm and the Hurricanes: Merseybeat group
- Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Super Group.
- Supercharge: 1970s funk/rock band, led by Albie Donnelly and featuring Ozzie Yue
- The Swinging Blue Jeans: 1960s Merseybeat group. Top 3 hits include "Hippy Hippy Shake" and "You're No Good"[53]
- Terry Sylvester was the English guitarist/singer with The Escorts, The Swinging Blue Jeans (1966–69) and The Hollies. In the latter guise, he took on the high parts formerly sung by Graham Nash, who had left the band in December 1968
- Ultrabeat are a British electronic music group from Liverpool, consisting of producer and vocalist Mike Di Scala and producers Ian Redman and Chris Henry
- The Undertakers: 1960s Merseybeat group, launchpad for the careers of the late Jackie Lomax (bass guitar), Chris Huston (lead guitar), the late Geoff Nugent (rhythm guitar), Brian Jones (tenor saxophone, member of the Glitter band) and the late Brian (Bugs) Pemberton (drums). Today's members are Brian Jones, Geoff Nugent, Bill Good and Jimmy O'Brien (formerly New Image and Rockin Horse). Lomax rejoined the band when he is home in Liverpool.[57]
- Urban Strawberry Lunch
- Frankie Vaughan was an English singer of traditional pop music who issued more than 80 singles in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after one of his early hits
- The Vernons Girls were an English musical ensemble of female vocalists
- Wah!: Pete Wylie vehicle, variously known as Wah! Heat and The Mighty Wah!
- Walkingseeds: alternative rock band formed in 1986
- Wave Machines: Indie band (2007–present)
- Jane Weaver: Female solo artist born in Liverpool and raised in Widnes.
- The Wild Swans: Post-punk/new wave band
- Wimple Winch: Freakbeat band
- Where's the Beach: Techno band who recorded three John Peel sessions and had Single Of The Week in NME for their third single "Sex Slave Zombie"
- The Wombats: Indie rock band formed in 2003 consisting of Matthew Murphy, Tord Overland Knudsen and Daniel Haggis. Best known for their 2007 hit Let's Dance To Joy Division.
- Kathryn Williams released her first album, Dog Leap Stairs on her own Caw Records label in 1999 with a budget of £80. The follow-up, Little Black Numbers, garnered a Mercury Prize nomination in 2000
- Cliff Williams Bassist with AC/DC. Lived in Hoylake.
- Wings: A band formed by Paul McCartney.
- WSTR
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