Reverend & the Makers

Sheffield has produced plenty of guitar bands, but Reverend and the Makers have carved out a distinct place, largely thanks to frontman Jon McClure, known as The Reverend. Their sound draws on indie guitar pop, electronica and a touch of Madchester-style funk, while McClure's admiration for Manchester performance poet John Cooper Clarke surfaces in the poems he recites between songs on stage. It is a combination that feels more like a whole personality than a template.

Their debut album, The State of Things, arrived in 2007 and spawned the UK top 10 single 'Heavyweight Champion of the World'. A French Kiss in the Chaos followed in 2009, and its success led to a support slot on Oasis's final tour, with dates at Wembley Stadium. Later records moved in different directions: ThirtyTwo leaned towards electronic and dance music, while The Death of a King brought in hard rock and folk. Heatwave in the Cold North, a soul and R&B inflected album released in 2023, gave the band their first UK top 10 album in 16 years. In November 2024 they made a bid for the Christmas number one with 'Late Night Phone Call', which raised awareness of the Samaritans.