Oi oi! Britpop is again!
Truly, it is not, just because Britpop by no means actually went away, such is the maintain that the scene’s prime movers have over hearts and minds. However with Oasis having lastly reunited and subsequently conquered all earlier than them, summer time 2025 has seen an avalanche of articles celebrating British music from the mid ’90s, and albeit we’re not too proud to get in on the motion.
So, in your leisure, we now current Louder‘s very personal A – Z of Britpop Anthems.
Please be aware: it will be all too simple – aside from discovering a tune starting with ‘Q’, to be truthful – to fill out this whole checklist utilizing solely songs by Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede.
So to make the checklist extra expansive, I’ve arbitrarily determined that every band will be represented solely as soon as. Which means that if – spoiler alert – Oasis traditional Stay Endlessly is chosen because the entry for the letter ‘L’, then it is not admissible to additionally embody Wonderwall for ‘W’, Supersonic for ‘S’, or Acquiesce for the letter ‘A’.
Having now patiently and politely clarified this most simple ideas, if I later take a look at the feedback part beneath, and see that somebody has failed to understand this simplest rule, please remember that I’ll search for you, I will discover you, and I’ll kill you.
Parklife!
A is for Animal Nitrate
By frequent consent, the Britpop period was ushered in not through anybody particular tune, however by the April 1993 cowl of (long-since-extinct} Choose journal, which featured Suede’s frontman Brett Anderson in entrance of a Union Flag, and the strapline ‘Yanks go dwelling!’
Satirically, the opening riff of Animal Nitrate, Suede’s largest hit on the time, was impressed – “completely secretly” guitarist Bernard Butler admitted – by Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. That stated, lyrics corresponding to “in your council dwelling he jumped in your bones, now you take it time after time” may solely ever have been penned by a Brit.
B is for Bittersweet Symphony
The Verve really broke up on the peak of Britpop, following the discharge of 1995’s A Northern Soul album. Fortunately, guitarist Nick McCabe returned to the fold throughout the recording of City Hymns, and its fabulous first single is essentially the most hanging re-introduction of the Britpop period.
C is for Frequent Folks
If you aren’t getting goosebumps listening to Frequent Folks, then you definately both have horrible style in music, or are the kind of individual Jarvis Cocker is singing about right here, on what ought to actually be Britain’s nationwide anthem.
D is for Daydreamer
Menswear may need burned out quick, however for a couple of enjoyable years they have been the embodiment of the Camden indie scene, and all the time glorious consuming firm if you bumped into them at gigs on the Astoria or Camden Palace. Daydreamer was the quintet’s second single, and second-highest-charting hit.
E is for Each You Each Me
Placebo would hate to be lumped in with Britpop, and have been in truth the antithesis of the laddish British music scene within the mid ’90s, even when they did proudly boast of leaving “a path of blood and spunk” throughout the nation. However we have included Each You Each Me right here as a result of a) it is a strong gold banger and b) as a result of mid-90s Brian Molko all the time permitted of stirring shit and making mischief, as this author can testify first-hand from recollections too impolite to be shared right here.
F is for Fader
As with the aforementioned Placebo, Drugstore have been fronted by a non-Brit, on this case Brazilian vocalist/bassist Isabel Monteiro, and have been outliers on the Britpop scene. However their self-titled debut album, from which Fader was the ultimate single, was endorsed by the likes of Radiohead and The Jesus And Mary Chain and is a cool snapshot of a hazy, hedonistic time.
G is for Ladies & Boys
Parklife, the title monitor of Blur’s million-selling third album, could be the quintessential Britpop anthem, however the motion was really kickstarted by the album’s lead single Ladies & Boys, Damon Albarn’s cheeky chappy dissection of uninhibited couplings and copulation on Membership 18-30 holidays.
H is for Excessive
Feeder have been extra Britrock than Britpop tbh, however Excessive, the trio’s breakthrough single, is an irresistible snapshot of what it meant to be younger, free and single in mid ’90s Britain, its hovering refrain – “I am going out for some time so I can get excessive with my buddies… I am going out for some time, do not wait up ‘trigger I will not be dwelling in the present day” – a fully pitch-perfect evocation of the period. It actually ought to have made them stars in America too.
I is for Inbetweener
Sleeper may not have been essentially the most excessive profile Britpop band – not helped by the ‘inkie’ music press dismissing guitarist Jon Stewart, bassist Diid Osman, and drummer Andy Mclure as faceless ‘Sleeperblokes’ – however Louise Wener’s sharp, good lyrics helped set up their songs as real alternate options to the scene’s extra lairy, laddish anthems.
J is for Simply
Radiohead, like most bands on this checklist, in equity, would not welcome being bracketed as Britpop, however earlier than they successfully killed the scene with the discharge of 1997’s game-changing OK Pc, they weren’t seen as so very far faraway from the likes of Catherine Wheel, or Trip, or Eire’s Whipping Boy. Simply, the fourth single from The Bends, was one of many songs which made the world take discover that there was extra to Thom Yorke’s band than Creep.
Okay is for King Fu
Downpatrick’s Ash – “assured actual youngsters” as they declared initially of their profession – have been a lot too in love with grunge and US alt. rock to ever totally be absorbed into Britpop, however Oasis apart, no band banged out so many fabulous singles within the mid ’90s, Kung Fu being their first really important pay attention. It could have peaked at quantity 57 within the UK charts, however helped elevate the trio’s profile immensely, ensuing of their subsequent six singles simply breaching the UK Prime 20. That sleeve art work is iconic too.
L is for Stay Endlessly
Is there a Britpop tune that higher encapsulates the optimism, hedonism, and sense of risk of the period than single quantity three from Positively Perhaps? No. For those who do not ‘get’ Oasis after listening to Noel Gallagher’s best sonic creation you by no means will, but when you understand, you understand.
M is for Mansize Rooster
We’re not going to argue that Mansize Rooster is a extra definitive Britpop anthem than the trio’s 1995 single Alright, as a result of that may be silly and incorrect, however this was Supergrass’ first UK Prime 20 single, and one in every of their best-loved hits, as evidenced by its inclusion, simply previous to Alright, on their summer time 2025 setlists.
N is for By no means By no means
Considerably unfairly, Heat Jets have been greatest identified for the truth that frontman Louis Jones dated TV presenter-turned-Radio 1 DJ Zoe Ball, however the London-based quartet gained buddies through well-received appearances supporting Blur, Stereophonics and extra, and launched a handful of nice singles, together with this, their first Prime 40 hit. On a private degree, bonus factors are awarded for the truth that bassist Aki launched me to my spouse.
O is for One To One other
Though already well-established as ‘faces’ on the early ’90s Madchester scene, The Charlatans really got here into their very own in the midst of the last decade, with their self-titled fourth album (launched in 1995), and its follow-up, 1997’s glorious Tellin’ Tales, launched by this timeless indie membership floor-filler. Throughout the pandemic, frontman Tom Burgess ascended to Nationwide Treasure standing in Britain because of his healthful music fans-uniting Twitter Listening Events.
P is for Punka
It is solely attainable to respect and admire TV presenter / BBC DJ Lauren Laverne with out the data that she as soon as fronted effervescent Sunderland pop-punks Kenickie, however the witty and fairly fantastic Punka was an early indicator of her star high quality.
Q is for Queer (Danny Saber Alt. Vox Combine)
Look, we all know that Rubbish include just one Brit – the fabulous power of nature that’s Shirley Manson – and that their electro-rock sound was understandly by no means actually lumped in with Britpop, however discovering a very acceptable tune starting with the letter ‘Q’ was a fucking wrestle, to be sincere. Moreover, for those who squint onerous sufficient, this remix of their debut single by one-time Black Grape member Danny Saber is kinda Britpoppy, no?
R is for Prepared To Go
Republica vocalist Saffron as soon as described her band’s 1996 single as a “battle cry” for younger ladies and ladies rising up within the ’90s, and Prepared To Go has stood the check of time fairly nicely. Additionally, Saffron is fucking nice, and she or he completely lit up Camden along with her presence lengthy after Britpop light so there was no manner this wasn’t going to be included right here.
S is for Sandstorm
At present supporting Oasis on their Stay ’25 tour, Forged are actually enjoying earlier than a few of the largest audiences of their profession. Which is a pleasant feelgood story, as a result of frontman John Energy ought to have already got been a star as a member of The La’s, and songs corresponding to this, the third single from the Scouse band’s UK Prime 10 debut album All Change all the time deserved a correct listening to worldwide.
T is for The Man Do not Give A Fuck
It’s scientifically inconceivable to dislike Tremendous Furry Animals, and this sweary, Steely Dan-sampling 1996 single from the Cardiff band won’t ever get previous.
U is for U16 Ladies
Do not forget that scene in Trainspotting the place Renton wakes as much as the horrific realisation that Diane, the lady he pulled in a membership some hours earlier, is definitely an underage schoolgirl? Nicely, this deceptively-perky Travis single (the ‘U’ standing for ‘Below’) is basically an audio companion to that second, a warning to sexy males the world over that should not actually be crucial.
V is for Vaseline
One minute and twenty seconds of pure adrenalised pleasure from Elastica: “If you’re caught like glue, if you would like to woo, Vaseline!” runs the second verse in its entirety. For those who’ve by no means listened to Elastica, go hearken to their debut album proper this minute.
W is for Vast Open Area
Sure, nicely noticed, it is not Wonderwall.
X is for X-Girlfriend
Given the quantity of shit heaped upon Bush within the mid ’90s for having the nerve to get huge in America when not one of many 50 states gave a flying fuck about any Britpop band, Gavin Rossdale will simply love this inclusion. Sorry not sorry, alternate choices have been skinny on the bottom in all honesty, and this 45-second conclusion to Sixteen Stone is not all that grungy, actually.
Y is for Sure
Simply magnificent. So timeless is that this hovering single from McAlmont and Butler that it will have been a success within the ’60s, ’70s or ’80s, and certainly within the ’90s had Britpop by no means existed. Vocalist David McAlmont calls it “an I Will Survive for the 90s”, ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler calls it “an enormous ‘fuck you’, however delivered in essentially the most constructive manner” and we’re calling it top-of-the-line debut singles by anybody, ever.
Z is for Zephyr
You will be completely forgiven for those who have been unaware, up till this very second, of the existence of Electrafixion, however you will very, very probably have heard of their two fundamental males, Echo & the Bunnymen duo Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant. Is the best tune the pair have ever written? It isn’t. Does it start with the letter ‘Z’? Sure it does. Any extra questions?
Please be aware: Because of Spotify not itemizing Heat Jets’ Future Indicators album, sadly By no means By no means is lacking from this A-Z playlist. Silly Spotify.
