Britpop in the 90's
How Britpop emerged as a staple of music from the UK
Above is a magazine cover for NME from August 12, 1995 showcasing the rising popularity of Britpop.
History
Britpop emerged in the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s. It was formed as a response to the grunge music genre popular in the United States at the time. Many of the UK bands at the time felt that the music of the American grunge scene was too dark and pessimistic, and the British musicians could not relate to that sentiment. In response to that, they made their own music that related to their "Britishness," talked about English heritage, and was brighter in sound and in lyrics than grunge. In Britpop songs from the 1990s, it is common to distinctly hear their British accents when singing, as they did not try to mask it or give in to American music standards. The Britpop scene especially blew up, not only in the United Kingdom, but in America as well, after the suicide of Kurt Cobain in 1994, which in a way signaled an end to grunge's popularity.
The "Big Four" (as they have become known as) bands of the 90s Britpop era are Blur, Oasis, Pulp, and Suede, although other notable bands include The Verve, Elastica, Supergrass, and Kula Shaker, to name a few. The Britpop scene was generally dominated by white men, and many of the bands would solely consist of that demographic.
Bands such as The Smiths, The La's, Ride, and The Stone Roses, generally referred to as the "forerunners" of Britpop, are labelled as some of the biggest influences to the Britpop genre. These artists were known for their music with a distinctive sense of "Englishness." During the 1970s and 1980s, some artists emerging, such as Slade, Steve Harley, Small Faces, and Cockney Rebel, were known to use a sort of "mockney" accent that was clear when one hears their songs. During this time, many British bands were trying to emulate a more universal and "transatlantic" sound, typically playing down their accents and crafting music that one would hear in the US popular music charts to adhere to a wider range of audiences. Many Britpop bands were also largely influenced by The Beatles, whose music was story-like and whose lyrical content contained cultural references to everyday English life.
The Big Four
Pulp
Pulp was formed in Sheffield in 1978, being one of the oldest Britpop bands of the era. Although the band alternated between group members, the core members of the band during their peak in the mid 1990s consisted of Jarvis Cocker (lead singer, guitar), Mark Webber (guitar, keyboard), Russell Senior (guitar, violin), Steve Mackey (bass guitar), Candida Doyle (keyboard), and Nick Banks (percussion). For years, all throughout the 1980s, the band remained relatively unknown, and struggled to find success with their music. However, with the release of their fifth studio album, "Different Class" in October 1995, they began to be noticed by the media, and gained popularity for singles such as "Disco 2000," "Common People," "Sorted for E's & Wizz," and "Do You Remember the First Time?" (from their fourth studio album "His 'n' Hers released in April 1994). Their music set them apart from the other three main Britpop bands of the era due to their disco influences from the 1970s. Their lyrics referenced their past experiences as well as their disillusionment with modern British society at the time.
On the side is one of their most successful songs, "Disco 2000." It reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in 1995.
Blur
Blur was formed in London in 1988. The four main members of the group are Damon Albarn (lead singer/keyboardist), Graham Coxon (guitarist), Alex James (bass guitarist), and Dave Rowntree (drummer). Blur, compared to Oasis, came from more comfortable middle class backgrounds, but were significantly calmer and more introverted. Their sound can be described as mod and more diversified, as they also experimented with sounds of lo-fi. Although they initially had more influences of shoegazing/dream-pop in the music from their debut album, "Leisure" (released in August 1991), they moved towards more English-pop band influences, such as The Beatles and The Kinks with their following albums. While on tour for their first album, the band began to be unhappy with their sound and missed their English lifestyles, so they reflected that nostalgia in their music and began writing more songs that referenced specifically British ideals and ways of life, signaling their transition to Britpop. With the release of "Parklife," their third studio album, in April 1994, they achieved commercial success and solidified their place as one of the main Britpop bands of the era. This album featured worldwide hits such as "Parklife," "End of a Century," "To the End," and "Girls & Boys."
To the right is the music video for their song "Parklife" from their third studio album "Parklife." It won various awards at the 1995 Brit Awards, including British Single of the Year and British Video of the Year. It also reached number 10 on the 1995 UK Singles Chart. This song has become one of the defining songs of the Britpop genre.
Suede
Suede (or The London Suede) was formed in London in 1989. The band consisted of Brett Anderson (frontman), Richard Oakes (guitarist), Mat Osman (bassist), Simon Gilbert (drummer), and Neil Codling (keyboardist). Although not as big as Oasis and Blur, Suede still achieved fame in the United Kingdom with the release of their single "Animal Nitrate" from their debut album, "Suede" in February 1993. Although often compared to other British artists at the time such as David Bowie and The Smiths, their music was unlike most music heard at the time and that set them apart. Their lyrics referenced freedom and sexuality, fluidity, and alienation, and how it relates specifically in British culture. Their debut album was one of the first that signaled the start of the Britpop era, with many big influences in the media, such as Vogue and Guardian, comparing it to the beginning of a new movement. Although their content was generally relatable for most people regardless of location, they would also throw in references to things in British culture that only people from the United Kingdom would understand.
This is the music video for Suede's hit song, "Animal Nitrate," which was included on the band's eponymous debut album. It charted at number 7 on the 1993 UK Singles Chart.
Oasis
Oasis was formed in Manchester in 1991. Although the members of the group were constantly changing, the core members of the band were Liam Gallagher (frontman), Noel Gallagher (lead guitar), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass guitar), and Tony McCarroll (drums). The band was known for their unapologetic, brash, and sometimes arrogant behavior. They were distinctly and proudly British, and came from working class backgrounds. They were also seen as arrogant by others and would frequently talk about being the best band in the world. They, along with other British bands at the time, were known for their relatability to the British working class in the lyrics and remained in-touch with their roots. The band split in 2009 due to rising tension and aggression between Liam and Noel Gallagher.
Although they had been a band for a few years by this time, they reached worldwide fame with the release of their second studio album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" (released in October 1995). The album featured songs such as "Champagne Supernova," "Don't Look Back in Anger," and "Wonderwall," which remain some of the band's most popular songs to this date.
To the right is arguably Oasis' most popular song to this date, "Wonderwall" from their second album. It reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and the top 10 in various other countries' singles charts such as Ireland, Australia, the US, and Canada.
The Battle of Britpop
Blur vs. Oasis
With the rising popularity in the mid-90s of bands Oasis and Blur, the media frequently instigated the two bands, comparing the two and pitting them against each other. The "blow-up" of the Battle of Britpop occurred in 1995, when Blur's record label moved the release date of Blur's song, "Country House," to the same date as Oasis' release date for their song, "Roll with It" on August 14th. This signaled the official beginning of a years-long battle between the two bands and fueled the media. It turned into a battle of not only the two bands, but also into a regional battle: the rough, assertive, working class Southern Englanders (which Oasis hailed from) versus the university-educated, introverted, hipster Northern Englanders (which Blur hailed from). The media compared this competition of bands to the battle of The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones of the 1960s-70s. From then on, the two bands would frequently throw jabs at each other in the media, calling each other's bands out by name and insulting each other. Although Blur "won" the battle, with "Country House" selling 274,000 copies and Oasis' "Roll with It" only selling 216,000 copies, Oasis achieved more commercial success overall, in the long-run. One reason for that is that Blur's music more specifically related to Anglo-English experiences, Oasis' music was more universal, thus helping American audiences relate to their music as well.
Articles from NME discussing the increasing tension/rivalry between Blur and Oasis.
Many of the Britpop bands, including the Big Four, shot many of their album covers, single covers, music videos, etc. in various places around the United Kingdom rather than overseas, as shown below:
Oasis: Key Locations
Blur: Key Locations
Suede: Key Locations
Pulp: Key Locations
Post-Britpop
After Britpop began to decline in the late 1990s, a "second-wave" of British bands that were influenced by Britpop bands like Blur and Oasis began to gain popularity, most notably Radiohead and Coldplay. These post-Britpop bands in the late 1990s and early 2000s were typically more successful worldwide, most likely due to their lyrics having less emphasis on overtly-British life, as well as also taking influence from American rock and punk-rock, which were very popular in the United States at the time. They shied away from the label of "Britpop"; Adhering to the American public helped these bands gain more permanent popularity overseas, in the long-run.
Spotify
Works Cited:
“Animal Nitrate: Full Official Chart History: Official Charts Company.” Official Charts, https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/animal nitrate/.
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http://www.rocksbackpages.com.ezproxy.wesleyan.edu/Library/Article/suede-2.
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McCombe, John. “‘Common People’: Realism, Class Difference, and the Male Domestic Sphere in Nick Hornby’s Collision with Britpop.” MFS Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 60 no. 1, 2014, p. 165-184. Project MUSE, https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.wesleyan.edu/article/540415 .
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“Parklife: Full Official Chart History: Official Charts Company.” Official Charts, https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/parklife/.
Reynolds, Simon. “Blur, Oasis: Battle of the Bands — Old Turf, New Combatants”. New York Times, The, 1995. Blur, Oasis. Rock’s Backpages. http://www.rocksbackpages.com.ezproxy.wesleyan.edu/Library/Article/blur-oasis-battle-of-the-bands--old-turf-new-combatants.
Smith, Oliver. “54 Locations That Defined Britpop.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 3 Oct. 2017,
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/articles/Britpop-On-the-trail-of-Blru-and-Oasis/.
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