Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs

When Miranda Sawyer interviewed Noel Gallagher in 1995, his joke wishing Damon Albarn would die of AIDS became front-page news. This book is a fascinating pop history that explains exactly why that moment, and so many others, felt so important. It explores the mid-90s moment when British music suddenly meant everything, taking you back to a time when a cultural revolution was brewing.

Uncommon People delves into the surprising stories behind twenty key songs and the unlikely creators who made them. It’s a journey back to when Jarvis Cocker became a national hero, Trainspotting was a global hit, and fire-starting seemed like a good night out. Initially a music press nickname, Britpop grew into an unexpected musical movement centred around outsiders, misfits, and weirdos who refused to compromise on their ideas, even when thrust into the international spotlight.

This wasn't just a scene for white guys with guitars. It was something wilder and more interesting, with songs that have since proved timeless. Exploring the definitive anthems of the era's key artists — Oasis, Blur, Tricky, Pulp, Underworld, The Prodigy, Radiohead, PJ Harvey, and many more — Miranda Sawyer transports us directly to the beating heart of the nineties.

Uncommon People lets you relive the mad exhilaration of hearing these songs for the very first time and discover what it was really like to make them. With amazing new interviews and genuine "I-was-there" insights, this book offers a backstage pass to all the most interesting bits of Britpop's Greatest Hits. Forget New Labour and earnest trend theories; this book is all about the music, the people, and the unforgettable feeling of being right there, right now.