When Blur stormed into the charts in the early ’90s, they weren’t just another indie band—they were the cheeky, swaggering faces of Britpop, and their music defined an era. This week on the Classic Countdown Backstory, we’re looking back at the band’s remarkable journey: the highs, the hardships, and the hits that still get us singing along today.

In a candid interview, frontman Damon Albarn laughed off one of the most outrageous labels the press ever gave them—“the most shagged band in pop.” Albarn insisted it was nothing more than myth-making, saying: “I don’t think anyone can live up to that.” Still, it was the perfect example of how the media loved to hype Blur’s image just as much as their sound.

The band’s rise wasn’t without turbulence. After months of touring America in their early days, Blur returned home to find their management had mismanaged funds, leaving them in debt and disillusioned. Albarn recalls how disorientating it was to adjust: in Britain, they were sharp-witted cultural commentators with Parklife anthems like “Girls & Boys,” while in America, they were expected to behave more like salesmen than artists. It was a lesson in how fame could feel very different depending on which side of the Atlantic you were on.

But if there’s one thing Blur mastered, it was reinvention. From the chirpy Britpop days of Parklife to the grungier energy of Song 2—which became a global sports anthem—the band constantly reshaped their sound. And Albarn, of course, went on to create the groundbreaking virtual band Gorillaz, showing that his creativity could stretch well beyond Britpop.

Did You Know? Blur’s rivalry with Oasis in 1995—nicknamed “The Battle of Britpop”—saw both bands release singles on the same day. Blur’s “Country House” beat Oasis’s “Roll With It” to number one, in what became one of the most iconic moments in UK chart history.

Blur’s story is one of survival and reinvention. Decades later, they remain festival headliners, with their 2023 album The Ballad of Darren proving that their music still resonates in new ways. For Classic Countdown listeners, their journey is the perfect reminder of how the soundtrack of the ’90s continues to echo through the decades.