Britpop

In the world of alternative music, there are a number of subgenres that are used to describe the music being produced. One of the more popular of these subgenres is called Britpop and refers to the many bands of British origin that came to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In opposition to other styles of alternative music, such as grunge and indie rock, the Britpop movement embraced a more harmonious sound and often had lyrics that were largely relevant to only a British audience. The influence for many of the Britpop bands came not from American alternative music, but rather from British bands that were active in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the bands that were labelled as Britpop, some of the more popular ones were Oasis, Elastica, and Blur.

While grunge and Britpop were very different, there were a large number of similarities that resulted in the music being closely related. Most of the imagery in both alternative genres was concerned with the working class and urban life. In 1995, much of the Britpop scene ruled both the American and European airwaves, with Blur and Oasis commonly vying for the top position. This is considered to be the best period of Britpop, with Oasis selling over four million copies of their seminal album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory, giving them the third most sales for any British album.

As the 1990s came to a close, Britpop was nearing the end. The recent albums by Oasis and other Britpop stalwarts were not being critically received well and the sales figures for these albums were not as high as with previous efforts. However, there were some bands that managed to change with the times and alter their sound. Of these groups, Radiohead is the one that enjoys the most success in modern times as they have incorporated electronic textures to the familiar alternative rock sound.