Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A poll of BBC Radio 2 listeners has revealed the public’s favourite British group, which pitted The Rolling Stones against The Beatles and Queen against Girls Aloud.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, The Beatles were crowned as the “ultimate British group” as the top 30 acts were announced.
Listeners’ favourite 30 UK acts were unveiled by the radio station on Friday (11 October), in an announcement that named The Beatles as the “ultimate British group”, along with the remaining top five.
The Liverpool-formed band topped the poll ahead of Queen, who came second, with The Rolling Stones in third, Pink Floyd fourth, and fifth-placed Fleetwood Mac, who qualified despite their American members, as the majority of bandmembers were born or lived in the UK, or held British citizenship.
Formed in 1960 by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time and remain one of the world’s most successful and influential groups.
With hits such as “Twist and Shout”, “Come Together”, “Hey Jude”, “She Loves You”, “Yesterday” and “A Hard Day’s Night”, the Fab Four achieved 18 UK No 1 singles and 16 UK No 1 albums.
Other acts to place in the top 20 of the BBC Radio 2 poll included the Spice Girls, Blur, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin and The Who.
Oasis placed in the top 10 shortly after announcing their long-awaited reunion, which is taking place next year with a huge string of stadium tours.
Listeners voted from a shortlist of 54 bands active between the Sixties to the 2010s, put together by a panel including Radio 2 presenters Jo Whiley, Sara Cox, OJ Borg, Vernon Kay, Scott Mills, Trevor Nelson, DJ Spoony, and Owain Wyn Evans.
The poll was organised in celebration of National Album Day and marked this year’s theme of Great British Groups. National Album Day 2024 takes place on Saturday 19 October.
Panel chair Jeff Smith, Radio 2 and 6 Music's head of music, said: “We have absolutely loved seeing the Radio 2 listeners cast hundreds of thousands of votes for their ultimate British group, and this top 30 chart reflects some of music's biggest selling, most loved and established British artists who have achieved incredible success globally across the decades.”
A programme will air from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday 19 October as part of the BBC’s programming, and is available now on BBC Sounds.
That same day, Tony Blackburn will play exclusively British bands on his programme, Sounds of the Sixties, between 6am to 8am. Johnny Marr's Great British Groups, which will see The Smiths guitarist play some of his favourite British acts, will air on Radio 2 from midnight to 1am every Sunday from 13 October to 3 November.
The top 20 in full as voted for by Radio 2 listeners:
1. The Beatles
2. Queen
3. The Rolling Stones
4. Pink Floyd
5. Fleetwood Mac
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Take That
8. Coldplay
9. Oasis
10. Electric Light Orchestra
11. The Who
12. Depeche Mode
13. The Jam
14. Radiohead
15. The Smiths
16. Genesis
17. Pet Shop Boys
18. The Cure
19. Duran Duran
20. Madness.
National Album Day takes place on Saturday 19 October.
Additional reporting by Press Association
