Blur

Blur is an English alternative rock band that consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing. Following a stylistic change—influenced by English guitar pop groups such as early Pink Floyd, The Kinks, The Who, The Beatles and XTC—Blur released Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995). As a result, the band helped to popularise the Britpop genre and achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided by a famous chart battle with rival band Oasis dubbed "The Battle of Britpop".

In recording their follow-up, Blur (1997), the band underwent another reinvention, showing influence from the lo-fi style of American indie rock groups. "Song 2", one of the album's singles, brought Blur mainstream success in the US. Their next album, 13 (1999) saw the band members experimenting with electronic music, as Albarn wrote more personal lyrics. In May 2002, Coxon left Blur during the recording of their seventh album Think Tank (2003). Containing electronic sounds and more minimal guitar work, the album was marked by Albarn's growing interest in hip hop and African music. After a 2003 tour without Coxon, Blur did no studio work or touring as a band, as members engaged in other projects. In 2009 Blur reunited, with Coxon back in the fold, for a series of successful reunion concerts.

In October 1990, Blur released the "She's So High" single, which reached number 48 in the UK Singles Chart and "There's No Other Way", became a hit, peaking at number eight. The band's third single, "Bang", reached only number 24. Although the resulting album, Leisure, peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart, it received mixed reviews.

After discovering they were in debt, Blur toured the United States in 1992 in an attempt to recoup their financial losses. The group released the single "Popscene" to coincide with the start of the tour. The band completed their second album Modern Life Is Rubbish was released in May 1993 and "For Tomorrow" became the album's lead single. "For Tomorrow" was a minor success, reaching number 28 on the charts. Modern Life Is Rubbish peaked at number 15 on the British charts, yet it did not chart in the U.S.

In 1994, the success of Parklife revived Blur's commercial fortunes. The album's first single, the disco-influenced "Girls & Boys", found favour on BBC Radio 1. It peaked at number five on the UK singles chart and number four on the US Modern Rock chart, where it remains the band's highest-charting single to date. Parklife entered the British charts at number one and stayed on the album charts for 90 weeks. The album generated further hit singles, including the ballad "To the End" and the mod anthem "Parklife". Blur won four awards at the 1995 BRIT Awards, including Best Band and Best Album for Parklife.

The Great Escape's lead single "Country House" played a part in Blur's public rivalry with Manchester band Oasis termed "The Battle of Britpop". At the end of the week, "Country House" ultimately outsold Oasis' "Roll With It" selling 274,000 copies to Oasis' 216,000, becoming Blur's first number one single. The Great Escape was released in September 1995 and spent two weeks on the UK Album Chart at number one.[

The band's fifth studio album, entitled Blur, released in February 1997. The band's new sound gained an audience in the U.S., where the record received strong reviews as the album and became a hit, mostly because of the popularity of "Song 2" which peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album also reached number 61 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA on December 12, 1997.

"Song 2" was licensed for use in various media such as soundtracks, advertisements and television shows, and it became known as a "'90s modern rock classic". At the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, "Song 2" was nominated for Best Group Video, and Best Alternative Video. At the 1998 Brit Awards the song was nominated for Best British Single, and Best British Video. In 1998, BBC Radio 1 listeners voted "Song 2" the 15th Best Track Ever. After the success of Blur, the band embarked on a nine-month world tour.

In February 1998, a few months after completing the tour, Blur released Bustin' + Dronin' for the Japanese market. The album is a collection of Blur songs remixed by artists such as Thurston Moore, William Orbit and Moby. In March 1999, Blur's sixth studio album 13 was released and saw them drift still further away from their Britpop-era attitude and sound. 13 peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart, staying at that position for two weeks. The album's lead single, the gospel-based "Tender", peaked at the second spot on the chart, and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks total. After "Coffee & TV", featuring Coxon on lead vocals, managed to only reach number 11 in the UK, manager Chris Morrison demanded a chart re-run because of what he deemed was a sales miscalculation.

In July 1999, in celebration of their tenth anniversary, Blur released a 22-CD limited edition box-set of their singles. The accompanying tour in December saw Blur play the A-sides of the 22 singles at every show. In October 2000, the group released the best-of album Blur: The Best of, which debuted at number three in the UK.

After 13 and the subsequent tour in 1999, the band entered into a hiatus, during which bandmembers pursued other projects.

Think Tank, released in May 2003, was filled with atmospheric, brooding electronic sounds and was another UK number one and managed Blur's highest US position of number 56. The album was also nominated for best album at the 2004 BRIT Awards. The band supported the album with a tour and three singles: "Out of Time", "Crazy Beat" and "Good Song".

IIn January 2010, No Distance Left to Run, a documentary about the band, was released in cinemas and a month later on region free. In April 2010, Blur released their first single and the first studio recording with the original line-up since 2003, "Fool's Day". This was released as a free download on their official website. In December 2010, No Distance Left to Run was nominated as Best Long Form Music Video for the 53rd Grammy Awards which is the first time Blur has been nominated for a Grammy Award.

Blur will headline at Hyde Park, with New Order and The Specials, to celebrate the closing of the 2012 Summer Olympics on 12 August 2012.

Music Videos

 * Bang
 * Beetlebum
 * Charmless Man
 * Chemical World
 * Coffee & TV
 * Country House
 * Crazy Beat
 * End of a Century
 * Fool's Da
 * For Tomorrow
 * Girls & Boys
 * Good Song
 * It Could Be You
 * M.O.R.
 * Music Is My Radar
 * No Distance Left to Run
 * On Your Own
 * Out of Time
 * Parklife
 * Popscene
 * She's So High
 * Song 2
 * Stereotypes
 * Sunday Sunday
 * Super 8
 * Tender
 * The Universal
 * There's No Other Way
 * This is a Low
 * To the End