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LearnEnglish UK - Culture: music
What do you listen to?

The Music Issue

If you had to name a famous British band, would you say 'The Beatles' remembering the Beatlemania of the 1960s or 'The Spice Girls' remembering the girl power of the late 1990s?

There's so much more to the UK music scene than its history, and in this issue we take a look at the cutting edge. We go to Liverpool, the home of The Beatles, to see three emerging bands tipped for big things. We take a look at what students are listening to in Stoke-on-Trent, birthplace of the megastar Robbie Williams. We also look at the rise of specialist music within the UK, and introduce you to the UK’s many buskers, people who earn a living from playing their music on the streets.

All the texts are accompanied by language activities.

All photographs were taken by Ian Ketteridge. You can find out more about him on his portfolio site www.ianketteridge.com

Music posters in a public space
Music on the street
The revolution in how and where we listen to music has been matched by a revolution in what we listen to.
Colourful flyers
Not just high street stores
Have you ever wondered where we buy our music from?
Meet Beth
What do you listen to?
Meet some students from Keele University near Stoke-on-Trent, the birth place of Robbie Williams. See what they like to listen to?
Meet The Zutons
The Liverpool scene
Liverpool is recognised for its musical past but here you can see some of the bands that make up the city's musical future
SPOTLIGHT
Orange lozenge left Orange lozenge right
Drumers
SPOTLIGHT
This month, we introduce you to buskers.  They are a familiar sight on our streets, and play a variety of musical instruments, with varying degrees of success! Here are 18 images of the performers you may meet.
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