Britpop was a music genre that emerged in the UK in the 1990s, influenced by British rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and The Who. Key Britpop bands included Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Suede, and Supergrass who celebrated British musical heritage and achieved mainstream success. These bands rejected American grunge and hip hop, incorporating British rock influences into melodic, guitar-driven songs often focused on everyday life in Britain. Britpop coincided with a period of renewed national pride and the rise of New Labour under Tony Blair.

1. Music & Society
Britpop
Chris Baker
www.musicstudentinfo.com

2. What was Britpop?
• Britpop Celebrated British 1960’s and 1970’s
Music
• Britpop started in the 1990’s
• Influenced by bands of the 1960’s
• The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd,
The Kinks, The Who, Lou Reed, The Small
Faces, Led Zeppelin &T Rex

3. The Oasis Beatles Connection
• Oasis have several references to John Lennon
and the Beatles
• The intro of ‘Don’t look back in Anger’ is very
similar to the opening of ‘Imagine’ by John
Lennon
• The title ‘Wonderwall’ was also the title of an
Album by George Harrison of the Beatles
• The ending of ‘She’s Electric’ is similar to end of
‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ by the
Beatles

4. Britpop built on recent British music
• Britpop bands tried to build on British pop
History
• Influenced by 1970’s British Artists such as:
David Bowie, The Jam, The Smiths
• The 1980’s & 90’s ‘Madchester’ music scene
was an influence
• ‘Madchester’ bands of the time borrowed
from the 1960’s

5. ‘Indie’ Bands
• Indie – short for alternative distribution of
records through independent labels
• Rebellion against the dominance of the large
record industries
• Political idealism and music came together to
form indie Music
• Artists shared profits 50/50

6. ‘Indie’ Music
• Joy Division – first band signed by indie label in
1979
• The Smiths fronted by Morrissey – formed in 1982
• Anti - Margaret Thatcher (Conservative leader of
the time)
• Supported the coal miners strikes
• Proud of being English

7. Manchester
• Late 80s - Rave culture hits the UK with the
advent of Acid House
• Hacienda Club most important club in the
North & very Influential Worldwide
• Incorporated elements of dance music into
the indie style

8. Reaction to other genres
• Grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam
came from the West Coast of America
• Hip-Hop had emerged from New York and
Chicago in the 1980s with Artists such as
Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & The
Sugarhill Gang
• Britpop deliberately rejected the electronic
sounds of Hip-Hop, Dance Music and the
Heavy Aggressive Grunge scene sound

9. The most well known Britpop bands
• Blur
• Suede
• Oasis
• Pulp
• Elastica
• Supergrass
• Ocean Colour Scene
• The Verve

10. BLUR
• Signed to Food records
• Inspired by British bands of the 80’s
• Enjoyed experimentation and added
unexpected twists in their music
• Songs written about everyday life
• Sung in a cockney accent
• Intense rivalry with the band Suede
• Later rivalry transferred to the band Oasis
• Chart battles raised profiles of both bands

11. Supergrass & Blur
• The Small Faces
• Lazy Sunday Afternoon (Music Hall Tradition)
• Robbie Williams
• Rod Stewart

12. Pulp
• Jarvis Cocker from Sheffield
• Recognition in 1990 with a hit single
promoted on John Peel Radio show
• Signed to Gift Records in 1992
• Different Class Album 1995
• Disco driven sound
• Lyrics about frustrated love & everyday life
• Vocals often turn into semi-spoken lyrics

13. Blur & Pulp Influences
• The Kinks (grew out of rhythm & blues )
• Kinks Tracks -You really got me, Waterloo Sunset,
Lola & Dedicated follower of fashion
• Queen
• Music Hall tradition
• Ian Drury and the Blockheads
• Paul Weller/The Jam
• Led Zepellin

14. Oasis
• Noel Gallagher started as a roadie for the band
Inspiral Carpets
• Becomes lead guitarist & songwriter for Liam’s
Band
• Signed to Creation Records run by Alan McGee in
1993
• Beatles influence
• 1960s guitar bands also important influence

15. Suede
• Rivalry with Blur
• Brett Anderson (lead singer)
• Suede had a darker view of life and built a
partnership with guitarist Bernard Butler
• Signed to Nude Records
• Lyrics – risque or dark reflecting Anderson’s
state of mind

16. Britpop Characteristics 1
• Simple chord sequences
• Rock Breakdown (band play in half time)
• Guitar solos less important
• Driving rhythm and the lyrics more important
• Influence of The Smiths very important

17. Britpop Characteristics 2
• Birth of New Labour Government
• Rekindling of a National Identity
• Backlash against American Music
• Celebration of being British (lyrically &
musically)
• Simple poetry
• Avoidance of the 12 bar blues sequence

18. Cool Britannia Politics
• Term to describe the contemporary culture of the United
Kingdom.
• Used in 1990’s and associated "New Labour" & Tony
Blair
• Election of Blair government in 1997 on a platform of
modernisation with a relatively young Prime Minister
• A parallel between "Swinging London”catchphrase of the
60’s
• Refers to young British artists,bands & magazines
• Links with resurgence of James Bond 007
• Renewal in British pride reinforced by the strong and
uninterrupted growth of the British economy from 1993

19. Britpop Drug Cocaine
• AKA Charlie, C, snow, coke, toot, rocks & stones
• Cocaine used to be the drug of choice for rock stars and the
rich-recent price cuts = massive rise in usage and availability
• Delivering a quick and euphoric high
• Confidence soars, the heart thumps, while you feel like you're
on top of the world
• The effect doesn't last very long (around 20-30 minutes) this
encourages repeated doses
• Side effects: You may well feel like a million dollars on coke,
but to those around you, you may well appear arrogant &
loud
• Expensive & Addictive

20. Thanks
BYE!