Blur

Blur formed in the early 1990s with Damon Albarn on vocals, Graham Coxon on guitar, Alex James on bass, and Dave Rowntree on drums. Their 1993 album 'Modern Life Is Rubbish' established their sound, and the following year's 'Parklife' made them one of Britpop's defining acts. Songs like 'Girls And Boys' and 'Country House' became radio staples, capturing a particular British sensibility with Albarn's observational lyrics and the band's melodic guitar pop.

Their 1997 self-titled album marked a shift, incorporating more American indie and lo-fi influences. The track 'Song 2' from that record, with its distorted bass and shouted 'woo-hoo!' chorus, became an unlikely international hit. Around this time, their chart rivalry with Oasis, particularly the single battle between 'Country House' and Oasis's 'Roll with It', was amplified by the British press into a defining cultural moment for the genre.

Internal tensions grew, and Coxon left the band during the recording of 2003's 'Think Tank'. They recorded as a trio for that album and went on hiatus afterward, though they've reunited periodically for tours and the 2015 album 'The Magic Whip'. Songs like the gospel-tinged 'Tender' and the bittersweet 'Coffee & TV' show the band's range beyond their early Britpop anthems.