1993 in British Music

The Story of 1993

Britpop began in earnest. Suede's self-titled debut album won the Mercury Prize, their glamorous, Bowie-indebted rock making them the cover stars of every music magazine. Brett Anderson's androgynous swagger and Bernard Butler's riffs were the sound of a new British confidence. Blur released 'Modern Life Is Rubbish', a conscious turn toward British subject matter after their American-influenced debut. 'For Tomorrow' and 'Chemical World' were songs about London, about Britain, about the everyday. The seeds of the Blur versus Oasis rivalry were being planted. Pulp released 'His 'n' Hers', Jarvis Cocker's observational wit finding its audience. Oasis formed in Manchester, playing their first gigs. But 1993 was also huge for dance music: jungle was exploding, with Goldie's 'Timeless' still a year away, but the sound was everywhere. Orbital's 'Orbital II' was a masterpiece. Björk released 'Debut', her post-Sugarcubes solo career beginning. Everything But The Girl's 'Missing' was the start of their dance reinvention. The musical landscape was rich and varied, but the guitar bands were coming, and 1993 was the year they started their march.