Madchester
Madchester refers to a period during the late 1980s and early 1990s when Manchester was the focus for a lot of the new musical talent hitting the UK indie music scene.
During this period rock bands such as Inspiral Carpets, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans and The Happy Mondays emanated from Manchester as well as electronic music outfits such as 808 State and The Chemical Brothers. The city had earlier seen the birth of punk rock outfits such as Buzzcocks, Magazine and Joy Division (from which New Order grew), and Manchester band The Smiths were one of the most popular indie groups of the 1980s.
The Madchester music was a combination of indie rock, psychedelia, and dance. In many instances it came out of collaboration between guitar-based groups and dance music producers. Producers such as Paul Oakenfold, Andrew Weatherall and Stephen Hague had a significant impact on the Madchester scene, frequently incoporating elements of the mid-tempo "Balearic" dance style associated with Ibiza nightclubs at that time.
Madchester-style music was also played outside Manchester, with bands such as Glasgow's Primal Scream and Liverpool's The La's.
It was also during this time that there was an influx of drug culture into the city (predominatly Ecstasy) that helped fuel the rise of the some of the most popular dance music clubs of the time, such as Fac 51 Hacienda. "The Hacienda" was run by Factory Records record label impressario Tony Wilson and Factory Records also signed many of the artists associated with the Madchester scene such as the Happy Mondays.
The 2002 film 24 Hour Party People is a semi-satirical depiction of the rise of Factory Records and many of the bands associated both directly and indirectly with the record label.
Major Madchester recordings
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|align=center| Britpop - College rock - Dream pop - Gothic rock - Grunge - Indie rock - Jam band - Madchester - New Wave - Shoegazing - Twee
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|align=center| Bands
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