Popscene: From Baggy To Britpop 1989-1994 / Various

Four CD anthology tracing the development of indie music from the Baggy sound of 1989 to the early days of the Britpop explosion in 1994. Britpop was a term coined by Select magazine in April 1993 to describe a new wave of British acts that they felt provided an alternative to the US grunge sound. These included Suede, Pulp, The Auteurs and Saint Etienne, all featured here. This compilation traces the movement's roots back to Baggy Madchester groups The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets, as well as bands such as Stourbridge's The Wonder Stuff, who took the indie scene out of the underground and into the UK charts, increasing guitar bands' ambitions of commercial success. Included are arguably the first Britpop singles, Blur's 'Popscene' from March 1992 and Suede's 'The Drowners' from that May and early singles by Britpop acts Dodgy, Sleeper, Echobelly, Gene, Ocean Colour Scene and Space. Also featured are demos of future hits by The Bluetones and Cast who'd both score chart topping albums in 1995.