If summer 1995 can be pinpointed as Britpop’s peak, then its 30th anniversary was celebrated in some style. Oasis dominated, naturally, but there were triumphant shows beyond the Gallagher brothers’ monumental return including new music and stellar live performances from Pulp, Supergrass heading out on a giddy run to mark 30 years of their cavorting debut I Should Coco, Cast finally getting a lot of love after years of being very good in the here and now, Richard Ashcroft accepting that he should play loads of Verve songs in his set instead of ropey solo stuff and Suede shaking off all the nostalgia and releasing some forward-facing urgent indie anthems instead. It was all going on, the big absentees being Blur – but they got the spotlight all to themselves with their mega Wembley Stadium gigs in 2023. But Britpop wasn’t just about the big hitters, it was a cultural phenomenon a little more expansive and dynamic than it has been given credit for in the intervening years. It wasn’t all lads and Loaded, you know. A lot of the bands have seized their second chance in the spotlight, patching up their differences to head out on reunion tours, but for some it will likely never be an option. Here’s ten Britpop bands you’ll never see reuniting (that statement is not legally binding)...
