‘Cool Britannia’. It’s a term that might leave a stale taste in the mouth of some upon uttering it, yet is one that encapsulates the prevailing sentiment that existed at the peak of British pop culture in the late ’90s – and one that instilled a sense of pride across the nation, particularly at a time when a new political era was unfolding with the rise of New Labour, and the dawn of the millennium loomed. Though the term has been emblematic of an outlook lost since the early noughties, this year has stood out as an exception to the rule, with Britpop-inspired style and energy making a striking comeback across music, fashion, and social media circles.
The most obvious flirtation with the idea of a cultural phenomenon, similar to that of ‘Cool Britannia’, was undoubtedly the announcement in September that Oasis would be reuniting after 15 years. With a short-notice release of the reunion, paired with unprecedented hikes in prices to get one’s hands on a almost sacred ticket to witness the two Gallagher brothers back in action, gave rise to a unrivalled hype that cut through the noise of the doom and gloom that seems to so often penetrate through our screens. While sceptics may have dismissed the high-profile comeback as a mere industry cash grab, the reunion has sparked an undeniable, cross-generational nostalgia for a bygone era. One user summed up the excitement on X with the simple statement, “THE WORLD HAS HEALED”.
Alongside Richard Ashcroft of The Verve, Cast – who released their newest album Love Is The Call earlier this year – have too been central to nurturing this widespread sentimental buzz, even though their role in laying the foundations of the phenomenon with their inception in 1992 has often flown under the radar. In fact, Cast not only persevered when many of their Britpop counterparts had slowed down or called it quits, but they also reignited the spirit of the era with the release of their 2012 album, Troubled Times, and their 2017 album, Kicking Up The Dust. Their inclusion in these mammoth series of gigs therefore is not just a nod to their past legacy but a clear statement that they remain an enduring pillar within the well-loved genre.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the social and political events shaping much of the 21st century – and certainly this decade so far – have fueled a deep cultural longing for a new era in Britain. Britpop and the short-lived, though fast-paced, years of the ‘Cool Britannia’ epoch might have been gaudy and garish, but the phenomenon’s jovial and harmlessly patriotic roots united large parts of the country regardless of their political orientation or creed upon when at its height. From the Blur vs. Oasis rivalry and Pulp’s ‘Common People’ ironically narrating class difference, to the rise of all kinds of northern bands putting the region on the map, even those outside the indie-rock scene couldn’t escape the significance of the era unravelling in front of them.
This longing for a glimpse of the Britpop era is particularly evident on social media, where a quick search of the nineties on platforms like TikTok uncovers camcorder footage of young adults raving with a sense of carefree freedom – experiences that many young people today may struggle to relate to, given the widespread closures of music venues and nightclubs in recent years. This yearning for a time when such scenes were more accessible might also explain the recent surge in comebacks, with acts like Jamiroquai and Basement Jaxx returning to the spotlight next year.
While not necessarily echoing these Britpop legends sonically, we’ve seen a cultural phenomenon this year that has captivated the nation – and arguably the world – in much the same way. ‘Brat summer’, a term associated with the aftermath of Charli XCX’s album, Brat, released back in June, carries similar connotations to that of Britpop and ‘Cool Britannia’. In Charli’s own words, Brat is moreso an identity than a mere marketing campaign, and a concept that can be neatly characterised by the imagery of a “pack of cigs and a Bic lighter”. This stripped-back yet rebellious image evokes the spirit of Oasis’s hit single ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ and recalls the wild, carefree era of supermodels like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, when coolness was defined by debauchery, attitude, and unapologetic edge.
Speaking in a recent BBC Sounds podcast, BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw and author and journalist Miranda Sawyer discussed the very trend of ‘Bratpop’, an almost inescapable wave of Charli XCX inspired memes and taglines adopted and embodied by brands and organisations alike, with the most unexpected coming from NATO as they took the opportunity to promote their goal of world peace.
Similar brand partnerships featuring Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher have since emerged, with striking, stripped-back portraits appearing on billboards nationwide. Showcasing him in the iconic Berghaus jacket, the images capture the moody stare that has been synonymous with the brothers since their breakthrough number one hit, ‘Some Might Say’, again feeding into the idea that the hype around them and their contemporaries never ceased, it just became less mainstream.
However, this new, nuanced, though nostalgic ‘scene’ that has defined much of 2024 neither began nor ended with the Gallaghers or Charli XCX; rather, it has been propelled by micro-influencers and rising social media stars. Plastered across the ‘For You’ pages of even the most indifferent social media users are also the visually striking, mod-inspired ‘fit checks’ from the likes of Thomas Meacock and Joshua Boniface, two young male models who highlight snapshots of their London-centric life in a fun, charismatic manner. With a fresh generation leading the charge, it’s clear Britpop’s influence is far from fading, but rather being reimagined.
Though the large-scale reunions of ‘90s greats, the emergence of Brat, and the resurgence of the ‘Cool Britannia’ fashion fads on TikTok may all appear juxtaposing, together they show how this year’s viral trends have cemented the perspective that, no matter what’s happening in the world, there’s always space to embrace the frivolity, edge, and unapologetic recklessness that once defined our cultural spaces.
While it’s too soon to say whether this redefined cultural sensation will leave a legacy as lasting as the original Britpop era, one thing is certain as we approach the year’s end: in an age of crowded, ever-shifting trends, British music remains a cornerstone of the country’s social fabric, uniting people nationwide, evoking a feeling beyond the everyday, and providing a hopeful counterpoint to the seemingly relentless negativity of our times.
Words by Ruby Brown
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