I was trying to think of successful (and TALENTED) pops stars/musicians who were genuinely from working class backgrounds and...

[said]

...couldn't think of many.

Bruce Springsteen's dad was a bus driver so he qualifies

Who can we name?

The Beatles (bar Ringo) were all pretty middle-class

Ditto the Stones (not sure about Keith?)

Dylan was from an affluent background.

The TALENTED proviso is to exclude the likes of Cheryl Cole etc

lily allen

Oh I got that the wrong way round - Jagger used to be well-spoken but by the 70's had become a total cockney!

Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks
Elvis Costello
Robert Smith
Siousxie Sioux
Boy George

Robert Smith - really? Genuinely don't know but assumed quite middle-class background.

Billy Bragg.
Joe cocker

Amy Winehouse

Billy Bragg.
Joe cocker

Ozzy and Iommi of Black Sabbath

Bryan Ferry? I'm not knowledgeable enough to know how far he'd count as talented but I think he's genuinely working class.

Morrissey/Marr
Ian Brown
Kurt Cobain
Paul Weller

Doesn't get more working class than Joy Division imo

Didn't Amy Winehouse go the Conti stage school, which is fee paying?

DH's list:

Roger Daltrey
Noddy Holder
Suggs
Terry Hall, The Specials
Paul Weller

Anyone notice a MOD theme here

Jimmy Pursey, Sham 69

And he says Joe Strummer's dad was a diplomat so not exactly working class.

My contribution would be John Maryyn but he's not commercially successful so prob doesn't count.

Shaun Ryder

Jarvis Cocker

Not entirely convinced that Shaun Ryder could be described as talented, how about Mark E Smith?

Tom Jones

Sting - think his dad was a milkman

Oh good, loads more. I meant to add Roger Daltrey.

Noel Gallagher (not my cup of tea, but many consider him a talent)

Ronnie Wood (& brothers)

'born in Hillingdon, London, into a family of English "water gypsies" (river/canal barge operators, sometimes also called "bargees"); he has said that his generation was the first in the family to be born on dry land.[22] He grew up in Yiewsley'

(they don't come much rougher than Yiewsley!)

Leona Lewis - Hackney born and bred

Was Paul Weller working class?

Madonna...

Bob Marley