The city of Sheffield boasts one of the best music scenes in the UK.
After the emergence of Def Leppard in the 1970s put Sheffield firmly on the music map, the 1980s saw many Sheffield-born artists propelled into stardom including ABC, Heaven 17 and The Human League. Much of the 1980s chart was dominated by Sheffielders.
More recently, Alex Turner founded the iconic indie band Arctic Monkeys – having grown up in the city and catching the Sheffield talent bug.
7.2% of Sheffield’s working population are employed in the creative industries, well above the national average of 4% – proving the city’s status as a giant of the music world.
While Sheffield’s dominance is well-established, this article explores five things that have changed about the area’s music scene.
A Student City
Sheffield’s student population continues to grow every year, with the University of Sheffield alone teaching over 30,000 students. When combined with Sheffield Hallam University, colleges and sixth forms – students are a significant proportion of music-lovers in the city.
The growth of Sheffield’s university and college populations has changed the music scene, perhaps forever.
Being Generation Z, these mostly 18 to 21 year olds have a unique music taste which is both distinctive and inspired by previous generations. This has changed the types of artists performing in Sheffield today, including the artist Self Esteem.
From Cigarettes to Vaping
If you stood outside a gig today and compared it to fifty years ago, one of the main differences you’d notice is the almost complete disappearance of cigarette smoking.
Since discovering that smoking is worse for your health than many once thought, most people have made the switch to flavoured vapes.
Many gig-goers now opt for vapes, buying from online stores such as Vape Shop Ashford.
An Alternative Music Scene
The emergence of Arctic Monkeys in the 2000s paved the way for a major genre shift in the city.
Where previously pop and rock artists dominated the nighttime market in Sheffield, the talent and success of Arctic Monkeys has encouraged many music fans to explore indie and alternative genres.
The Arctic Monkeys-effect has led to an increased number of indie artists performing in pubs, bars and clubs across the region.
Shorter Songs
The increase in the number of young people moving into Sheffield, coupled with the popularity of social media platform TikTok, has created shorter songs.
Resulting from the idea that a TikTok video can only hold your attention for around two minutes, many songs have become shorter to accommodate. Much of the music chart is now dominated by songs popular with TikTok users and the gig industry reflects this.
The Bottom Line
Sheffield’s artists still rule the airwaves, and the gig industry continues to thrive. With dozens of well-known musicians and singers being from the city, it’s clear music runs through Sheffield’s veins.
The music scene is changing however, with shorter songs, new audiences and the rise of indie music artists.
