As a city Bristol is incredibly musical and vibrant. There are countless clubs, music venues, bars and boats which all welcome artists from across the country spanning the genres to give us lucky residents a good time.

Among the large roster of names to find their beginnings in Bristol, some are more successful than others, and here we've collected six of the biggest names in music to inform you that, currently, you're walking in the same streets as they once did.

George Ezra

He recently released his second album Staying at Tamara’s and first shot onto the music scene with ‘Budapest’ from his debut album, but George Ezra learned his skills in Bristol.

Real name George Barnett (but that doesn’t sound as good, right?), George Ezra actually studied in Bristol. A place for so many alumni in the music industry, the Bristol campus of the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) was Ezra’s home from 2011.

He lasted a short time at music university BIMM before he was picked up by the industry, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s had two no.1 albums, Wanted on Voyage in 2014, and Staying at Tamara’s released earlier this year.

Paul Potts

We all know the story of ex-Carphone Warehouse manager Paul Potts. With a wish to become an opera singer, he entered Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, won it, and now has an incredibly successful career.

Before his singing days, however, Paul Potts was the Bristol City Councillor from 1996 to 2003. He was the youngest member of the council and was the Liberal Democrat representative for Eastville and the Eastville ward, which covers Stapleton, Fishponds and other areas.

He was born just outside of Bristol in Kingswood, Gloucestershire, before moving to Fishponds. His interest in singing came about while at school at the St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School in Redcliffe, and he sang in many local churches.

Massive Attack

Their headline set at the inaugural Downs Festival in Bristol a couple of years ago was a perfect venue for duo Massive Attack, given their local roots.

Originally a three-piece, Daddy G, Andrew Vowles and Robert del Naja were all part of The Wild Bunch during the 1980s, which was a group of musicians and DJs in St Paul’s, Montpelier and Bishopston.

They haven’t forgotten their origins, either, with several shows and charity events taking place in the city over the years. Vowles left after the release of their album Mezzanine, but the remainder of the group continue to have huge global success.

Bananarama

With one of the best names in music, group Bananarama had 10 UK Top 10 singles between 1982 and 1987. They have 10 studio albums and have been on countless world tours, giving them an indisputable place in the music hall of fame.

Although technically formed in London, Karen Woodward and Sara Dallin knew each other since the age of four when they were friends in Bristol.

They both lived in Downend, near Frenchay, before attending St George’s School for Girls. Dallin met third member Siobhan Fahey when studying fashion journalism in London, and Bananarama was born.

Originally providing backing vocals for some big names at the time, the girls enlisted the help of former Sex Pistols members Steve Jones and Paul Cook, (the rehearsal room of whom they lived above), to record their first demo.

It was picked up by Demon Records, and the rest is history.

IDLES

IDLES are making tsunami-like waves on the punk-rock scene right now, and guess where they came from? Yep, good ol’ Brizzle.

Forming in 2012, they released their debut album Brutalism in 2017, and it was met with massive critical acclaim. Steve Lamacq of BBC Radio 6 Music really championed this band, and Brutalism became one of their albums of the year.

In their Spotify bio the band describe themselves creatively, including the line: “At a time of The Kardashians, IDLES bring you a story of working hard for what and who you love” – only this band could use Kardashian pop-culture to reveal something meaningful.

They’ve just visited the USA playing SXSW, and by the looks of things it’s a country that is theirs for the taking. IDLES are on their way. Destination: world domination.

Tears for Fears

Okay so technically not Bristol, but Bath is close enough, right? Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith met when they were teenagers in Bath and formed Tears for Fears after the dissolution of their first group, Graduate.

They’ve been around for nearly 30 years and have strongly established themselves as classic name of British music. They faced a slight dissolution themselves before reforming in the early 21^st Century, and have six studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums and another EP.

You’d recognise their singles ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’, ‘Shout’, ‘Mad World’, and many others.