Liverpool named top musical city

The Beatles gave Liverpool the edge in the poll

Liverpool has been named as Britain's top musical city in a new survey.

The home of The Beatles, The Las and Echo and the Bunnymen is now undergoing a new musical explosion.

Bands such as the Mercury Prize-nominated The Coral and The Crescent have emerged in the last year.

The city controversially beat its North West rival Manchester - home to a plethora of influential bands - into second place.

Britain's Top Musical Cities

1. Liverpool

2. Manchester

3. London

4. Birmingham

5. Glasgow

6. Oxford

7. Hull

8. Bradford

9. Belfast

10. Edinburgh

Liverpool's pop music influence began in the 1960s with the Mersey Beat phenomena.

Spearheaded by The Beatles, it also featured other bands such as Gerry and the Pacemakers and The Searchers.

In the late 1970s punk scene, the city produced bands such as the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes and Wah! - products of the renowned club Eric's.

And in the 1980s, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, OMD and The Las carried the city's musical banner.

However, the title of Britain's Best is likely to be contested by inhabitants of Liverpool's rival city Manchester.

The city has been home to most of Britain's most influential bands since the late 1970s.

Manchester has spawned a number of influential bands

The city has spawned Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and, in recent years, Oasis.

But Paul Jackson of Virgin Radio - which organised the poll - said Liverpool's "rich history of creative music" had won it the title.

The station's programme director said: "It was a close run thing between Manchester and Liverpool and this is bound to spark debate up and down the country.

"Everyone will have their own opinion but The Beatles edged it for Liverpool this time."