City in Scotland named among best in UK for pub music scene – but there’s one major spot missing
A SCOTTISH city has been named among the best in the UK for its pub music scene.
Pubs and bars have been vital spaces for up and coming musicians over the years.
Huge bands and singers such as Coldplay, Oasis and Sam Fender kick-started their careers at pub gigs.
New research from music licensing and copyright company PRS For Music and the British Beer And Pub Association (BBPA) found the top 10 cities outside of London for pubs staging live music.
And Edinburgh has been named among the best in the UK for its pub music scene.
The capital city boasts a vibrant pub music scene with popular spots like The Voodoo Rooms, Whistlebinkies, The Jazz Bar, Sandy Bell's and Sneaky Pete's.
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A fresh faced Lewis Capaldi played one of his first gigs at Sneaky Pete's as he belted out one of his first hits Bruises.
Research also found that 78 per cent of people are more likely to visit a pub if it hosts live music.
While 73 per cent said live music would make them stay in a venue for longer.
Despite a big live music scene in Glasgow with pubs including Oran Mor, The Ben Nevis and The Scotia Bar, it did not make the list.
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Andrea Czapary Martin, chief executive of PRS For Music, said: "Live music holds a special place in the UK's cultural landscape and the pub gig, unique to the UK, is a crucial part of that ecosystem.
"Pubs have long been a vital space for launching and nurturing new talent while bringing people together through the power of performance.
"Just think of the countless songwriting and performing careers that have started in local pubs - from Sam Fender and Idles, to Maisie Peters and Sam Tompkins, the list goes on.
"Join us in celebrating this inaugural initiative highlighting the significant cultural and economic contributions of live music in pubs, preserving British culture for future generations."
Belfast has been revealed to have the UK's largest pub music scene outside of London, with more than 350 venues hosting live music in the Northern Irish capital.
The 2021 Unesco City Of Music beat out the likes of Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool when it came to possessing pubs which regularly host live music events.
The rest of the top five, which was taken from PRS registered venues between 2020 and 2024, was made up of Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol and Brighton - with the four cities producing acts such as Lambrini Girls, Idles, Sleaford Mods, and Peace in recent years.
The top 10 cities outside London for pubs staging live music
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Nottingham
- Bristol
- Brighton
- Sheffield
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Manchester
- Portsmouth
Simon Rix, bassist of the Kaiser Chiefs - who began their career in pubs, said they were where the band "learned our craft".
He explained: "Watching bands like Oasis and Coldplay - that went on to become big names - performing just metres from us made everything seem more achievable and like we were already a part of something.
"It made us feel that maybe we could do this too. So later on, playing those same venues which were sometimes full, sometimes empty, it always felt like we were on track.
"Pubs are a vital part of any music scene, whether it's sitting in them plotting the next step, or being on stage performing, or watching gigs trying to find your next favourite band. Without them we lose our footing - they are our roots no matter where we end up."
The BBPA and PRS will launch Pubs Go Live on March 20, a 10-day event which will see a range of gigs take place in pubs across the country, including a performance from Lottery Winners at the Founder's Hall pub in Manchester on March 24.
Thom Rylance, frontman of Lottery Winners, added: "Pubs are where live music really lives. Before the arenas, before the festivals, it starts in the back rooms of boozers, where the crowd is right in front of you and every song has to earn its place.
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"The pub scene is the beating heart of live music. It's where bands are built, where songs are tested, and where connections are made that last a lifetime. Without it, the whole ecosystem of music falls apart.
"Live music in pubs is a lifeline. It keeps communities together, gives new artists a start, and reminds everyone why music is meant to be felt, not just heard. Pubs give bands a stage before anyone else will, and they give audiences a chance to be part of something real."
