Blur (Blur album)

Blur
Studio album by Blur
Released	10 February 1997 (1997-02-10)
Recorded	June – November 1996
Studio	Grettisgat, Reykjavík Mayfair, London
Genre	Indie rock lo-fi alternative rock art rock experimental rock
Length	56:53
Label	Food
Producer	Stephen Street Blur
Blur chronology
Live at the Budokan (1996) Blur (1997) Bustin' + Dronin' (1998)
Singles from Blur
"Beetlebum" Released: 16 January 1997[1] "Song 2" Released: 7 April 1997[2] "On Your Own" Released: 16 June 1997[3] "M.O.R." Released: 15 September 1997[4]

Blur is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Blur, released on 10 February 1997 by Food Records. Blur had previously been broadly critical of American popular culture and their previous albums had become associated with the Britpop movement, particularly Parklife, which had helped them become one of Britain's leading pop acts. After their previous album, The Great Escape, the band faced media backlash and relationships between the members became strained.

Under the suggestion of the band's guitarist, Graham Coxon, the band underwent a stylistic change, becoming influenced by American indie rock bands such as Pavement. Recording took place in London as well as in Reykjavík, Iceland. Drummer Dave Rowntree described the music on the album as being more aggressive and emotional than their previous work. Producer Stephen Street claimed that lead singer-songwriter Damon Albarn had started writing about more personal experiences while Coxon revealed that listening to his lyrics it was clear to him that "he'd obviously gone off his head a bit more".

Despite worries from Blur's label, EMI, and the music press that the change in style would alienate the band's predominantly teenage fanbase and that the album would flop as a result, Blur, as well as lead single, "Beetlebum", reached the top of the UK charts and the album was certified platinum. The album also reached the top 20 in six other countries. The success of "Song 2" led to Blur becoming the band's most successful album in the US where the Britpop scene had been largely unsuccessful. The album received positive reviews from most music critics, many praising the stylistic change as well as Albarn's songwriting. This is the last album to feature longtime producer Stephen Street, until his return for The Magic Whip (2015).