Blur

Formed in London in the late 1980s, Blur have been through a number of stylistic changes during their musical journey. Initially inspired by the Stone Roses and the so-called Madchester scene, a shift towards a revitalised 'classic' British guitar pop saw them achieve huge success in the early to mid-1990s. Parklife (1994) put them in the vanguard of Britpop, battling for supremacy with Oasis.

Hoping to break into the US market, something that had eluded them so far, the band adopted a more lo-fi, indi rock sound for 1997’s self-titled Blur, achieving their goal to some degree. But main songwriter Damon Albarn was pursuing other projects—particularly cartoon hip-hop band Gorillaz— and lost interest in Blur. Think Tank appeared in 2003, after which the band took a break until reforming for some successful concerts in 2009, including headlining the Glastonbury Festival. There have been re-formations since (including a performance at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics) and an album, The Magic Whip, in 2015.

In late 2022, much to the delight of fans, Blue announced a series of live concerts for 2023.