Sussex has also been home to many composers of classical music including Thomas Weelkes , John Ireland , Edward Elgar , Frank Bridge , Arnold Bax , Sir Hubert Parry and Ralph Vaughan Williams , who played a major part in recording Sussex 's traditional music . More recently , John Tavener , Michael Finnissy , Jonathan Harvey and Martin Butler have made their homes in the county . Claude Debussy wrote much of '' La mer '' whilst in Eastbourne . Composed by William Ward-Higgs , Sussex by the Sea is the county 's unofficial anthem . In popular music , Sussex has produced artists including Leo Sayer , The Cure , The Levellers , Brett Anderson , Keane , The Kooks , STOMP , The Feeling , Rizzle Kicks , Conor Maynard , Tom Odell , Passenger , Royal Blood and Rag 'n' Bone Man . Other artists include Ed Harcourt , The Go ! Team , British Sea Power and Antony Hegarty . In the 1970s , Sussex was home to Phun City , the UK 's first large-scale free music festival and hosted the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest which propelled ABBA to worldwide fame . While Glyndebourne is one of the world 's best known opera houses , the county is home to professional orchestras the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Worthing Symphony Orchestra
1974 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1974
Culture of Sussex