Blur is an English rock band formed in London in 1988, consisting of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree. Their debut album, "Leisure" (1991), incorporated elements of Madchester and shoegaze. Following a stylistic change influenced by British guitar pop groups such as the Kinks, the Beatles, and XTC, Blur released "Modern Life Is Rubbish" (1993), "Parklife" (1994), and "The Great Escape" (1995). The single "Girls & Boys" (1994) became a hit in the UK and the US, peaking at number 5 on the UK singles chart and number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band played a significant role in popularising the Britpop genre and achieved widespread popularity in the UK, partly due to a highly publicised chart rivalry with Oasis in 1995, referred to as "the Battle of Britpop."
Blur's self-titled fifth album (1997) marked another stylistic shift influenced by the lo-fi approaches of American indie rock groups and became their third UK chart-topping album. "Song 2" gained popularity on alternative radio in the US. Their next album, "13" (1999), saw experimentation with electronic and art rock styles, featuring more personal lyrics from Albarn and Coxon. Their seventh album, "Think Tank" (2003), continued this exploration of electronic sounds and incorporated influences from world music, with minimal guitar contributions. Coxon left the band early in the sessions for "Think Tank," and Blur disbanded for several years after the album's tour in 2003.
In 2009, Blur reunited with Coxon and embarked on a European reunion tour. In the following years, they released several singles and compilations and toured internationally. In 2012, they received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
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