1991 in British Music

The Story of 1991

The baggy dream faded, and grunge changed everything. Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Carter USM and The Farm were keeping the indie-dance vibe alive, but the movement lacked the excitement of 1989-90. The Stone Roses were in legal limbo. Happy Mondays were descending into drug chaos. And then Nirvana's 'Nevermind' arrived in September, and the musical landscape shifted. Kurt Cobain's raw, furious rock made baggy seem frivolous. Suddenly every British guitar band wanted to be heavier. But British music responded brilliantly. My Bloody Valentine released 'Loveless', a shoegazing masterpiece that took two years and nearly bankrupted Creation Records. Primal Scream released 'Screamadelica', fusing rock, house and psychedelia into a seamless whole – it won the first Mercury Prize. Massive Attack released 'Blue Lines', inventing trip-hop with 'Unfinished Symphony' and 'Safe From Harm'. The KLF were burning £1 million and retiring. The rave scene was splintering into jungle, hardcore and trance. 1991 was a year of endings and beginnings, with British music fragmenting into brilliant, diverse scenes that would define the decade.