41 British alternative rock musicians

Steve Adey is an English musician and singer-songwriter. His music is characterised by slow tempos, minimalist arrangements, underpinned by piano and a rich baritone vocal. As of 2018 Adey has released three studio albums and various EPs and singles.

Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band the Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. Songs he wrote for the band include "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Lucky Man", and the UK number one "The Drugs Don't Work". He became a successful solo artist, releasing three UK top three solo albums. The Verve reformed in 2007 but again broke up by summer 2009. Ashcroft then founded a new band, RPA & The United Nations of Sound, and released a new album on 19 July 2010. On 22 February 2016, Ashcroft announced his fourth solo album, These People, which was released on 20 May 2016.

Thomas Rhys Bellamy is the multi-instrumentalist responsible for contributing guitar, bass, synthesizer, keyboard, trumpet, programming, samples, melodica, harmonica, percussion, toy piano, bowed guitar, decks, FX/beats, vocals and lyrics in the band The Cooper Temple Clause. He is also a keen DJ and has remixed several songs by The Cooper Temple Clause as part of his side project, Rhysmix. Following the split of the band, Bellamy has turned his full attention to remixing and djing under the Rhysmix alias. He is currently collaborating with well-known DJ Eddy Temple-Morris under the name Losers, remixing and producing music in the Bleak House, a studio in rural Berkshire that formerly housed The Cooper Temple Clause.

Stephen William Bragg is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is heavily centred on bringing about change and involving the younger generation in activist causes.

Ian George Brown is an English singer and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead singer of the alternative rock band the Stone Roses from their formation in 1984. Following the split in 1996, he began a solo career, releasing seven studio albums, a greatest hits compilation, a remix album, an 11-disc box set titled Collection, and 19 singles. He has performed solo shows in 45 countries. He returned to singing for the Stone Roses in 2011, although this did not spell the end of his solo endeavours, releasing First World Problems through Virgin/EMI Records on 25 October 2018. He had a cameo appearance in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Catherine Bush is an English singer, songwriter, musician, dancer and record producer. In 1978, aged 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female artist to achieve a UK number one with a self-written song. Bush has since released 25 UK Top 40 singles, including the Top 10 hits "The Man with the Child in His Eyes", "Babooshka", "Running Up That Hill", "Don't Give Up", and "King of the Mountain". All 10 of her studio albums reached the UK Top 10, including the UK number one albums Never for Ever (1980), Hounds of Love (1985), and the compilation The Whole Story (1986). She was the first British solo female artist to top the UK album charts and the first female artist to enter the album chart at number one.

David Byrne is a British-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, and filmmaker, who was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American new wave band Talking Heads.

Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist, and sole consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus, Cocker has pursued a solo career, and for seven years he presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service.

Sarah Cracknell is an English singer-songwriter and lead singer of the electronic music band Saint Etienne.

Richard James Edwards, also known as Richey James or Richey Manic, was a Welsh musician who was the lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. He was known for his dark, politicised and intellectual songwriting which, combined with an enigmatic and eloquent character, has assured him cult status, as well as having been cited by some as a leading lyricist of his generation, leading the Cool Cymru.

Richard G. "Dik" (also "Dick") Evans is an English-born Irish musician best known as a founder of the band Virgin Prunes and an early member of U2. Dik and his brother, David "the Edge" Evans, U2's guitarist, were among the group's co-founders.

David James Ford is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and songwriter. He first achieved prominence with the indie rock group Easyworld, who released an independent mini-album, ...Better Ways to Self Destruct and two full-length albums on Jive Records before disbanding in 2004.

Eugene Francis Jnr is a British musician, formerly of the alternative rock bands The Fantastic Super Foofs, Kaptain Black and Dirty Perfect

Mikey Georgeson is an English artist, working in various media. He is a painter and illustrator, who regularly exhibits his work at Sartorial Contemporary Art and other galleries. As "the Vessel", he is songwriter and singer of the cult art-rock band, David Devant and his Spirit Wife. Side projects have included Carfax, a collaboration with Jyoti Mishra, Glam Chops, a glam rock band formed with Eddie Argos of Art Brut, This Happy Band and Mikey Georgeson and the Civilised Scene. Georgeson has also performed and recorded on his own, as Mr Solo. Peter Kimpton, writing in The Guardian praised Georgeson's "impish genius for melody". Ashley Hames, in the Huffington Post, described Georgeson as 'an original British songwriter of lasting quality. He remains a presence somehow transcendent and other-worldly, bringing us songs that seem to have always existed, holding up the mirror to connect us to something we can truly love.'

Gillian Lesley Gilbert is an English musician and singer, best known as the keyboardist and guitarist of the band New Order.

Polly Jean "PJ" Harvey is an English musician and singer-songwriter. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments.

Peter Hook is an English singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is best known as the bassist and co-founder of English rock bands Joy Division and New Order. Hook often used the bass as a lead instrument, playing melodies on the high strings with a signature heavy chorus effect. In New Order, he would do this, leaving the actual basslines to keyboards or sequencers.

I'Anson, real name Hugh Carswell, is a British musician.

Jont is an English singer-songwriter. First achieving prominence as a slow left-arm spinner for Middlesex County Cricket Club, he then shifted focus to poetry then to music. Mainstream attention followed after his song "Sweetheart" was featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 US comedy film Wedding Crashers and two tracks from his 2008 album Supernatural were featured in Season Five of US medical drama Grey's Anatomy.

John Joseph Lydon, also known by his stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the late-1970s British punk band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also the lead singer of post-punk band Public Image Ltd (PiL), which he founded and fronted from 1978 until 1993, and again since 2009.

Gary "Mani" Mounfield is an English rock bassist, best known for being a member of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream.

Clinton Darryl Mansell is an English musician, singer, and composer, born in Coventry. He served as the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of alt-rock band Pop Will Eat Itself before embarking on a career as a film score composer. Mansell moved to the United States after the dissolution of the group and started working with filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. He has subsequently become an award-winning, Golden Globe and Grammy-nominated film composer, collaborating extensively with Aronofsky, and also writing scores for dozens of other films, TV series and video games.

Shirley Ann Manson is a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. She is best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage. Manson gained media attention for her forthright style, rebellious attitude, and distinctive voice. For the majority of her career, Manson commuted between her home city of Edinburgh and the U.S. to record with Garbage, which originally formed in Madison, Wisconsin; she now lives and works primarily in Los Angeles, while maintaining a second home in Edinburgh.

Mica Levi (;), also known by their stage name Micachu, is an English singer, songwriter, composer and producer. They are classically trained and since 2008 have released experimental pop music with their band Good Sad Happy Bad, including their critically praised debut album Jewellery in 2009.

Stephen Paul David Morris is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer who is best known for his work with the rock band New Order and, previously, Joy Division. He also wrote and performed in The Other Two, a band consisting of Morris and his wife, Gillian Gilbert. Morris also participated in the New Order spin-off band Bad Lieutenant. He is known for his precise drumming that seamlessly weaves with New Order's and Joy Division's drum machine sounds.

Steven Patrick Morrissey, known mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer, songwriter, and author. He came to prominence as the frontman of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then, he has pursued a successful solo career. Morrissey's music is characterised by his baritone voice and distinctive lyrics with recurring themes of emotional isolation, sexual longing, self-deprecating and black humour, and anti-establishment stances.

Peter John Joseph Murphy is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the vocalist of the goth rock band Bauhaus and later went on to release a number of solo albums, including Love Hysteria, Deep, and Holy Smoke. Thin with prominent cheekbones, a baritone voice, and a penchant for gloomy poetics, he is often called the "Godfather of Goth".

Steve Nieve is an English musician and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Nieve has been a member of Elvis Costello and the Attractions, the Imposters and Madness. He has also experienced success as a prolific session musician, featured on a wide array of other artists' recordings.

Peter Albert Neil Perrett is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is the singer, rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter for the rock band the Only Ones.

James McLeish Reid is a Scottish singer/songwriter and the lead singer for the alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain, which he formed with his elder brother and guitarist William Reid in 1983.

Alan John "Reni" Wren is an English rock drummer and member of The Stone Roses.

Marc Riley is an English radio DJ, alternative rock critic and musician. He currently presents on BBC Radio 6 Music.

Mark Daniel Ronson is an English-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbie Williams, Miley Cyrus, Queens of the Stone Age, and Bruno Mars. He has received seven Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year for Winehouse's album Back to Black and two for Record of the Year singles "Rehab" and "Uptown Funk". He received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Grammy Award for co-writing the song "Shallow" for the film A Star is Born (2018).

Shaun William George Ryder is an English singer-songwriter, television personality and author. As the lead singer of the Happy Mondays he was a leading figure in the Madchester cultural scene in the late 1980s. In 1993 he formed Black Grape, with Happy Mondays dancer Bez.

Susan Janet Ballion, known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. She is best known as the lead singer of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 studio albums and had several UK Top 20 singles including "Hong Kong Garden", "Happy House", "Peek-a-Boo", plus a US Billboard Top 25 hit "Kiss Them for Me".

Jonathan Thomas Squire known professionally as John Squire, is an English musician, songwriter and artist. He was the guitarist for The Stone Roses, a rock band in which he formed a songwriting partnership with lead singer Ian Brown. After leaving the Stone Roses he went on to found The Seahorses and has since released two solo albums. In 2007, Squire gave up music to fully commit to painting. However, he later returned to music when the Stone Roses reformed in 2011.

Jack Stephens, is an English drummer and record producer.

Bernard Sumner is a British musician, songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and record producer. He is a founding member of the bands Joy Division and New Order.

Tracey Anne Thorn is a British singer, songwriter and writer. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl from 1982 to 1999. She was a member of the band Marine Girls between 1980 to 1983 and since 2007 has been active as a solo artist.

Ian David Karslake Watkins is a Welsh convicted sex offender and former singer, songwriter, and musician. He achieved prominence as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and lyricist of the rock band Lostprophets. In 2013, he was sentenced to 29 years' imprisonment for multiple sexual offences, including the sexual assault of young children. Lostprophets disbanded shortly thereafter and the remaining members formed the band No Devotion, with American singer Geoff Rickly replacing Watkins.

Thomas Edward Yorke is an English musician and the main vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. A multi-instrumentalist, he mainly plays guitar and keyboards, and is known for his falsetto.