Britpop: Top 25 Albums

Britpop: The Top 25 Albums

Britpop was a genre which emerged in the early ‘90s in the United Kingdom. It grew out of the British indie music scene and was characterized by its guitar-driven pop sound. This list was compiled by aggregating the results of 22 sources. Those albums which made at least 3 lists were ranked by overall Dave’s Music Database points and then the top 25 were ranked based on the aggregate of Britpop albums. Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here. 1. Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (1995) 2. Pulp Different Class (1995) 3. The Verve Urban Hymns (1997) 4. Blur Parklife (1994) 5. Oasis Definitely Maybe (1994) 6. Suede (aka “London Suede”) Suede (1993) 7. The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1989) 8. Blur The Great Escape (1995) 9. Blur Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993) 10. Radiohead The Bends (1995) 11. Radiohead OK Computer (1997) 12. Suede (aka “London Suede”) Dog Man Star (1994) 13. Manic Street Preachers Everything Must Go (1996) 14. The La’s The La’s (1990) 15. Oasis Be Here Now (1997) 16. The Verve A Northern Soul (1995) 17. Manic Street Preachers The Holy Bible (1994) 18. Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) 19. David Bowie The Man Who Sold the World (1970) 20. Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque (1991) 21. Coldplay Parachutes (2000) 22. Blur Blur (1997) 23. Keane Hopes and Fears (2004) 24. Kaiser Chiefs Employment (2005) 25. The Libertines Up the Bracket (2002) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Britpop: Top 50 Songs” Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists First posted 9/2/2024.

The La’s released “There She Goes” - for the first time

There She Goes The La’s

Writer(s): Lee Mavers (see lyrics here) Released: October 31, 1988 First Charted: January 14, 1989 Peak: 49 US, 47 CB, 2 MR, 13 UK, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.6 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 13.8 video, 242.25 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Rolling Stone called “There She Goes” “a founding piece of Britpop’s foundation.” RS “Credit Lee Mavers’ insistent falsetto bringing the song’s sad-sack protagonist to life as the never-ending guitar hook intensifies his desperation.” RS Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie called it “the perfectly written pop song: an instantaneously recognizable melody and lyric set to simple, economic musical structure.” WK Mike Badger formed The La’s in 1983 and singer/songwriter/guitarist Mavers joined the next year. Badger departed in 1986 and bassist John Power came on board. Mavers and Power ended up the nucleus of the group with a revolving door of other guitarists and drummers. The band lasted until 1992, but only released one album. Mavers said of the Steve Lillywhite-produced album, “We [hate] it…It never captured anything that we were about. To cut a long story short, too many cooks spoil the broth.” RS The album featured four singles, of which only “There She Goes” dented the UK top-40. Even that song was a minor hit initially. It was first released in 1988 and reached #59 on the UK charts. It was remixed in 1990 for their debut album and that version – released as a single in October of 1990 – finally charted in the UK and United States. The lines “There she goes again / Racing through my brain / Pulsing through my vein / No one else can heal my pain” have led to the song being viewed as an ode to heroin. Mavers denies the song is about heroin, although admits to trying it. However, he says he didn’t try it until 1990 – after he wrote the song. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The La’s RS Rolling Stone (4/4/2021). “40 Greatest One-Album Wonders” SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/13/2021; last updated 8/24/2023.