Britpop (a word composed of “British” and “pop”) is a sub-genre of alternative rock that was developed in the UK in the early 1990s. Not only was it seen by all as a reaction to the neurotic American grunge movement (Nirvana, Pearl Jam…), it was also a reaction to the ethereal and noisy style of shoegaze (My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive…), both appreciated by the British public in the early 90s.
In this way, Britpop intended to return to a more traditional rock style, characterized by guitar melodies, catchy pop choruses and a sound tailored for radio stations, while becoming the heir to a wide range of earlier English music. Bands such as Oasis, Pulp, Blur, Supergrass, Suede and Manic Street Preachers were the reason for the huge success of Britpop in the 1990s. Nevertheless, the genre went into commercial and critical decline around 1997 due to the lukewarm reception of Oasis’ third album, Be Here Now, following two exemplary albums, and Blur’s decision to distance itself from the genre.
The British press then focused on Radiohead and The Verve, considered more ambitious than their peers but less representative of the typical Britpop sound. Yet, at the turn of the millennium, bands with glory such as Coldplay, Travis and Doves gave a second wind to Britpop while not forgetting to show an international face. In this article of Gazettely, we want to introduce some of the most popular Britpop albums of the 1990s.
SUEDE hated Britpop. Their lead singer Brett Anderson referred to those who emulated so-called laddism, personalizing the attitude of mid-’90s British pop culture as “social tourists.” Middle-class people posed as members of the lower class by yelling for a beer at the 1996 European soccer championships (“Lager! Lager!” as in the Underworld hit “Born Slippy”) or by paying homage; to the heroin chic of “Trainspotting.”
Anderson, who comes from the poorest of backgrounds, faced the unwelcome B-word with rigorous distaste: “Musicians who waved the British national flag in the nineties: That was not fashion, it was disgusting nationalism! A couple of idiots holding up the Union Jack on stage. Unfortunately, Britpop was nothing more than that.”
The fact that they were nevertheless elevated to the status of the “Big Four” of Britpop alongside Oasis, Blur and Pulp could not be avoided by Suede. In 1991, “Melody Maker,” which was influential on the island at the time, praised them as the greatest guitar pop musicians since the Smiths – and without having released a single song.
In 1994, they followed up their self-titled debut with “Dog Man Star”, soon after the first signs of life from various artists who were soon considered to be part of the Britpop scene. But Suede had an absolutely unique selling point: A mixture of glam rock, clown tears, the working class and drug-induced “Dungeons & Dragons” fantasies.
How awkwardly pop and classic can harmonize with each other was proven by Suede with the much-loved, orchestra-escorted song “Still Life”, which concludes “Dog Man Star” as a powerful finale. In a similar vein, the only song which could match them is Elbow’s “Mirrorball” from the outstanding album “The Seldom Seen Kid” (2008).
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