10 Most Underrated Britpop Albums

The Britpop era produced some great records. Here are ten that never got enough recognition.

By William Boyd /

Rock music has never been as big in Britain since the Britpop craze in the mid ‘90s. Sure, the indie rock revival scene of the noughties was a commercially successful trend, but not in the same way as the former. Bands like Oasis, Blur, Suede, and many more were hitting the tabloids constantly, picking up awards left, right and center, and selling records like hotcakes.

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However not every album from the Britpop era garnered the same widespread recognition as, say, Definitely Maybe or Parklife. It’s a shame too, because there were some fantastic records released during the period, but they got lost at sea during the momentous time in British music. Well, it’s time that was put right.

Whether they were critically panned or commercially unsuccessful – there were a number of worthy Britpop albums that never amassed a large following. Here are the ten most underrated of the bunch.

10. Ash – Trailer

Most Britpop fans are well-acquainted with Ash’s fantastic first full-length album 1977, but they may not be aware of the lesser known mini album which came before it. Entitled Trailer, the seven-song set showcases the group’s spikier backbone when compared to their more pop-influenced contemporaries.

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And boy do they deliver the goods. In just 24 minutes, Ash blaze their way through this blistering and raw record in a way that’s uncommon for a group in their infancy. It may have been released as a taste of what’s to come, but there’s still plenty of worthwhile cuts to absorb here on their own.

Don’t discount Trailer just because it’s a mini album. It hits just as hard as some of the band’s best and most well-known material.

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