Styles and sounds of the 1990s have re-emerged in recent years. Many genres have been reinvented and revived, including Britpop. Blur’s popularity has re-emerged due to millennial nostalgia and Gen Z’s discovery of the group. Regardless of which generation you belong to, here are 4 bands you need to be listening to if you listen to Blur.
sports team
Formed in Cambridge, England, this band released their debut in 2020. Deep Down Happy peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums chart and the Scottish Albums chart. Their 2022 follow-up, Gulp!, was also a success for the young lads. It peaked at No. 3 on both the UK Albums and Scottish Albums charts. Sports Team’s third studio release, Boys These Days, was released in May 2025.
Four singles have charted in the US so far. In 2024, “Condensation” hit No. 32 on the chart with a music video that feels very Blur-coded. The song has been on heavy rotation for me since I caught it on the radio last summer. They are the first band I’d recommend to any Blur fans looking for a new group. Not only do they sound totally English, much like Blur, but they also have a similar sense of humor attached to their songs. Expect them to break through entirely in the US in the upcoming years.
Fontaines D.C.
Sir Elton John himself has praised this group in recent years, giving them a massive stamp of approval. The Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. is an easy recommendation for any Blur fans. In 2019, their debut album, Dogrel, was nominated for multiple awards in the UK and Ireland. In 2021, they won a Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Rock Album for their sophomore release, A Hero’s Death. Their third album, Skinty Fia, earned the band their first No. 1 on the UK Albums chart and the Irish Albums chart. Their follow-up, Romance, peaked at No. 2 in the UK and Ireland.
The k’s
This four-piece has only released two albums, and they’re both heavily recommended. I Wonder If The World Knows? was released in 2024 and hit No. 3 in the UK and Scotland. They brilliantly followed up with Pretty On The Internet, a No. 1 album in the UK and Scotland. The K’s have yet to break through into the US market, but it’s expected soon. Overall, I’ve yet to hear a bad or even subpar song from this band, and I’m excited for future releases. Any Blur fan should not sleep on this band.
Photo by Harry Herd/Redferns
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