Britpop And The English Music Tradition

Britpop and the English Music Tradition is the first study devoted exclusively to the Britpop phenomenon and its contexts. The genre of Britpop, with its assertion of Englishness, evolved at the same time that devolution was striking deep into the hegemonic claims of English culture to represent Britain. It is usually argued that Britpop, with its strident declarations of Englishness, was a response to the dominance of grunge. The contributors in this volume take a different point of view: that Britpop celebrated Englishness at a time when British culture, with its English hegemonic core, was being challenged and dismantled. It is now timely to look back on Britpop as a cultural phenomenon of the 1990s that can be set into the political context of its time, and into the cultural context of the last fifty years - a time of fundamental revision of what it means to be British and English. The book examines issues such as the historical antecedents of Britpop, the subjectivities governing the performative conventions of Britpop, the cultural context within which Britpop unfolded, and its influence on the post-Britpop music scene in the UK. While Britpop is central to the volume, discussion of this phenomenon is used as an opportunity to examine the particularities of English popular music since the turn of the twentieth century.

Britpop and the English Music Tradition is the first study devoted exclusively to the Britpop phenomenon and its contexts. The genre of Britpop, with its assertion of Englishness, evolved at the same time that devolution was striking deep into the hegemonic claims of English culture to represent Britain. It is usually argued that Britpop, with its strident declarations of Englishness, was a response to the dominance of grunge. The contributors in this volume take a different point of view: that Britpop celebrated Englishness at a time when British culture, with its English hegemonic core, was being challenged and dismantled. It is now timely to look back on Britpop as a cultural phenomenon of the 1990s that can be set into the political context of its time, and into the cultural context of the last fifty years - a time of fundamental revision of what it means to be British and English. The book examines issues such as the historical antecedents of Britpop, the subjectivities governing the performative conventions of Britpop, the cultural context within which Britpop unfolded, and its influence on the post-Britpop music scene in the UK. While Britpop is central to the volume, discussion of this phenomenon is used as an opportunity to examine the particularities of English popular music since the turn of the twentieth century.

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Cultural Studies - Miscellaneous, grade: 2,0, , language: English, abstract: At the beginning of the paper the British music culture, including the historical development, and the term Britpop will be explained. In the next chapter, the definition of National identity will be in the focus before going on with the role of music, in regard to Britpop, as identity markers will be discussed. Moreover, the role of politics during the rise of the Britpop movement, which must be taken into account, will be mentioned. Due to the fact that certain motives are seen as British and play a key role in helping to create a national identity, this seminar paper will be accompanied by an Oasis song and there will be a short examination regarding lyrics and video performance before coming up with a final conclusion.

Britpop was more than just a musical movement; it was a cultural phenomenon that defined the 1990s in the UK. Emerging in the early 1990s and peaking around the middle of the decade, Britpop was characterized by a revival of British music, fashion, and identity. This period saw a resurgence of guitar-based rock music, a celebration of British culture, and a confident assertion of national identity. The term "Britpop" itself reflects the fusion of British culture and popular music, signaling a return to the sounds and sensibilities of classic British rock. The Britpop era was marked by a sense of optimism and a rejection of the grunge movement that had dominated the early 1990s. While grunge was introspective and often melancholic, Britpop was outward-looking, celebratory, and distinctly British. The music was often characterized by jangly guitars, catchy hooks, and lyrics that referenced British life and culture. Bands like Oasis, Blur, Pulp, and Suede became household names, and their music became the soundtrack to a generation. Britpop was also closely associated with the cultural and political climate of the time. The early 1990s were a period of economic recovery in the UK, following the recession of the late 1980s. There was a renewed sense of national pride, and Britpop became a symbol of this renewed confidence. The movement coincided with the rise of "Cool Britannia," a period of cultural renaissance in the UK, and the election of Tony Blair's Labour government in 1997, which promised a new era of prosperity and progress. However, Britpop was not without its critics. Some saw it as a superficial and commercially driven movement, lacking the depth and innovation of previous musical eras. Others criticized its focus on British identity, arguing that it was exclusionary and nationalistic. Despite these criticisms, there is no denying the impact of Britpop on British culture and its lasting legacy in the music industry. As we explore the origins, key figures, and cultural significance of Britpop, it is important to understand the broader context in which it emerged. Britpop was not just about the music; it was a reflection of the social, political, and cultural changes taking place in the UK at the time. It was a movement that captured the spirit of a generation and left an indelible mark on British culture.

Essay from the year 2013 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 3,0, University of Regensburg (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik), course: British and Irish Cultures, language: English, abstract: The high time of 'Britpop' was roughly to be found in the mid 90s, 1993-1997, of the 20th century (Scott 111) and at the same time, back then, it was mainly represented by the two groups, Oasis and Blur. The characteristical features of especially live performances, the pure sound of accoustic guitars and drums, emphasising the singer's voice (Bennett 14) and the remarkable melodious passages (Bennett 23) within the songs built a bridge over to the past, when the Beatles started their career (Silverton). As they were one of the first bands introducing that musical style in the 60s, they had in a certain way a pioneer role embodying the honest and traditional kind of handmade instrumental sounds. Essentially, 'Britpop' is the overall contrast to the appearing counterwaves of grunge by Nirvana and all the different styles of techno which were almost exclusively created by synthetic computer sounds (Bennett 14).

Unearthing the messy and sprawling interrelationships of place, wellbeing, and popular music, this book explores musical soundscapes of health, ranging from activism to international charity, to therapeutic treatments and how wellbeing is sought and attained in contexts of music. Drawing on critical social theories of the production, circulation, and consumption of popular music, the book gathers together diverse insights from geographers and musicologists. Popular music has become increasingly embedded in complex and often contradictory discourses of wellbeing. For instance, some new genres and sub-cultures of popular music are associated with violence, drug-use, and the angst of living, yet simultaneously define the hopes and dreams of millions of young people. At a service level, popular music is increasingly used as a therapeutic modality in holistic medicine, as well as in conventional health care and public health practice. The genre of popular music, then, is fundamental to human wellbeing as an active and central part of people’s emotional lives. By conceptually and empirically foregrounding place, this book demonstrates how - music whether from particular places, about particular places, or played in particular places ” is a crucial component of health and wellbeing.

This volume is the first authoritative historical textbook to look at the origins, development and evolution of seaside pierrot troupes and concert parties and their popular performance heritage. It will provide, for the first time, a definition of the pierrot troupe and its evolution from the roots of European popular traditions such as the commedia dell’arte and minstrelsy, to links between music hall and contemporary popular culture. Tony Lidington will explore how pierrot troupes grew from a single idea into a major international cultural industry and how it boosted morale and national identity during the two World Wars, before sublimating into contemporary pop music and comedy. Tony’s continuing practice as research provides an experiential framework for the historical and ethnographic analysis of the form. This book will be of vital interest to students, researchers, and performers of outdoor (al fresco) arts, clowning and comedy, minstrelsy, vernacular music-making and music hall.

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Positioned between the psychedelic and counter-cultural music of the late 1960s and the punk and new wave styles of the late 1970s, early 1970s British popular music is often overlooked in pop music studies of the late 20th century, but it was, in fact, highly diverse with many artists displaying an eclecticism and flair for musical experimentation. 'Progressive pop' artists such as Roxy Music, David Bowie, the early Queen, the Electric Light Orchestra, 10cc and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel successfully straddled the album and singles markets, producing music that often drew on a variety of different musical styles and traditions. Similarly, such artists often set new benchmarks for songwriting and production, utilizing the full potential of the rapidly expanding studio technology of the era to produce albums of highly diverse material featuring, in some cases, special studio-crafted effects and soundscapes that remain unique to this day. This book considers the significance of British progressive pop in the early 1970s as a period during which the boundaries between pop and rock were periodically relaxed, providing a platform for musical creativity less confined by genre and branding.