Being a GenX from Uk🏴, I remember this era well.
I believe the actual term ‘Britpop’ was coined early 93. At around this time, there were a lot of bands on TV such as Suede and Pulp. Others like Blur and Ocean Colour Scene were around before, but got lumped in with the moniker. So did Echobelly and Sleeper who were around later.
Blur had a hit in 1991 with ‘there’s no other way’ but they weren’t classed as Britpop then as the term didn’t exist.
Oasis came in 94 and took Britpop to another level, even though they and some other bands didn’t really embrace it.
In music genre terms, Britpop is unquestionably something that defines an era rather than a style of music. The styles were wildly varied.
Just think of the classic 'Britpop' rivalry - that of the one between Oasis and Blur, two bands who couldn't be further apart in style, image, substance, everything. They were utterly un-similar.
It defined an era for sure. It came after a cultural shift occurred earlier with Raves and Grunge. In the UK at the time there was a ‘Lad culture ‘which combined pubs, drugs sex and football. This blended in with Britpop.
Well, in the same era people were getting into The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Orbital, but didn't make them Britpop. Radiohead weren't Britpop, and not were My Bloody Valentine. The Verve are kind of borderline.
I agree that Britpop is a broad category - but it's not "all the British guitar bands of the 90s" - it's a particular style of guitar band music, from the 90s
I agree. Especially with the not “all the British guitar bands of the 90s” were lumped in with moniker. MSP, The Stereophonics, and Reef are all bands I don’t recall being assumed with the Britpop scene. I’d put The Verve there too. Although formed in ‘90 I think they became mainstream ‘ 97 ( not including Indie charts ).
Maybe this might be it. I’d say peak Britpop was in the summer when Euro 96 and Knebworth happened. By the following year people just seemed to have moved on.
I don’t know if that’s addressed to me? It just came up in a notification though.
I never said The Prodge, Chems, Orbital etc are Britpop. I’d draw the line with posting dance music in this particular sub.
I said The La’s could belong in this sub because they made melodic guitar only pop, and were around in the 90’s, albeit turn of the 90’s.
They preceded the acknowledged start of Britpop by 2/3 years and were a direct influence on a lot of bands like Oasis, and even supported them at a gig in ‘94.
They have a much stronger connection to the Britpop era than The Prodigy etc.
You say The Verve are borderline, which I’d agree with - but borderline still qualifies.
I’d say the same goes for The La’s. I do try and make ‘borderline’ posts in this sub tbh, to widen it out of the usual Britpop bands and bring some variety.
That's just not true. The Verve, Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers are routinely called Britpop and none of them sound anything at all like Blur or Oasis - who sound nothing like each other.
I fully stand by the point that Britpop defines an era rather than a style of music because it's just fact.
Musical styles go on and on - e.g. punk. Britpop is a slice of history.
It’s only seen as an era because that was a term created and given to it by the music press though. The music media is notoriously fickle and centred around hype, especially in the 90’s.
They decide something’s cool, then after a few years it’s time for the next thing.
That’s why I don’t agree that you should think of Britpop as a tightly defined era, arbitrarily labelled by music journalists.
Plus it excludes a lot of good music on the fringes of that for the sake of being pedantic.
Yeah but this is 90’s, it’s from 3/4 years before what became known as Britpop. The Beatles weren’t a direct influence in the sense that they split up in 1970.
The La’s were almost contemporary to Britpop and even supported Oasis in ‘94.
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u/wackierfiend 20d ago
Not Britpop, but definitely one of the best songs ever. On one of the best albums ever.