I reckon this list is really the “Top Ten world cities you wouldn’t really think are that good but actually are”, so basically discounting the 20 or so cities people know are good (London, Paris, Prague, New York etc).
I’m from near Birmingham and I’ve lived in a fair few places, three years of uni in Manchester, one in California, London and Lancaster for work, a couple of years in Lyon and now Paris. I’ve always said Brum is up there among the best, the real difference being you need to know where you’re going, i.e. be a local or have a local guide. There’s no “tourist trail” to speak of, and if there was it’d be crap.
I’d like to hear what those saying it’s not in their top 10 in the UK (or saying it’s a “shithole”) really think set apart the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds etc above Birmingham. For me it’s well ahead in terms of music, nightlife and food.