Massive Attack
Trip-hop's founding architects — dark, cinematic, and utterly original.
Portishead
The most haunting trip-hop act — Beth Gibbons' voice over broken beats.
Tricky
Bristol's darkest export — claustrophobic beats and whispering menace.
Roni Size
Drum and bass Mercury Prize winner from Bristol.
IDLES
Bristol's cathartic, politically fierce post-punk revivalists.
The Bristol music scene
Bristol (England, UK) is represented on the Genesis of Sound map by 5 bands and artists across 2 genres. The birthplace of trip-hop. Bristol's dockside melancholy, Bristol sound, and Massive Attack's cinematic darkness.
The most represented genres are electronic (4) and punk (1).
The earliest year on record is Roni Size (1969) and the latest is IDLES (2009); the busiest decade on the map is the 1990s with 2 acts.
Notable acts to start with: Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky and Roni Size. Every entry links to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube searches.
Nearby music scenes
- Cardiff Wales, UK · 40 km
- Oxford England, UK · 96 km
- Birmingham England, UK · 121 km
- London England, UK · 173 km
- Brighton England, UK · 187 km
- Nottingham England, UK · 189 km
Questions about Bristol music
What music is Bristol known for?
Bristol is known for rock, electronic, reggae, country music. Notable acts include Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky.
How many bands are from Bristol?
The Genesis of Sound map features 5 bands and artists from Bristol, spanning electronic, punk.