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Thursday 22 January 2015 5:03 am

North vs south London: Whose music tastes come out on top?

By: Jeff Misenti

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London's cultural zeitgeist has long focused on the capital's famed north-south rivalry.

Both have their benefits and Londoners will often argue fiercely for their side of the river. The north is sometimes stereotyped as a snooty, transport-spoiled playground for the well-to-do.

Some north Londoners dread the prospect of going "south of the river", with its less-than-ideal transport links and often unjustified reputation for crime. Both boast a host of cultural treasures.

South Londoners take pride in a host of up and coming neighborhoods, a rich diversity and most importantly for the capital's new arrivals, being able to get more bang for your buck housing wise.

The culture wars between north and south could be set to heat after a new poll from YouGov revealed the music tastes of both sides' commuters.

Commissioned by the city's Philharmonia orchestra, the survey showed that a 10 per cent of north Londoners opted for the dulcet tones of classical music compared to four per cent of their south London peers.

Instead of opting for Wagner or Verdi, south Londoners' music of choice were all within living memory. Rock, heavy metal and reggae all featured as south Londoners' favourites to block out the harsh reality of the morning commute.

A spokesman for the Philharmonia Orchestra said:

The findings may add fuel to the fire of the light-hearted north-south rivalry, with the results painting north Londoners as the more cultural or educated of the two counterparts.

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