Modern artwork. Open mouth and ear connected by colorful music notes and sound waves, symbolizing communication, expression.

Northern Music Quiz

by Northern Life

Are you a northern noise connoisseur?

From Merseybeat to Madchester, synth-pop to indie rock, the north has shaped the sound of British music for decades. Test your knowledge of iconic bands, legendary gigs, and unforgettable tunes that put us on the musical map. Are you a northern noise connoisseur? 

‘Ave a go…

  1. ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ as originally performed by which Liverpudlian Merseybeat band?
  2. In the verses of ‘Scarborough Fair’, what does the lover request of the four herbs?
  3. Which of the two Gallagher brothers sang ‘Champagne Supernova’?
  4. Which song launched the Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys to stardom?
  5. ‘Dirty Old Town’ was written about which city?
  6. What was the biggest hit from the Wakefield band The Cribs?
  7. The Lancashire Hotpots broke through in the late 2000s with comedy folk songs — what was the title of their first big hit, themed around 2000s culture?
  8. Before becoming the Kaiser Chiefs, what was the band’s original name?
  9. Which nursery rhyme is sung to the tune of the Lancashire folk song ‘The Hand-Loom Weavers’ Lament?
  10. What was the original name of the Keighley band Terrorvision?
  11. The 1930s song ‘Rawtenstall Annual Fair’ is still known across Lancashire — but did the fair actually exist before the song became popular?
  12. What single is Burnley band Chumbawamba best known for?
  13. The artwork for Joy Division’s 1979 debut album ‘Unknown Pleasures’ depicts the radio emissions of what?
  14. What was the title of Def Leppard’s debut album, released in the 1980s?
  15. What was the biggest hit from The Animals?
  16. West Yorkshire band Soft Cell found chart success with their version of ‘Tainted Love’ — but who recorded the original?
  17. Which street in Blackburn inspired the name of the band The Four Pennies?
  18. What was the original name of the Beatles?
  19. A famous band’s photoshoot took place outside Salford Lads Club — which band was it?
  20. Echo and the Bunnymen became icons of moody northern rock — what was their biggest hit?
  21. The La’s hit single ‘There She Goes’ became a love story anthem in 1988 — but what does ‘La’ mean in Scouse?
  22. How did the Stone Roses’ first gig in the Madchester era end?
  1. Which band from Leeds won the 2024 Mercury Prize?
  2. The Sisters of Mercy, a West Yorkshire band known for their 1980s sound, are best remembered for which iconic song?
  3. What city is the famous punk band The Buzzcocks originally from?

Find the answers here.

Got full marks? Check out our Northern News Quiz for more trivia.

NorthernLife June/July/Aug 25