Blur

Blur are a UK alternative rock band from London, active since 1990. The group consists of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

Career

The band forms in London in 1988 and releases its debut album, Leisure, in 1991. That record draws on Madchester and shoegaze. Blur then changes direction, taking influence from British guitar pop groups including the Kinks, the Beatles and XTC, and releases Modern Life Is Rubbish in 1993, Parklife in 1994 and The Great Escape in 1995.

The single Girls & Boys becomes a major hit in the UK and the US, reaching number 5 on the UK singles chart and number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100. Blur plays a significant part in popularising Britpop and becomes closely associated with a chart rivalry with Oasis in 1995, often described as the “Battle of Britpop”.

The self-titled Blur appears in 1997 and marks another shift in style, drawing on the lo-fi approach of American indie rock. It becomes the band’s third UK chart-topping album. Song 2 gains popularity on alternative radio in the US. 13 follows in 1999, with more experimental electronic and art rock elements and more personal lyrics from Albarn and Coxon.

Think Tank arrives in 2003 and continues the move towards electronic sounds while also incorporating world music influences. Guitar parts are minimal on the album, and Coxon leaves early in the recording sessions. After the tour for the album, the band disbands for several years.

Blur reunites with Coxon in 2009 and plays a European reunion tour. In the years that follow, the band releases singles and compilations and tours internationally. It receives the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2012. The Magic Whip appears in 2015, becoming the band’s sixth consecutive studio album to reach number one in the UK and its first album in twelve years. After the tour for that record, the band goes on hiatus until The Ballad of Darren in 2023.

Albums

Leisure (1991), Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994), The Great Escape (1995), Blur (1997), 13 (1999), Think Tank (2003), The Magic Whip (2015) and The Ballad of Darren (2023).