Friday 10 February marks 20 years since Blur released their self-titled fifth album. At the time it was considered a deliberate attempt to distance themselves from mid-90s Britpop and instead lean more towards lo-fi and alternative rock. Its first single, Beetlebum, was the band’s second No 1 and along with Song 2, kicked off the new direction brilliantly – the only thing that stood between it and winning an NME award for best album the following year was Radiohead’s OK Computer.
To coincide with its 20th anniversary, we’d like to know what other albums from 1997 have made a lasting impression on you. Were you one of the Blur fans that instantly took to the band’s new direction? Or do you think Oasis got the better of them again with Be Here Now, later that year? Has Mansun’s debut Attack of the Grey Lantern stood the test of time? Does OK Computer really blow everything else out of the water? Speaking of water, were you one of the 14 million who bought Aqua’s debut?
Let us know what 1997 album you think deserves continued praise by filling out the form below. We’ll do a roundup of some of your favourites on the site.
