View source for Madchester

{{Short description|Cultural scene in 1980s–1990s Manchester}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox art movement
| name         = Madchester
| image        = Madchester-logo.jpg
| alt          = 
| caption      = The "Madchester" wordmark that appeared on the [[Happy Mondays]]' 1989 EP ''[[Madchester Rave On]]''
| yearsactive  = Late 1980s – early 1990s
| location     = [[Manchester]], England
| majorfigures = {{ubl|[[The Stone Roses]]|[[Happy Mondays]]|[[Inspiral Carpets]]|[[The Charlatans (English band)|The Charlatans]]|[[James (band)|James]]|[[808 State]]}}
| influences   = {{ubl|[[Second Summer of Love]]|[[Acid house]]|[[Indie rock]]|[[Psychedelia]]}}
| influenced   = {{ubl|[[Britpop]]|[[Alternative dance]]|[[Electronic rock]]}}
}}

'''Madchester''' was a musical and cultural scene that emerged in the English city of [[Manchester]] during the late 1980s, closely associated with the [[Alternative dance|indie dance]] movement.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/21/madchester-manchester-interviews-hook-ryder|title=Madchester remembered: 'There was amazing creative energy in Manchester at the time'|date=21 April 2012|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2012/apr/22/madchester-hacienda-stone-roses-happy-mondays|title=The Madchester scene – in pictures|date=21 April 2012|access-date=7 January 2021|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fluxmagazine.com/madchester-1989/|title=Madchester 1989 – How one year changed a city and the way we looked|website=Fluxmagazine.com|date=20 June 2019|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ilovemanchester.com/madchester-legacy-30-years-music|title=The influential musical legacy of Madchester 30 years on|date=4 March 2020|website=Ilovemanchester.com|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> Indie dance (also referred to as indie rave<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/07/1990s-indie-dance-boom-happy-mondays-primal-scream|title=Twisting my melon, man! The baggy, brilliant indie-rave summer of 1990|date=7 July 2020|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref>) blended [[indie rock]] with elements of [[acid house]], [[psychedelic music|psychedelia]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Echard |first1=William |title=Psychedelic Popular Music: A History through Musical Topic Theory |date=2017 |publisher=[[Indiana University Press]] |pages=244–246 |isbn=9780253026590 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XJoqDwAAQBAJ&q=madchester+neopsychedelia&pg=PA244}}</ref> and 1960s [[Pop music|pop]].<ref name="all">{{cite web|title=Madchester – Genre Overview|url=http://www.allmusic.com/style/madchester-ma0000005017|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=25 March 2017}}</ref>

The term ''Madchester'' was coined by [[Factory Records]]' [[Tony Wilson]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8dd42/trailblazers--s1-e11-trailblazers-madchester/|title=Trailblazers: Madchester – S1|website=[[Radio Times]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title="Trailblazers Of" Madchester (TV Episode 2016) – IMDb|access-date=7 January 2021|publisher=IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5816030/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/88d9e588-504f-4674-8c7c-f39280fbaabe/trailblazers-of/episodes/season-1/episode-11|title=Trailblazers|publisher=Sky UK|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> and was popularised by the British music press in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Shuker|first=Roy|page=157|chapter=Madchester|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2sAReL71VsUC&pg=PA157|title=Popular Music: The Key Concepts|publisher=[[Psychology Press]]|year=2005|access-date=26 December 2016|isbn=978-0415347693}}</ref> However, the origin of the term can be traced to a script meeting between Factory Records video directors Philip Shotton and Keith Jobling, known as "the Bailey Brothers." They coined ''Madchester'' while developing a script and later suggested it to Tony Wilson. Subsequently, Wilson instructed the band [[Happy Mondays]] to rename their EP from "Rave On" to "Madchester Rave On."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/21/madchester-manchester-interviews-hook-ryder|title=Madchester remembered: 'There was amazing creative energy in Manchester at the time'|date=21 April 2012|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> The Happy Mondays' lead vocalist, [[Shaun Ryder]], recalled: "It was our video directors, the Bailey Brothers, who came up with the term 'Madchester,' but we said, 'Great, yeah, go with it,' because Manchester was mad at the time."

The scene's most famous groups include [[the Stone Roses]], Happy Mondays, [[Inspiral Carpets]], [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]], [[James (band)|James]], and [[808 State]]. The movement was heavily influenced by the widespread use of drugs, particularly [[MDMA]].

A major catalyst for the distinctive musical ethos in the city was [[the Haçienda]] nightclub, co-owned by members of [[New Order (band)|New Order]], which played a pivotal role in the movement known as the [[Second Summer of Love]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/feb/17/stone-roses-twentieth-anniversary|title=Why are the Stone Roses adored?|work=[[The Guardian]]|last=Anderson|first=Penny|date=18 February 2009|access-date=9 July 2014}}</ref>

==Pre-Madchester==
The music scene in Manchester immediately before the Madchester era was dominated by [[the Smiths]], [[New Order (band)|New Order]], and [[The Fall (band)|the Fall]], who became significant influences on the Madchester movement. The opening of [[The Haçienda]] nightclub in May 1982, an initiative by [[Factory Records]], was also instrumental in shaping Manchester's popular culture. During its early years, the club primarily featured club-oriented pop music and hosted gigs by artists such as New Order, [[Cabaret Voltaire (band)|Cabaret Voltaire]], [[Culture Club]], [[Thompson Twins]], and the Smiths. DJs like Hewan Clarke and [[Greg Wilson (DJ)|Greg Wilson]] contributed to the club's prominence. By 1986, The Haçienda shifted its focus from being a live venue to a dance club.<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester England'', Fourth Estate, London, 2000, p. 158</ref>

The [[Festival of the Tenth Summer]] in July 1986, organised by Factory Records, reinforced Manchester's reputation as a hub for alternative pop culture. The festival featured film screenings, a music seminar, art exhibitions, and performances by the city's leading bands, including an all-day concert at [[Manchester G-Mex]] with [[A Certain Ratio]], the Smiths, New Order, and the Fall. According to [[Dave Haslam]], the festival showcased how "the city had become synonymous with larger-than-life characters playing cutting-edge music. [...] Individuals were inspired and the city was energised; of its own accord, uncontrolled."<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester England'', Fourth Estate, London, 2000, pp. 128–129</ref>

In addition to these venues and events, the warehouse parties organised by [[Steve Adge]] were crucial in the development of the scene. The [[Stone Roses]]' warehouse parties, first held in 1985, were significant, with DJ [[Dave Booth (DJ)|Dave Booth]] supporting the Stone Roses' live performances. These parties, including the notable "Warehouse 1, The Flower Show" event on 20 July 1985, played a vital role in establishing the band's following and the burgeoning music scene in Manchester.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestoneroses.co.uk/live/warehouse-1-flowershow-1985|title=Warehouse 1, The Flower Show 20 July 1985|website=The Stone Roses|date=3 July 2012|access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> Booth was an influential DJ in Manchester's music landscape.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/dave-booth-rip-legendary-manchester-dj/|title=Dave Booth RIP (legendary Manchester DJ)|last=Robb|first=John|date=17 May 2020|website=Louder Than War|access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="Kiszely">{{cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/dj-dave-booth-an-interview-with-one-of-the-key-manchester-djs/|title=DJ Dave Booth—an interview with one of the key Manchester DJs|last=Kiszely|first=Philip|date=29 February 2012|website=Louder Than War|access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> He co-created the Playpen nights and the [[Blood Club]] and was a resident DJ at several key venues in Manchester's alternative club network. He began his career at the [[Roxy Room]] in [[Pips (club)|Pips]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/legendary-dj-dave-booth-hacienda-14726116|title=Legendary DJ Dave Booth on why the Hacienda was the worst mistake he ever made|website=Daily Post|date=4 June 2018|access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> and performed at other clubs like Devilles, Berlin, Cloud 9, and Legends, helping to create a network of venues that fostered the growth of Manchester's alternative music scene. The city's emerging bands, including the Stone Roses, frequented these clubs and drew inspiration from the diverse music played by DJs.<ref name="Kiszely"/>

In 1987, the Haçienda began playing house music, with DJs [[Mike Pickering]], [[Graeme Park (DJ)|Graeme Park]], and "Little" Martin Prendergast hosting "[[Nude Records|Nude]] Night" on Fridays.<ref>John Robb, ''The North Will Rise Again'', Aurum Press, London, 2009, p. 233</ref> The Haçienda transitioned from making a consistent loss to selling out by early 1987.<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester England'', Fourth Estate, London, 2000, p. 165</ref> During that year, it hosted performances by American house artists such as [[Frankie Knuckles]] and [[Adonis (artist)|Adonis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cerysmaticfactory.info/hacienda_acid_house_classics.html|title=cerysmaticfactory.info|website=cerysmaticfactory.info|access-date=5 September 2002}}</ref>

Other clubs in the Manchester area began embracing house music, including [[Devilles]], [[Isadora's]], [[Konspiracy]], [[House (club)|House]], [[Soundgardens]], and [[Man Alive (club)|Man Alive]] in the city centre, as well as [[Bugsy's]] in Ashton-under-Lyne and the [[Osbourne Club]] in Miles Platting. Another key factor in the rise of Madchester was the sudden availability of the drug MDMA in the city, starting in 1987 and increasing in the following year.<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester England'', Fourth Estate, London, 2000, p. 167</ref> According to Haslam, "[MDMA] use changed clubs forever; a night at the Haçienda went from being a great night out to an intense, life-changing experience".<ref>{{cite web|title=United Manchester website, 2003–present|url=http://www.unitedmanchester.com/music/hacienda.htm|website=Unitedmanchester.com|access-date=5 September 2002}}</ref>

The British music scene was such that ''The Guardian'' later stated, "The '80s looked destined to end in musical [[wikt:ignominy|ignominy]]".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Madchester arrives on the nation's TV screens |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/14/madchester-arrives-on-tv |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 June 2011 |access-date=25 November 2011 |location=London |first=Betty |last=Clarke}}</ref> The Madchester movement flourished as its sound was fresh and innovative, quickly gaining popularity.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Chapter Three – Madchester |url=http://www.manchester.com/music/features/music5.php |work=manchester.com |access-date=25 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604190208/http://www.manchester.com/music/features/music5.php |archive-date=4 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Music by artists such as the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays began to chart highly in 1989, with New Order releasing the [[acid house]]-influenced ''[[Technique (album)|Technique]]'', which topped the [[UK Albums Chart]].

==Beginnings==
In October 1988, the Stone Roses released "[[Elephant Stone]]" as a single. Around the same time, the Happy Mondays released the single "Wrote for Luck," followed by the ''[[Bummed]]'' album, produced by [[Martin Hannett]]. In November, [[A Guy Called Gerald]] released his first solo single, "[[Voodoo Ray]]." Only "Voodoo Ray" achieved commercial success; however, by December of that year, a sense had begun to emerge in the British music press that something was happening in the city. According to [[Sean O'Hagan]], writing in the ''[[NME]]'', "There is a particularly credible music biz rumour-come{{sic}} theory that certain Northern towns—Manchester being the prime example—have had their water supply treated with small doses of mind-expanding chemicals. [...] Everyone from Happy Mondays to the severely disoriented Morrissey conforms to the theory in some way. Enter A Guy Called Gerald, out of his box on the limitless possibilities of a bank of keyboards."<ref>''New Musical Express'', IPC, London, 17 December 1988</ref>

The Stone Roses' following grew as they toured the country and released the "[[Made of Stone]]" single in February 1989.<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester England'', Fourth Estate, London, 2000, p. 181</ref> Although this did not chart, enthusiasm for the band in the music press intensified when they released their debut album, ''[[The Stone Roses (album)|The Stone Roses]]'' (produced by [[John Leckie]]) in March. [[Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne)|Bob Stanley]] (later of [[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]]) reviewed the Stone Roses album in ''[[Melody Maker]]'', writing, "This is simply the best debut LP I've heard in my record-buying lifetime. Forget everybody else. Forget work tomorrow."<ref>''Melody Maker'', IPC, London, 29 April 1989</ref> ''NME'' did not put it quite so strongly, but reported nonetheless that it was being talked of as "the greatest album ever made." [[John Robb (musician)|John Robb]] in ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'' gave the album 9/10 and stated that the Stone Roses "revolutionised British pop."

The club scene in Manchester continued to grow during 1988 and 1989, with the Haçienda launching [[Ibiza]]-themed nights in the summer of 1988 and the "Hot" [[acid house]] night (hosted by [[Mike Pickering]] and [[Jon DaSilva]]) in November of the same year.<ref name="theguardian.com"/>

== Baggy ==
{{Main|Baggy}}
The "[[baggy]]" sound generally combines [[funk]], [[psychedelia]], [[pop rock|guitar rock]], and [[house music]]. In the Manchester context, the music is primarily influenced by the indie music that had dominated the city's music scene during the 1980s, while also absorbing the various influences emerging from "the Haçienda" nightclub. Alongside the music, a distinctive style of dressing emerged that gave baggy its name. Baggy jeans (often flared, typically made by Shami Ahmed's 'Joe Bloggs' brand<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-42857151|title=Joe Bloggs owner and fashion firm East go into administration|date=29 January 2018|access-date=7 January 2021|publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/fashion-house-behind-iconic-madchester-14218776|title=Fashion house behind iconic 'Madchester' clothing label Joe Bloggs goes into administration|first=Paul|last=Britton|date=29 January 2018|newspaper=[[Manchester Evening News]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/king-madchester-clothing-bankrupt-1850913.html|title=King of Madchester clothing is bankrupt|date=22 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref>), along with brightly colored or tie-dye casual tops and a general 1960s style, became fashionable first in Manchester and then across the country.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/21/madchester-manchester-interviews-hook-ryder |title=Madchester remembered: 'There was amazing creative energy at the time' |first=Luke |last=Bainbridge |work=[[The Observer]] |date=21 April 2012 |access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref> This look was often topped off with a fishing hat in the style worn by the Stone Roses' drummer [[Alan Wren|Alan "Reni" Wren]]. The overall style was a mix of rave, retro, hippie, and [[football casual]]. Many Madchester bands had football casual fans, and several bands even wore football shirts.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/all-mouth-and-trousers--the-rise-of-joe-bloggs-1423650.html | work=The Independent | location=London | title=All mouth and trousers – the rise of Joe Bloggs | first=Kenan | last=Malik | date=19 June 1994 |access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref>

==Growing success==
In mid-1989, media interest in the Manchester scene continued to grow. In September, the Happy Mondays released a [[Vince Clarke]] remix of "Wrote for Luck" as a single. In November, four significant singles were released: "Move" by the Inspiral Carpets, "[[Pacific State (song)|Pacific State]]" by 808 State, the Happy Mondays EP ''[[Madchester Rave On]]'', and [[Fools Gold/What The World Is Waiting For|"Fools Gold"/"What the World is Waiting For"]] by the Stone Roses. The Happy Mondays record, featuring the lead track "Hallelujah!", popularized the term "Madchester" – a term that had originally been suggested by their video directors, the Bailey Brothers, as a potential T-shirt slogan, after they coined the word for their abandoned Factory film ''The Mad Fuckers''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thequietus.com/articles/32950-factory-records-mad-fuckers-film-soundtrack-audrey-golden | title=The Quietus &#124; Features &#124; Subscriber Area &#124; Low Culture Essay: Audrey Golden on 'Lost' FAC Film the Mad Fuckers | date=18 May 2023 }}</ref>

In November, the Stone Roses performed a gig at London's [[Alexandra Palace]] and were invited onto [[BBC Two]]'s high-brow ''[[The Late Show (BBC TV series)|Late Show]]'' (during their performance, the electricity was cut off by noise-limiting circuitry, and singer Ian Brown shouted, "Amateurs, amateurs," as the presenter tried to link into the next item). On 23 November 1989, the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays appeared on the same edition of ''[[Top of the Pops]]''. The "Fools Gold" single reached number 8 on the [[UK Singles Chart]], becoming the biggest-selling [[indie (music)|indie]] single of the year.<ref>''Number One'', 10 January 1990, IPC, London</ref>

Madchester became something of a [[Bandwagon effect|bandwagon]] from this time. According to NME journalist [[Stuart Maconie]], the British press had "gone bonkers over Manchester bands".<ref>''Madchester – The Sound of the North'', Granada Television, Manchester, 1990</ref> [[James (band)|James]] were among the first beneficiaries of this. The local success of their self-financed singles "[[Come Home (James song)|Come Home]]" and "[[Sit Down (James song)|Sit Down]]" led to a deal with [[Fontana Records|Fontana]], and they scored chart hits with "How Was It for You" and a re-recorded version of "Come Home" in the summer of 1990.

[[The Charlatans (English band)|The Charlatans]] rose to prominence through appearances in Manchester, particularly as a support act to the Stone Roses, and became strongly associated with the scene. They released their debut single, "Indian Rope," in October 1989, and their second single, "[[The Only One I Know]]," made the UK top ten. A number of other Manchester bands gained the attention of the music press during 1990, including [[World of Twist]], [[New Fast Automatic Daffodils]], [[the High]], [[Northside (band)|Northside]], the [[Paris Angels]], and [[Intastella]]. These "second wave" bands, according to [[John Robb (musician)|John Robb]], "copped the critical backlash, but were making great music".<ref>John Robb, ''The North Will Rise Again'', Aurum Press, London, 2009, p. 335</ref> They also received a great deal of local support, with TV appearances on various Granada shows and local radio play.

==Commercial success==
Bands associated with the Madchester scene released material almost exclusively on [[indie (music)|indie]] record labels, with the significant exception of James, who signed to [[Fontana Records]] in 1989. Madchester was growing in popularity and was no longer just a local trend in Manchester, with an article entitled "Stark Raving Madchester" appearing in ''[[Newsweek Magazine]]'' in 1990, describing the Madchester scene.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Stark Raving Madchester |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1990/07/22/stark-raving-madchester.html |work=thedailybeast.com |date=12 July 1990 |access-date=19 October 2011}}</ref> The main Madchester bands dominated the [[UK Indie Chart]]s during late 1989 and much of 1990.

The success of several indie acts associated with the "scene" on the UK Singles and Albums charts was unprecedented at the time. "Step On" and "Kinky Afro" by the [[Happy Mondays]] both reached number 5 on the singles chart, while [[James (band)|James]] scored the biggest Madchester hit, making number 2 in 1991 with a re-recording of "Sit Down." On the albums chart, the Happy Mondays reached number 4 with ''[[Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches]]'', and the [[Inspiral Carpets]] peaked at number 2 with ''Life''. The Charlatans were the only Madchester band to reach the number 1 spot, with the album ''[[Some Friendly]]'' in the autumn of 1990.

Outside the UK, the success of Madchester was limited, although some releases gained recognition in specialist charts around the world. In the U.S., the albums ''[[The Stone Roses (album)|The Stone Roses]]'', ''[[Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches]]'', and ''[[Some Friendly]]'' reached the lower echelons of the U.S. albums chart. Several singles by [[the Stone Roses]], the [[Inspiral Carpets]], the [[Happy Mondays]], and [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]] performed well on the [[Modern Rock Tracks|''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks]] chart. The Happy Mondays toured the U.S. in 1990 and charted on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], with "[[Step On]]" reaching No. 57 in 1990. They also reached No. 1 on the [[Modern Rock Tracks]] chart with "[[Kinky Afro]]" in 1990. The only other Madchester artist to reach No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart was the Charlatans, whose single "[[Weirdo (song)|Weirdo]]" was No. 1 for the week of 23 May 1992.

==Decline==
On 27 May 1990, [[the Stone Roses]] performed at [[Spike Island (Halton)|Spike Island]] in [[Widnes]], supported by DJs [[Frankie Bones]], [[Dave Haslam]], Alfonso Buller (MVITA),<ref name="johnrobb">{{Cite web |last=johnrobb |date=2012-05-30 |title=Manchester legend MVITA talks of Stone Roses, raves, and the Madchester madness |url=https://louderthanwar.com/manchester-legend-mvita-talks-of-stones-roses-raves-and-the-madchester-madness/ |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=Louder Than War |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Warner |first=Harry |date=2 September 2024 |title=DJ claims 'Oasis are not sellouts and fans should expect the high prices' |url=https://www.joe.co.uk/news/dj-claims-oasis-are-not-sellouts-and-fans-should-expect-the-high-prices-456027 |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=Joe.co.uk |pages=}}</ref> Himat 'Chester' 'The Guru' Singh (MVITA),<ref name="johnrobb"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=FAC 169 So Good {{!}} Pleasure Crew {{!}} Cerysmatic Factory |url=https://factoryrecords.org/cerysmatic/fac169.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=factoryrecords.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FAC 169 So Good - Press Release {{!}} Pleasure Crew |url=https://factoryrecords.org/cerysmatic/fac169_press_release.php |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=factoryrecords.org}}</ref> and Dave Booth. The concert was described as a "[[Woodstock Festival|Woodstock]] for the [[ecstasy (drug)|E]] generation".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_stone_roses/reviews/13420 |title=Uncut Magazine: The Stone Roses (review) |access-date=30 November 2009 |author=Danny Kelly |year=2009 |publisher=IPC }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> A rapid succession of chart hits followed during the summer, including "[[One Love (The Stone Roses song)|One Love]]" by the Stone Roses, "This Is How It Feels" by the [[Inspiral Carpets]], "The Only One I Know" by [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]], and "Kinky Afro" by the [[Happy Mondays]]. The end of the year saw triumphant concerts by [[James (band)|James]] and a double-header with the Happy Mondays and [[808 State]], both at [[Manchester G-Mex]].

The Stone Roses cancelled their June 1990 tour of America and issued a press statement declaring, "America doesn't deserve us yet."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/506737/its-your-birthday-stone-roses-john-squire.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030132132/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/506737/its-your-birthday-stone-roses-john-squire.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 October 2013 |title=Say It's Your Birthday: Stone Roses John Squire |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=24 November 1995 |publisher=[[MTV]] |access-date=24 October 2013}}</ref> Despite this, their debut album sold more than 350,000 copies in the U.S. that year. The band also canceled a gig in Spain and an appearance on the UK chat show ''[[Wogan]]''. They did not appear in public again until the end of 1994, spending the intervening time in and out of studios in Wales, where they recorded the album ''[[Second Coming (The Stone Roses album)|Second Coming]]'', while also battling in court to free themselves from their contract with [[Silvertone Records (1980)|Silvertone Records]].

The creation of the next Happy Mondays album, ''[[Yes Please!]]'', was also troubled, and it would not be released until October 1992. The band flew to Barbados to record it and went "[[crack cocaine|crack]] crazy," according to [[Paul Ryder]].<ref>John Robb, ''The North Will Rise Again'', Aurum Press, London 2009, p. 278</ref> They made repeated requests to [[Factory Records]] for extra time and additional funds. This is believed to have been a major factor in the bankruptcy of the label in November 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-ten-worst-rocknroll-career-moves-1774270.html?action=gallery&ino=7 |title=The ten worst rock'n'roll career moves |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=[[The Independent]]|access-date=24 October 2013 |location=London |date=19 August 2009}}</ref>

With the two bands considered most central to the scene out of action, media interest in Madchester began to wane. James, the Inspiral Carpets, the Charlatans, and 808 State continued to record with varying degrees of success throughout the 1990s, but they were no longer seen as part of a localized scene. Local bands catching the tail end of Madchester, such as [[the Mock Turtles]], became part of a broader [[baggy]] movement. The music press in the UK shifted its focus to [[shoegazing]] bands from southern England and the U.S. [[grunge]] scene, which was eventually overtaken by [[Britpop]] acts like Manchester's [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] and London's [[Blur (band)|Blur]].

==Legacy==
===Musical legacy===
{{Psychedelic sidebar |expanded=Arts}}
The immediate influence of Madchester inspired the broader [[baggy]] movement in the UK, with bands from various regions of the country producing music in the early 1990s heavily influenced by the key Madchester acts. These bands included [[Flowered Up]] (from London), [[The Farm (British band)|the Farm]] and [[the Real People]] (from [[Liverpool]]), [[the Bridewell Taxis]] (from [[Leeds]]), [[the Soup Dragons]] (from [[Glasgow]]) and [[Ocean Colour Scene]] (from [[Birmingham]]). [[Blur (band)|Blur]], from [[Colchester]], adopted a baggy style early in their career, although in an interview with ''Select Magazine'' in 1991, they claimed to have "killed" the genre.<ref>Select Magazine, EMAP, London, October 1991</ref> Blur famously shared a rivalry throughout the 1990s with fellow Britpop band Oasis, who hailed from Manchester.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Timeline: Blur v Oasis after Britpop |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4151510.stm |work=BBC News |date=16 August 2005 |access-date=8 June 2012}}</ref>

Bands formed in Manchester during the Madchester era included [[the Chemical Brothers]], [[the Verve]], [[Sub Sub]] (who would later become [[Doves (band)|Doves]]) and [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] ([[Noel Gallagher]] had been a [[roadie]] for the Inspiral Carpets). More broadly, the Madchester scene brought together [[electronic dance music]] and [[alternative rock]], particularly the fusion of drumming styles from [[funk]] and [[disco]] music (and sampled in '80s [[hip-hop music]]) with [[Jangle pop|jingle-jangle guitar]]. In the 1990s, this became a standard formula, frequently found even in the most commercial music.

Numerous polls have been conducted in the years following the Madchester movement to determine the best song of the era. In 2005, "[[Voodoo Ray]]" by A Guy Called Gerald was voted the best song from the Madchester scene.<ref name="best">{{Cite news |title=The top sound of 'Madchester' |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-16982675-the-top-sound-of-madchester.do |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505091139/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-16982675-the-top-sound-of-madchester.do |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |newspaper=Evening Standard |date=2 March 2005 |access-date=19 October 2011 }}</ref> The song triumphed over "[[Step On]]" by the Happy Mondays and "[[Waterfall (The Stone Roses song)|Waterfall]]" by the Stone Roses for first place.<ref name="best"/>

In 2010, a new nightclub managed by [[Peter Hook]] of New Order, FAC251, opened in Manchester, with a musical focus on Madchester music.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Madchester: the resurrection |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/madchester--the-resurrection-1896928.html |newspaper=The Independent |date=12 February 2010 |access-date=19 October 2011 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=FAC251 Opening Night |last=Simpson |first=Dave |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/feb/11/fac251-opening-night-review |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 February 2010 |access-date=19 October 2011 |location=London}}</ref> Although the Madchester scene had faded by the mid-1990s, various bands have reformed for one-off concert tours. Notable bands that reformed in 2012 include the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays and the Inspiral Carpets.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Review: Inspiral Carpets |url=http://www.citylife.co.uk/news_and_reviews/reviews/10020426_review__inspiral_carpets |work=City Life |date=26 March 2012 |access-date=8 June 2012}}</ref>

''[[The Guardian]]'' critic Penny Anderson looked unfavourably upon the scene, describing it as a "breeding ground for aggressively marketed mediocrity".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/feb/17/stone-roses-twentieth-anniversary|title=Why are the Stone Roses adored?|last=Anderson|first=Penny|date=18 February 2009|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=9 September 2017}}</ref>

The sound of the scene influenced the electronic and dance-influenced album by [[U2]], ''[[Achtung Baby]]''. Elysa Gardner of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' compared the layering of dance beats into guitar-heavy mixes of the album to songs by British bands Happy Mondays and [[Jesus Jones]]. "Mysterious Ways" combines a funky guitar riff with a danceable, [[conga]]-laden beat,<ref name="austin">{{cite news|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2001-03-30/81288/|title=Review&nbsp;– U2: Achtung Baby|newspaper=[[Austin Chronicle]]|first=Christopher|last=Gray|date=30 March 2001|access-date=7 February 2011}}</ref> for what Bono described as "U2 at our funkiest... [[Sly and the Family Stone]] meets Madchester [[baggy]]".<ref name="comp">McCormick (2006), pp. 224–225, 227, 232</ref> It also influenced [[the Cure]]'s song "[[Never Enough (The Cure song)|Never Enough]]".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nightingale|first1=Jo|title=The Cure – Disintegration, Deluxe Edition|url=http://www.themanchesterreview.co.uk/?p=909|website=The Manchester Review|date=25 May 2010 |access-date=27 February 2017}}</ref>

===Impact on Manchester===
The mushrooming of Manchester's nightlife during the Madchester period has had a long-term impact, particularly with the subsequent development of the [[Canal Street, Manchester|Gay Village]] and [[Northern Quarter (Manchester)|Northern Quarter]]. [[Manchester city centre|City centre]] living also began to catch on in Manchester in the wake of Madchester, a trend that continues to this day.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rental boom triggers bidding wars for Manchester city centre flats |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1485910_rental-boom-triggers-bidding-wars-for-manchester-city-centre-flats |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=20 February 2012 |access-date=31 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424201917/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1485910_rental-boom-triggers-bidding-wars-for-manchester-city-centre-flats |archive-date=24 April 2012 }}</ref>

The attraction of the city was such that, at the height of Madchester, {{citation needed span|date=March 2024|in 1990 the [[University of Manchester]] was the most sought-after destination for university applicants in the UK.}}

The scene also gave a boost to the city's media and creative industries. [[Channel 4]] had already found success with ''[[The Word (TV series)|The Word]]'', and in its wake, the [[BBC]] launched ''[[8:15 from Manchester]]'', a Saturday morning kids' TV show (with a theme tune by the Inspiral Carpets, a re-write of "Find out Why"). [[Granada Television]] also jumped on the bandwagon with a cheaper version of ''The Word'', called ''Juice'', presented by John Bramwell and [[Joan Collins]]' daughter [[Tara Newley]].

Organised crime became a consequence of Madchester, with the vibrancy of the clubbing scene in the city (and the popularity of illegal drugs, particularly [[ecstasy (drug)|ecstasy]]) creating a fertile environment for opportunist gangsterism. Violent incidents at [[the Haçienda]] led to a campaign against it by [[Greater Manchester Police]], which contributed to its closure in 1997.<ref>Dave Haslam, ''Manchester, England'', Fourth Estate, 2000, p263</ref>

In the late 1990s, a Manchester musical [[walk of fame]] was commissioned for [[Oldham Street]] in the [[Northern Quarter (Manchester)|Northern Quarter]] of Manchester.<ref name="walk">{{Cite news |title=MCFC. Music. The city. Part Two. |url=http://blog.umbro.com/post/mcfc-music-the-city-part-two/ |work=Umbro |date=3 July 2009 |access-date=19 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330122327/http://blog.umbro.com/post/mcfc-music-the-city-part-two/ |archive-date=30 March 2012 }}</ref> The walk includes a triangular slab for each music group and pays homage to bands such as the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays, the Inspiral Carpets, 808 State, and James.<ref name="walk"/>

A [[blue plaque]] marks the site of [[The Boardwalk (music club)|The Boardwalk]], another club central to the Madchester scene, where [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] played their first gig and [[Dave Haslam]] hosted the Yellow club night until the club's closure in 1999. It reads "Madchester venue nightclub and rehearsal rooms" and features a yellow smiley face beneath. Funkademia, a club night that began at the Boardwalk in 1995, is still held at the Mint Lounge in the Northern Quarter.

==See also==
* [[Music of Manchester]]
* [[List of city nicknames in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Northern soul]]
* [[Rave]]
* ''[[24 Hour Party People]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Terry, Christian: ''Brothers From Childhood to Oasis''
* Crossley, James (April 2011): "For EveryManc a Religion: Biblical and Religious Language in the Manchester Music Scene, 1976–1994". ''Biblical Interpretation'' 19 (2): 151–180. [[doi:10.1163/156851511X557343]]
* Luck, Richard: ''The Madchester Scene'', Pocket Essentials, London, 2002 ({{ISBN|1-903047-80-3}})
* Wilson, Tony: ''24-Hour Party People'', Channel 4 Books, London, 2002 ({{ISBN|0-7522-2025-X}})
* McNichols, Conor (ed): ''NME Originals: Madchester'', IPC, London, 2003

==External links==
*[http://www.prideofmanchester.com/music/madchester.htm Madchester] on ''Pride of Manchester'' website
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160604190208/http://www.manchester.com/music/features/music5.php Madchester] by Jonathan Schofield

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[[Category:Dance music genres]]
[[Category:Music in Manchester]]
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