A Field Guide to Britpop

What makes Britpop… Britpop? A reaction to a chart that was dominated by American bands, the genre was deeply entrenched in what it meant to be British. But how would you describe Britpop’s context in the zeitgeist of the time, or explain how this new upbeat, chart-pop assault imagined Britain’s future? Well, that’s precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in this handy book.

In these pages, Steve explains the social and music industry climates of the 90s, when New Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair was emerging and Nirvana controlled the airwaves. There’s also a timeline of foundational bands, and a lookback at Oasis and Blur’s rivalry. There are breakdowns on the key record labels, DJs, producers, engineers, and magazines – all of which contributed to the new vision of Britishness. There are deep dives into controversies and messy band breakups.

And lastly, there’s a dissection of how ripples of Britpop are still felt today, in recorded music and across wider pop culture. If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with Britain on Y2K’s edge, then this book is a must-have.