01 October 2025
Marco Gandolfi
New research released ahead of National Album Day has revealed that Oxford is the UK’s most successful city for producing rock artists on a per capita basis, punching far above its weight.
The study, conducted for National Album Day's 'Rock' theme, analyzed the biggest-selling and most-streamed UK rock studio albums over the last three decades. Despite having a population over 50 times smaller than London's, Oxford topped the rankings due to the immense success of bands like Radiohead, Supergrass, and Foals.
Radiohead Leads the Charge
Oxford's dominant position is primarily led by Radiohead, whose nine studio albums—including the iconic OK Computer and The Bends—all secured a place among the UK’s top 500 rock albums. The city’s contribution is cemented by three albums from Supergrass, including their debut I Should Coco, and a trio of albums from Foals, such as Holy Fire.
Mick Quinn of Supergrass commented on the result, noting, "Oxford's always had this vibrant music scene with a mixture of interloping students and locals... It's far enough from London not to be competitive but amongst its many diverse achievements; the Thames Valley Shoegaze scene still seems to cast a long shadow."
Top Rock Cities
Manchester—home to giants like Oasis, The Smiths, and Joy Division—was named runner-up. The city’s musical powerhouse status placed it ahead of Liverpool (3rd), Sheffield (4th), and Glasgow (5th).
While Oxford leads the per capita rankings, Greater London remains the UK’s largest rock region in actual terms, with its vast contributions including Blur, Coldplay, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones.
The research was carried out ahead of National Album Day, which takes place on Saturday, October 18th, celebrating rock music and the format that preserves these regional legacies.
Pos. City (Per Capita)
1. Oxford
2. Manchester
3. Liverpool
4. Sheffield
5. Glasgow
