Blur?are an English?alternative rock?band. Formed in London in 1989 as?Seymour, the group consists of singer?Damon Albarn, guitarist?Graham Coxon, bassist?Alex James?and drummer?Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album?Leisure?(1991) incorporated the sounds of?Madchester?and?shoegazing. Following a stylistic change—influenced by English 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). As a result, the band helped to popularise the?Britpop?genre and achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided by a famous chart battle with rival band?Oasis?dubbed "The Battle of Britpop".

In recording their follow-up,?Blur?(1997), the band underwent another reinvention, showing influence from the?lo-fi?style of American?indie rock?groups. "Song 2", one of the album's singles, brought Blur mainstream success in the US. The last album featuring Blur's original lineup,?13?(1999) found the band members experimenting with?electronic music?and?gospel music, as Albarn wrote more personal lyrics. In May 2002, Coxon left Blur during the recording of their seventh album?Think Tank?(2003). Containing electronic sounds and more minimal guitar work, the album was marked by Albarn's growing interest in?hip hop?and?African music. After a 2003 tour without Coxon, Blur did no studio work or touring as a band, as members engaged in other projects. In 2009 Blur reunited, with Coxon back in the fold, for a series of successful concerts.