This year, Damon Albarn has been in the spotlight again due to Humanz, the long-awaited comeback of Gorillaz. Thus, it’s the perfect time to look back at Blur, Albarn’s first project. As one of the defining bands of the Britpop movement of the 1990s, Blur released songs that blended memorable instrumentation with clever social commentary (and, later on, more personal lyrics). Their most recent album, 2015’s The Magic Whip, shows that the band has mastered the art of progressing while maintaining the core elements that listeners first fell in love with. Without further ado, here are all 34 of Blur’s singles (apart from that one they did in 2002), ranked in order of greatness.
34. M.O.R.
from Blur (1997)
Video (dir: John Hardwick)
“M.O.R.” (“Middle of the Road”) is charged with energy—the kind of song that would make a good soundtrack for a car chase in a film. It’s fun, but hardly the most fun track on Blur (that title goes to “Song 2”).
33. The Puritan
stand-alone single (2012)
Video (dir: Pulse Films)
One of the lyrics of “The Puritan” is “It’s a metaphor.” This line sums up the song pretty well—it’s rich with figurative language, making it the kind of song that you have to ponder to really “get.” It’s an interesting single, especially due to the synth-driven sound Blur adopts, but it’s definitely something that you’ll get the most out of when you’re feeling particularly “deep.”
32. Bang
from Leisure (1991)
Video (dir: Willy Smax)
“Bang” is a jaunty, mid-tempo track appropriate for head-bobbing and foot-tapping—everything that a Madchester song is supposed to be. Blur makes it its own, though, with some lyrical introspection. It probably wouldn’t be your first choice when deciding which Blur song to listen to, but when it comes up on shuffle, it’s entertaining.
31. There Are Too Many of Us
From The Magic Whip (2015)
Video (dir: Blur)
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Like much of The Magic Whip, “There Are Too Many of Us” is solemn-sounding and taut with urgency. It’s not one of the most distinctive Blur songs, but it does a good job of adding to the album’s haunting feel.
30. She’s So High
From Leisure (1991)
Video (dir: David Balfe)
There’s a kind of pretty sadness to “She’s So High.” As Blur’s slow, hazy debut, it’s the perfect introduction to Albarn’s expressive voice. It only marks the beginning of Blur’s expansive journey as a band, though, so it wouldn’t be fair to rank it too high on this list.
29. Crazy Beat
From Think Tank (2003)
Video (dir: Shynola)
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“Crazy Beat” is a fun song about dancing, but also about the CIA and the President. The roaring guitars, pounding percussion, and “yeah yeah yeah”s in the chorus make it a good pick-me-up song, but admittedly, the distorted voice repeating “Crazy beat” can be a little grating.
28. Stereotypes
From The Great Escape (1995)
Video (dir: Matthew Longfellow)
The guitar hook repeated throughout “Stereotypes” is simple, but enthralling, serving as a great gateway into the world of The Great Escape. The lyrics provide an intriguing portrait of some suburbanites who are wilder than they seem; they’re not as fleshed-out as some of Albarn’s other character sketches, though, which is why “Stereotypes” isn’t higher on this list.
27. I Broadcast
From The Magic Whip (2015)
Video (dir: Tony Hung)
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“I Broadcast” is perhaps the song on The Magic Whip that comes closest to the vibe of classic Blur. Here, Albarn has all the energy and confidence that he did in songs like “Advert.” When he laughs and shouts the song’s title, it’s a reminder that the band’s brash, bold spirit will always be intact.
26. Lonesome Street
From The Magic Whip (2015)
Video (dir: Ben Reed)
As the first track on The Magic Whip—Blur’s first album since 2003’s Think Tank—”Lonesome Street” is an affirmation of everything Blur has stood for throughout its career. Considering that Coxon was conspicuously absent on Think Tank, it’s wonderful to hear him sharing the spotlight with Albarn here, jumping in during the choruses and even singing his own bridge. It’s just as joyful to note Albarn’s enthusiasm, evident when he sings short, punchy phrases like “Oh-oh” and “Up, up, up!” It’s great to see a band you love overcoming their problems, and “Lonesome Street” is the sound of that triumph.
25. Charmless Man
From The Great Escape (1995)
Video (dir: Jamie Thraves)
As you might guess from its title, “Charmless Man” is a grade A diss track. Far from the “Charming Man” that The Smiths described, the “Charmless Man” is a mess—according to Albarn, “he moves in circles of friends who just pretend that they like him” and would like to be a gangster, although “nature didn’t make him that way.” The song’s “na na na” refrain keeps things lighthearted, making it a blast to sing along to even with its bitter lyrics.
24. There’s No Other Way
From Leisure (1991)
Video (dir: David Balfe)
Albarn might’ve called Leisure “awful,” but “There’s No Other Way” is still a supremely catchy track, even all these years later. Created during the Madchester/baggy era, it has a jaunty sound and a repetitive chorus that’s fun to nod along to. Although it might sound different from Blur’s later material, it has all the hallmarks of its signature sound, from Coxon’s intricate guitar playing to Albarn’s distinctive vocal delivery, switching between nonchalance and brashness.
23. Ong Ong
From The Magic Whip (2015)
Video (dir: Tony Hung)
Even on an album with lyrics about heartbreak and Kim Jong-Un, it’s good to have a healthy dose of fun. That’s where “Ong Ong” comes in. With its cheery “la-la-la” hook, a rhythm well-suited for clapping, and lyrics like “I wanna be with you,” it’s a great mood booster.
22. Go Out
From The Magic Whip (2015)
Video (dir: Tony Hung)
The Magic Whip was partially recorded in Hong Kong, and much of its content relates to the band’s experience in Asia. “Go Out,” though, has a feel reminiscent of older Blur songs, right down to the sense of Englishness. Just as ‘90s Blur songs did, it sheds light on the lives of dissatisfied people, but manages to sound like it belongs in 2015 rather than 1995. The chorus, which consists of the repeated British phrase “To the local,” is one of Blur’s catchiest.
21. Good Song
From Think Tank (2003)
Video (dir: Shynola with David Shirgley)
“Good Song” wasn’t misnamed. In other words, it is indeed a “Good Song.” Some dislike Think Tank because of its experimental, electronic leaning, but even those people are bound to find something charming about this track. Laced with gentle, rhythmic guitar strumming and mellow vocals, it sounds like it could be an underappreciated Gorillaz ballad.
20. Music Is My Radar
From Blur: The Best Of (2000)
Video (dir: Don Cameron)
“Music Is My Radar” sounds way more like the songs on Gorillaz than the songs on Parklife or 13. That’s not a bad thing, though. Change can be good, and the psychedelic vibe that the band adopts here gives the song an enthralling out-of-this-world feel that would make it the perfect soundtrack for a futuristic dance party. “Music Is My Radar” is also fantastic for another reason: the lyrics’ reference to Tony Allen led to the Allen-Albarn collaboration that would evolve into The Good, The Bad & The Queen.
19. Chemical World
From Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
Video (dir: Dwight Clarke)
“Chemical World” is a bouncy, lighthearted-sounding song with lots of leaps up and down the staff. Of course, because it’s a Blur song, it’s far more than that, though. The verses speak of people who find themselves facing sleeplessness and loneliness. As for the chorus… well, “They’re putting the holes in” is pretty vague, but the harmonies are beautiful enough to make you disregard that.
18. Out of Time
From Think Tank (2003)
Video (dir: John Hardwick)
“Out of Time” is definitely a 21st century song. Lyrics like “Where’s the love song to set us free?” and “Feel the sunshine on your face/It’s in a computer now” paint an unsettling picture of the present—one that anyone who’s ever felt sickened by today’s headlines will understand. Although it starts off sparse, once the twinkling noises appear during the chorus, it becomes something delicate and magical. Soon, tambourines and string instruments are mingling with the muffled backing vocals, resulting in a song that conjures up images of staring at a dark sky with a dizzying feeling of uncertainty.
17. No Distance Left to Run
From 13 (1999)
Video (dir: Thomas Vinterberg)
For a short time in ‘90s England, Albarn and Justine Frischmann of Elastica were a musical power couple. Then they split. As a result, we got 13—an album permeated with the pain of loss. “No Distance Left to Run” is one of the moments where this pain shines through in its rawest, purest form. Albarn has come to terms with the fact that the relationship has ended—“It’s over/You don’t need to tell me”—but still wishes for his lover’s happiness, even through his devastation. In the music video, Albarn says, “It’s definitely a sad song,” and he couldn’t be more correct.
16. On Your Own
From Blur (1997)
Video (dir: Sophie Muller)
Although “On Your Own” is officially a Blur song, Albarn has retrospectively referred to it as “one of the first ever Gorillaz tunes.” Sure enough, it has many of the elements that have since made Albarn’s other project a success, from computerized sound effects to a section with mildly distorted vocals. The music video shows a crowd of people jumping up and down and waving their hands in the air, and it’s easy to understand why—this song makes you want to get up and move.
15. Country House
From The Great Escape (1995)
Video (dir: Damien Hirst)
Ah, here’s another great diss track. Coming from a time when Blur was particularly fond of social commentary, this song uses a barrage of clever rhymes to take aim at a rich man who decides to “try the simple life.” (apparently it’s directed at David Balfe, the former head of their record label Food Records). With its breathy backing vocals and jaunty horns, it’s one of those Blur songs that never gets old. No wonder it won the infamous Battle of Britpop.
14. Fool’s Day
Record Store Day single (2010)
Video (dir: Pulse Films)
“Fool’s Day” is one of those Blur songs that manages to make even the simplest of topics seem enchanting. It’s a straightforward account of Albarn’s April 1st, comprised of lyrics like “porridge done” and “on my bike,” but there’s something lovable about the familiarity, especially since it’s Blur’s first single after Think Tank. Also, there’s a “Coffee & TV” reference, and the story ends with Albarn going to the studio and thinking about the love that unites him and his band mates. What else could you ask for in a Blur comeback?
13. Under the Westway
Stand-alone single (2012)
Video (dir: Pulse Films)
“Under the Westway” isn’t just a love letter to England; it’s a love letter to Blur’s past. From the optimistic opening line—“There were blue skies in my city today”—to the title drop at the very end, it paints a picture of a land where even darts hitting a bullseye can be described as “magic”; a land that has been the band’s stomping ground for years; a land where they can all stand united together, even long after the ‘90s have ceased to exist. In the Leisure era, no one would’ve guessed that Albarn would unironically sing “Hallelujah” in a ballad someday—but when he does it here, it sounds perfectly natural, the way the comeback of an iconic Britpop group should.
12. Coffee & TV
From 13 (1999)
Video (dir: Gareth Jennings/Hammer & Tongs)
Usually, Albarn gets the spotlight in Blur songs, but “Coffee & TV” is Graham Coxon’s time to shine. And he definitely does shine here, in his own understated way. Singing softly about a “big bad world” full of “people who will hurt you because of who you are,” he sounds like an old friend having a heart-to-heart with you. The result is a Blur song that’s far more intimate than the character sketches the band took a liking to in the mid-90s, but every bit as musically sound.
11. The Universal
From The Great Escape (1995)
Video (dir: Jonathan Glazer)
The music video for “The Universal” is basically a miniature sci-fi movie complete with a futuristic set and pristine white costumes. The dramatic treatment is exactly what the song deserves. Like the other songs on The Great Escape, it presents clever observations about society—but unlike the other tracks, it only grows more elegant as it goes on. Albarn’s tone is smooth rather than sneering—just the way it previously was in “For Tomorrow,” and the way it later would be in “Under the Westway.”
10. Sunday Sunday
From Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
Video (dir: Dwight Clarke)
“Sunday Sunday” is not the kind of song you simply “like.” It’s so bold that it’s hard to imagine not having a strong opinion about it. Lyrically, it’s a pleasantly rhyming description of mundane Sunday activities like playing bingo and walking in the park. Musically, it’s larger than life—a theatrical frenzy that incorporates some pretty memorable tempo changes. Make this your alarm every Sunday and you’ll get out of bed with a smile on your face.
9. Popscene
From Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
Video (dir: David Mould)
“Popscene” never became a hit in England. It’s hard to understand why. From the second the horns kick in, backed by the clashing of symbols, it’s clear that it’s going to be something big and beautiful. While the lyrics criticize shallowness, there’s no denying that the satirically simplistic chorus—“Hey hey, come out tonight/popscene, all right”—is exactly the kind of thing that’s fun to “repeat again and again.”
8. To the End
From Parklife (1994)
Video (dir: David Mould)
You’d be hard pressed to find a more glamorous Blur song than “To the End,” a ballad with full orchestral accompaniment that seems like it was written for a tragic scene in a period drama. The only song on “Parklife” that was produced by Stephen Hague instead of Stephen Street, it sounds otherworldly compared to some of the brasher, sassier tracks on the album. French-langauge backing vocals – provided by Stereolab frontwoman Lætitia Sadier – echo Albarn’s lamentations of a relationship gone wrong, contributing to the song’s elegant sheen.
7. Song 2
From Blur (1997)
Video (dir: Sophie Muller)
At this point, “Song 2” has been played in South Park, remixed by the French DJ Madeon, and sampled in a Big Time Rush song. Thus, it’s pretty safe to say that it’s cemented itself in pop culture, which it totally deserves. Surely, rock music fans will be shouting “Woo-hoo!” with Albarn for years, even though no one really knows what “I got my head checked by a jumbo jet” actually means.
6. End of a Century
From Parklife (1994)
Video (dir: Matthew Longfellow)
The dawn of the 21st century was once a popular topic of discussion. 2001: A Space Odyssey and Prince’s hit single “1999” saw it as the apocalypse. In “End of the Century,” it’s anticlimactic—the backdrop for a shrewd social commentary lamenting the life that revolves around sex and television, never seeming to change much. Every time Albarn lovingly addresses his TV set in the lyrics, it’s enough to make you stop and ponder the direction of the future.
5. Beetlebum
From Blur (1997)
Video (dir: Sophie Muller)
“Beetlebum” signifies the most notable change Blur has ever made to its sound. On this track, instead of clinging to old Britpop ways, the band adopts a grungy gloom reminiscent of Nirvana—and instead of cheerily living the “Parklife,” Albarn is struggling with a heroin addiction. In the chorus, he tries to convince himself that “Nothing is wrong,” but the verses tell a different story. Perhaps the most powerful part is when Albarn repeats “He’s on it” over Coxon’s menacing guitar riffs, admitting the truth to himself with such emotion that even those who have never been addicts can feel his pain.
4. Parklife
From Parklife (1994)
Video (dir: Pedro Romhanyi)
There’s a reason that “Parklife” is considered one of the defining songs of Britpop. It’s silly enough to bring a smile to your face every time, but far too clever and well-composed to be written off as a simple joke track. From the hilarious voice acting by Quadrophenia star Phil Daniels to the plunking piano and Beach Boys-esque harmonies during the chorus, it presents Blur at its most larger-than-life and most unforgettable. Surely, shouting the song’s title must be one of the most fun parts of going to a Blur show.
3. Tender
From 13 (1999)
Video (dir: Grant Gee)
It’s hard to make a phrase like “Love’s the greatest thing” sound sincere instead of trite—but when Albarn sings it here, backed up by a gospel choir, it’s a revelation. That’s the beauty of “Tender”—the gentle instrumentation provides the perfect backdrop for Albarn’s lyrics about human connection, draining the song of any and all traces of melodrama. It may be over seven minutes long, but that doesn’t feel excessive. As the first song on 13, it sets the tone for an album that’s not afraid to expose Albarn’s vulnerable side.
2. Girls & Boys
From Parklife (1994)
Video (dir: Kevin Godley)
Written with quintessential Blur wit, “Girls & Boys” is a dancefloor-ready song poking fun at the kind of people who populated European dancefloors in the ‘90s. From the second the bassline kicks in—not just any bassline, mind you, but the grooviest bassline that Alex James has ever graced us with—it’s evident that it’s not your traditional Modern Life Is Rubbish-era track, although it bears that record’s shrewd, observant spirit. The tongue-twister of a chorus and disco vibe show that Blur knows how to reel in audiences with hooks and excitement while still serving up a healthy dose of social commentary.
1. For Tomorrow
From Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
Video (dir: Julien Temple)
“For Tomorrow” starts subtly—so subtly that you might not guess that it’s soon to be one of your favorite Blur songs. Then the little things creep up on you—the way James’s baseline dances around Coxon’s guitar playing; the way Albarn sounds so full of determination every time he sings “holding on for tomorow.” By the time the chorus rolls around, capturing a uniquely vintage charm with a swirl of “la la la”s, its status as one of the most indispensable songs of Britpop is clear. There’s no doubt that the best part of the song, though, is the climactic moment when Albarn sings, “Modern life—well, it’s rubbish,” boldly proclaiming the album’s mission statement and definitively reintroducing Blur to the world as a band that could move past the baggy stereotypes and create something truly special. “For Tomorrow” is the quintessential anthem for anyone who’s ever been struck by the feeling that the world is hurtling toward an uncertain future—and it still resonates today, when all the 20th century boys and girls have grown up.
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