TUESDAY, 28 JULY 2020

THE BRITPOP MOVEMENT

In England during the 90s, Britpop was a music and cultural movement with an emphasis on Britishness.

It looks back at the pop-rock music from the late 60s’ and 70s’, with The Beatles at the forefront of this obsession. It came about as a reaction against the US grunge scene, instead promoting working class grit in Britain. As a nation, they turned the radio up to listen to the 60s, glam, mod, punk, rock hybrid.

Oasis, Blur and Pulp were the three most successful bands linked with Britpop. Oasis, fronted by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, were influential in the Britpop movement and the once again dominance of British music and popular culture all over the world. The Gallagher brothers were heavily influenced by their love of The Beatles and their personal style was distinctly British and drew on the Away Days terrace looks of English football lads, with track tops, stripes and bold jersey like colours. This was the inspiration for our first SS20 collection ‘AWAY DAYS’.

Blur, led by charismatic Damon Albarn was also a huge influence in the Britpop movement with hugely successful albums such as ‘Modern Life is Rubbish’. When Britpop moved from underground to mainstream pop-rock, the rivalry between Oasis and Blur was born, constantly in a race for the number one spot in the charts.

The Britpop era was also linked to politics and consumerism, with the Labour Party using Britpop as a way to win the 1997 General Election portraying themselves as hip, likeable and being in touch with the working class. Tony Blair even used Noel Gallagher in the campaign and later appointed him as part of the Labour task force.

Blur later sought to distance themselves from Britpop with their 5th album, conforming to more American influences. And the rise of pop music with groups such as The Spice Girls having a huge influence on the demise of Britpop.