Why i still dance to Brit Pop

The term ‘Brit-pop’ first originated from Liverpool, where its heritage fast became home to the British Music Industry. We did not have the likes of Elvis to shout about, but we did have the world-wide hysteria created by The Beatles, which certainly helped to kick start the British Pop culture in the 1960s.

The Beatles success was just the beginning of Brit- pop music domination, as Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones proved. Their wild rock and roll lifestyle became just as popular as their music and alongside The Beatles, these were the first two British groups to crossover and reach the masses in the States and marked the era that put British music on an international scale. This also helped other groups such as The Kinks, Sex Pistols and the Who to create a respectable niche for themselves.

In the years that followed, Brit music lovers saw the rise of well respected acts such as Queen, whose super hit ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ became an international anthem. Freddie Mercury alone became a household name.

The 1970s to the 1980s was probably the most memorable period for British pop, as the form adopted a more trendy and commercial style. This was the time when the likes of Sting, Bananarama, Bros, Wham, and Spandau Ballet were in their element. Artistes such as Boy George and Elton John were not only recognised for their distinctive music, but also for their loud dress sense.

The 1990s clearly saw the rise of boy bands that they seemed to over saturate the music industry. Though I have to admit, I was a former big fan of Take That and went through a phase of rummaging through every teen magazine that I could get my hands on just to get a glimpse of them. Naturally, i was gutted when Robbie left but i could barely contain my excitement when the remaining four reformed in 2003 and took the global pop world by storm! Apart from Robbie and the gang, other 90's acts such as East 17 and Boyzone were probably more famous for their cheesy lyrics and boyish good looks rather than their music.

However, despite acts like Westlife and the overly hyped commercial success of the Spice Girls, the late 90s began to mark the downfall of Brit pop, where artistes and groups were criticised for sounding repetitive and being talentless.

From that period onwards through to the millennium, the rate of manufactured acts and bands has soared rapidly. Programmes such as Popstars, X Factor and Pop Idol are living proof that Music gurus have become more obsessed with turning the industry into a money making machine rather than promoting decent talent. Nevertheless, we do have the likes of Robbie Williams, Girls Aloud, Coldplay and of course, Leona Lewis to be thankful for.

Over the last couple of years, British music has slowly started to regain its popularity, but for me, the 80's and 90's era will always be remembered as the classic years of Brit Pop.