Britpop

Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. Musically, Britpop produced bright, catchy alternative rock, in reaction to the darker lyrical themes and soundscapes of the American-led grunge music and Britain's own shoegaze music scene. The movement brought British alternative rock into the mainstream and formed the larger British popular cultural movement, Cool Britannia, which evoked the Swinging Sixties and the British guitar pop of that decade.

Britpop was a phenomenon that highlighted bands emerging from the independent music scene of the early 1990s. Although often seen as a cultural moment rather than a distinct musical genre, its associated bands typically drew inspiration from the British pop music of the 1960s, the glam rock and punk rock of the 1970s, and the indie pop of the 1980s.

Quotes about Britpop

• Britpop tracks such as Suede's So Young and Sleeper's Delicious used arpeggio-based riffs with a melodic slant.
  • Steve Allsworth of MusicRadar (22 June 2015) [1]
• From Reef and Shed Seven to Blur and The Lightning Seeds, the influence of Jimi Hendrix is far-reaching throughout Britpop's short history.
  • Steve Allsworth of MusicRadar (22 June 2015) [2]
• Britpop is a direct descendent of the Madchester baggy scene. Droning open strings and funky wah rhythms give you the vibe.
  • Steve Allsworth of MusicRadar (22 June 2015) [3]