Blur

Biography

Blur are an English rock band formed in London in 1988. The group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree. Initially known as Seymour, they changed their name to Blur after signing with Food Records.

Early Years and Britpop

The band's debut album, Leisure (1991), incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegaze. Its lead single "She's So High" reached number 48 in the UK Singles Chart, while "There's No Other Way" became a top 10 hit. Following a tour of the United States in 1992, the band faced debt and concerns about their standing in the UK music scene. This period prompted a stylistic shift towards English guitar pop, influenced by bands like The Kinks and The Beatles. This new direction was evident in their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993).

Parklife and The Great Escape

Blur's commercial breakthrough came with their third album, Parklife (1994), which debuted at number one on the UK charts and stayed there for 90 weeks. The album featured hit singles like the disco-influenced "Girls & Boys," "To the End," "Parklife," and "End of a Century." Parklife is considered a defining record of the Britpop genre and earned the band four Brit Awards in 1995, including Best Band and Best Album. Their next album, The Great Escape (1995), continued their success, entering the charts at number one. The album's release was famously part of a "chart battle" with Oasis's single "Roll With It," with Blur's "Country House" ultimately taking the number one spot.

Stylistic Changes and Hiatus

By 1997, Blur moved away from Britpop and embraced a new sound influenced by American indie rock. Their self-titled fifth album, Blur (1997), was a raw, garage-rock-indebted record. It featured the hit single "Song 2," which brought the band mainstream success in the United States. The following album, 13 (1999), saw the band experimenting with electronic and art rock styles, with lyrics that were more personal and introspective. During the recording of their seventh album, Think Tank (2003), which was influenced by electronic and world music, Graham Coxon left the band. After a tour for the album, Blur went on hiatus.

Reunion and Recent Work

Blur reunited with Coxon in 2009 for a series of concerts. In 2012, they received a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. They released their first album in twelve years, The Magic Whip, in 2015. The album was recorded over five days in Hong Kong and became their sixth consecutive UK number one album. After another hiatus, the band reunited again in 2023 for a headline show at Wembley Stadium and released their ninth studio album, The Ballad of Darren, in July of the same year.