What bands do you think really define Leeds’ sound? And are there any newer acts people are excited about at the moment?
I put this map together a while ago and I’m thinking of updating it, so would be great to hear what people think, especially if there’s anything obvious I’ve missed or newer bands worth adding.
Been trying to map out the core British post punk records from that 78–82 period chronologically and see how everything connects.
Once you start laying it out, it’s striking how dense and interconnected everything is—Manchester, Sheffield, London, different label ecosystems like Factory, Rough Trade, Postcard, 4AD, Mute… all overlapping but still very distinct.
Some of the records I’ve included:
Magazine — Real Life
Joy Division — An Ideal For Living, Unknown Pleasures, Closer, Love Will Tear Us Apart
Gang of Four — Entertainment!
The Slits — Cut
Public Image Ltd. — Metal Box
Siouxsie and the Banshees — The Scream, Juju
Wire — 154
The Fall — Dragnet, Grotesque
The Sound — Jeopardy
The Pop Group — Y
Cabaret Voltaire — Nag Nag Nag
Bauhaus — Bela Lugosi’s Dead
The Cure — Seventeen Seconds, Faith, Pornography
Throbbing Gristle — D.O.A
The Normal — T.V.O.D. / Warm Leatherette
Echo & the Bunnymen — Crocodiles
New Order — Ceremony
Genuinely curious what people would add to this period that doesn’t usually get mentioned.
Also been thinking about doing a similar one focused on key industrial records.
I’ve always felt Sheffield’s music scene is a bit underrated, especially compared to other northern cities like Manchester or Liverpool, but when you actually look at the legacy, it’s pretty remarkable.
What bands do you think really define Sheffield’s sound? And are there any newer acts people are excited about at the moment?
Joy Division and New Order are finally set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.
Like the Grammys and most institutional honours, often shaped by industry politics and commercial interests, their legacy has never really depended on official recognition. Their influence has been clear for decades, shaping the trajectory of post punk and later electronic music, often well beyond the reach of gatekeepers and “experts.”
Still, it feels long overdue. Two bands forged from the same rupture, whose work has defined entire genres and subcultures, and continues to shape the structure of modern music.
Feels strange it’s taken this long.