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Lightning in a Bottle 2018

Lightning in a Bottle 2018

Photo: Aaron Glassman

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Your 2019 Guide To The Best Summer/Spring Music Festivals

Having trouble keeping up with 2019's many music fests? We've got you covered with this comprehensive list of 20+ ones to check out across North America—plus a few abroad

GRAMMYs/May 8, 2019 - 09:40 pm

Both weekends of Coachella 2019 have come and gone, which means that we are fully entrenched in music festival season in North America. Since late last year, the fest lineups keep coming, and, like many of you, we couldn't be more excited for the sunny, music-filled days around the corner.

To help you keep abreast on all the major fests you can explore this summer, we've compiled this handy list to highlight some of the ones across the country (plus a few abroad) you may want to check out.

Related: Jan Blomqvist Talks Playing Coachella, Berlin Techno & Covering The Rolling Stones

MAY
 

Lightning in a Bottle | May 8–13 | Bakersfield, Calif.

Need to get away and lose yourself in the music ASAP? Well, Lightning in a Bottle is probably calling your name. Bring your pool floaties to cool off in Buena Vista Lake, home to the new location of the Southern California camping music fest. Run by the good time experts/electronic music connoisseurs at the DoLaB, which just made an appearance at Coachella; the environmentally and socially conscious event was one of the first major "transformational music festivals" that so many others have been modeled after.

This year's stacked musical lineup features seven stages and a variety of house, techno and bass artists, featuring GRAMMY-nominated British dance duo Disclosure, a 3D experience from Flying Lotus, Santigold, Toro y Moi, Gramatik, Channel Tres, DJ Koze and Damian Lazarus. There will also be yoga, sound healing, and engaging talks, like one with activist hip-hop duo Climbing PoeTree titled "Creativity is the Antidote to Destruction: Artistic Tools for Urgent Times."

Tickets are still available with options that range from two to five days; more info here.

Corona Capital Fest | May 11 | Guadalajara, Mex.

Taking place on Mexico's West Coast in the city of Guadalajara, Corona Capital will bring the country some of the biggest names in rock, electronica and pop. Featuring Phoenix, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Tame Impala, The Chemical Brothers, Christine & the Queens and more, the fest will give people in Mexico the unique opportunity to see artists that tend only to stop by in Mexico City, which hosts its own Corona Capital fest.

Those visiting the country for the fest will find the one-day event a convenient factor, as they can explore the rich history and culinary vastness of the second-largest city in the country, which is known to be the area where tequila and mariachi originated. Sports fans will find excitement in listening to music at the festival site, which is also home to the city’s soccer team, Las Chivas. For more information, visit the festival's website.

GRAMMYs at Corona Capital: Holy Ghost! On What "Do This" Is Really About & Why They Feel So Good About 'Work'

Electric Daisy Carnival | May 17–19 | Las Vegas

Rave lords Insomniac have been bringing the beats with their now-global Electric Daisy Carnival (and its many other EDM events) at the 23rd annual EDC. The flagship fest's ninth year in Las Vegas will take over Sin City from May 17–19 this year. The 2019 lineup is positively stacked with dance music greats, featuring GRAMMY winners DiploDavid Guetta and Tiësto, plus GRAMMY nominees TOKiMONSTAPaul OakenfoldDeadmau5Above & Beyond and Kaskade.

Deadmau5 will be making his first return to the fest since 2010, bringing his new "Cube 3.0" stage setup, and Guetta will be back for his first time since 2012. Australian singer/songwriter DJ/producer extraordinaire Alison Wonderland, plus GRAMMY-nominated rave icons Steve Aoki and Armin van Buuren will bring fire to the three-day event.

If you want to get your dance on and check out the carnival rides, interactive art and plenty of lights and lasers with EDC in Vegas, you're in luck; tickets are still available. Check out EDC's website for more info.

Hangout Music Fest | May 17–19 | Gulf Shores, Ala.

If you're looking for something where you can chill in one spot, perhaps by a body of water, Hangout Music Fest in Gulf Shores, Ala. may be more along the lines of what you're craving. The 10th anniversary, which the organizers have coined a "music vacation," will take place on May 17–19 on the beach.

The stacked lineup of over 50 acts is pretty diverse among artists and genres, with big names in dance music such as GRAMMY winner Diplo, GRAMMY nominees Mura Masa and Sofi Tukker, along with Detroit hero GRiZ and dance festival favorite Alison Wonderland.

Meanwhile, artists in the pop/indie-rock arena include GRAMMY nominees Hozier and Bebe Rexha, as well fan favorites The 1975Walk The Moon and Jimmy Eat World

For more info and to see the complete list of artists, visit the Hangout Fest website.

BottleRock | May 24–26 | Napa, Calif.

If you want to experience the literal fruits of the world-renowned Napa Valley wine country while listening to some solid jams, BottleRock, which is located in wine-rich Napa, may be the fest for you. Its seventh-edition festival's top-tier headliners are GRAMMY winners Imagine DragonsMumford & Sons and Neil Young, who will be playing with Lukas Nelson's band Promise Of The Real. Other notable acts include SantanaPharrell Williams, Gary Clark Jr.Sylvan EssoLogicLord Huron, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Tash Sultana.

Other festival highlights include the Culinary Stage, which features both music from the likes of Big Boi and Juanes, as well as more culinary-focused guests, including Antoni Potowski, the resident foodie of "Queer Eye." No matter your fuel of choice, attendees can expect an amazing selection of Northern California wine, beer and even craft cocktails, as well as food prepared by your neighborhood Michelin-starred Napa faves. The Silent Disco offers even more music, with GRAMMY-nominated dance greats The Crystal Method and Paul Oakenfold taking the decks.

Tickets, including one-day and three-day options, are still available on the fest's website.

More: Tomasa Del Real On Bringing Her Take On Reggaetón, NeoPerreo, To Coachella

Primavera Sound | May 30–June 1 | Barcelona

If you've been itching to take a trip abroad in a scenic European city and have eclectic music tastes, you'll have a blast at Barcelona's Primavera Sound. The 19th edition of the music festival offers what organizers coined "The New Normal," a 50/50 gender split among performers. Of the 226 billed artists, over half are women.

The beautifully dense lineup includes both big names and hidden gems across genres, yet the headliners alone show that they are walking their talk. Erykah BaduFuture, InterpolTame ImpalaJanelle MonáeSolangeJ BalvinRosalíaNasJames Blake and Robyn all take the top spots.

The rest of the lineup is also filled with gems, including Kali UchisLiz PhairCarly Rae JepsenClairoCucoMura Masa, Empress Of, FKA Twigs, Pusha T and Big Red Machine (the National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon collab project).

The festival has also highlighted Primavera's commitment to urban music, with a focus on reggaeton and hip-hop. From the Latin side, in addition to unofficial second-wave reggaeton leader J Balvin, old-school genre legends Ivy Queen (one of the first and few women in the emerging scene in the '90s) and DJ Playero will be throwing down. From the U.S. side, Primavera 2019 will feature an exciting selection of female rappers, including Tierra WhackPrincess Nokia, CupcakKe and Rico Nasty.

Tickets, including single-day options, are still avaible on Primavera Sound's website.

Governors Ball | May 31–June 2 | New York City

Governors Ball Music Festival is returning for their ninth year on Randall's Island Park in New York City on May 31–June 2. 2019 will bring performances by headliners The Strokes and GRAMMY nominees Tyler, the Creator and Florence & the Machine.

The three-day music, art and music event certainly brings an N.Y.C.-inspired melting pot approach to their lineup, and this year does not disappoint. Other highlights include GRAMMY winners Lil Wayne and Kacey Musgraves, GRAMMY nominees SZANasThe InternetJorja SmithBob MosesCharli XCXZHU, plus Vince StaplesBROCKHAMPTONBlood OrangeClairoBazziMajor Lazer (DJs Jillionaire, Walshy Fire and GRAMMY winner Diplo), NonameKaytranadaGesaffelstein and King Princess.

More info on tickets, as well as the complete lineup and event details, can be found on the Governors Ball site.

Related: Tinder Teams Up With EDC, Gov Ball & More Music Fests For "Festival Mode"

JUNE
 

Roots Picnic | June 1 | Philadelphia

The Roots Picnic is back for its 12th year on June 1 and will feature a special headline performance from GRAMMY-winning band The Roots in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their 1999 album Things Fall Apart

H.E.R.21 Savage and Lil Baby are among other artists on the music festival's bill. Raphael Saadiq,Tank & The Bangas and City Girls will also perform at the one-day event, taking place at its new location at The Mann At Fairmount Park in Philly. 

"We finally have a Roots Picnic in the Park," The Roots' manager Shawn Gee and President of Live Nation Urban said. "The vision 12 years ago was always to provide an all-day musical and cultural experience in Fairmount Park. Black Thought, Questlove and I grew up spending our Sunday afternoons at the Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park watching Philly DJs spin, and enjoying the vibe and the culture. It's a great feeling to be able to come full circle."

For more information on tickets, visit the Ticketmaster website.

Splash House | Jun 7–9 | Palm Springs, Calif.

Splash House has been bringing the beats to the pastel-colored desert of Palm Springs for several years now, and will return June 7–9 (as well as in August). GRAMMY-winning French electro heavyweights Justice, GRAMMY-nominated U.S. house music stalwart Armand van Helden, New York-based house producer Jai Wolf and U.K. bass/trap champ TroyBoi will headline. The three-day fest takes place poolside at three beautiful desert aesthetic hotels: The Renaissance, The Riviera and The Saguaro.

The rest of the lineup offers an equally impressive and diverse group of electronic artists, including GRAMMY nominees Jax Jones and Dirty South, along with Pete TongA-TrackCRAY and more. Shiba SanDuskyKidnap and a few others will keep the vibes going into the nighttime, with official after-hours shows at the Palm Springs Air Museum.

Daytime tickets for the June edition of Splash House went quickly, but they can be requested via a ticket exchange program. More info on all options can be found on Splash House's website.

Bonnaroo | June 13–16 | Manchester, Tenn.

Founded in 2002, this down-south outdoor fest once specialized in all things folk and jam. Nowadays, the lineup's diversified a bit, welcoming artists of nearly every popular genre. This year's Bonnaroo will take place June 13–16 at Great Stage Park, a 700-acre farm and event space in Manchester, Tenn., 60 miles southeast of Nashville.

The diverse group of artists on Friday alone include Phish, Childish Gambino, SolangeThe Avett BrothersBrockhamptonCourtney BarnettGojiraK.Flay and more. Post Malone, Odesza, Kacey MusgravesThe NationalZHUJohn PrineMaren Morris, The Lumineers, Cardi B and more will also get the farm grooving.

New for 2019, Bonnaroo will feature a "Sanctuary of Self-Love" campground experience curated by Paramore's Hayley Williams. There will also be circus acts, immersive cinema shows, theme parties, and the fest's first-ever Pride parade.

Tickets can be found on the festival's website.

GRAMMYs at Coachella: Sofi Tukker On Crafting Their "Ideal" Coachella Set, Giving Hugs To Maggie Rogers & More

Ruido Fest | Jun 21–23 | Chicago

For three days, Ruido Fest takes over Union Park, also home to Pitchfork Fest, and turns Chicago into a Latin alternative music mecca. This year, the music festival happening June 21– 23 celebrates its 5th edition and will gather iconic music groups like El Tri, Los Tigres Del Norte, Hombres G and Enanitos Verdes on the same stages as rising stars like Latin urban artist Tomasa Del Real, Helado NegroMonsieur Perine and many more. From rock, to pop and electro, this festival boasts some of the best in established and up-and coming music artists in the Latin genre For more information on Ruido fest, visit their website.

Firefly | June 21–23 | Dover, Del.

Firefly Music Festival, which touts itself as "the East Coast's largest music and camping festival," returns for its eighth year in The Woodlands of Dover, Del. The June fest will feature GRAMMY-nominated headliners Panic! At The DiscoPost Malone and Travis Scott

GRAMMY winners TLCVampire Weekend and Zedd, as well as GRAMMY nominees Courtney BarnettDeath Cab For CutieDJ Snake and Tyler, The Creator will also perform at the woodsy fest. Alison WonderlandBrockhamptonDashboard ConfessionalGRiZKygoGucci ManeJessie ReyezSnail MailWalk The Moon, and Young The Giant are also on this year's bill.

Tickets, along with "glamping" options, can be purchased on Firefly's website.

JULY
 

Essence Festival | July 4–7 | New Orleans

Essence Festival returns for its 25th year of celebrating black culture in New Orleans. The music portion of the event will take place from July 4–7 at the Mercedes Benz Superdome, with billed performers like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Brandy, Jermaine Dupri, H.E.R., Big Freedia, Ledisi, Mary J. Blige and many more. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will also bring extra inspiration to the main stage on Saturday.

Four other stages at the Superdome will showcase more talented artists such as AlunaGeorge, City Girls and Normani, as well as Mase, Ginuwine and Slick Rick.

Several different music fest ticket options are available, more info here.

Essence 2018: H.E.R. Opens Up On Mystery, Musicianship & Essence Fest

Mad Cool | July 11–13 | Madrid

Mad Cool Festival's diverse musical lineups have brought out a global fan base to its home in Madrid every year since 2016. Bon IverVampire Weekend and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds top the lineup on Thursday, which also features Canada's KaytranadaLa Dispute and The Hives. Friday will bring out The National and the Smashing Pumpkins as headliners, plus Madrid's own Vetusta MorlaWolfmother and Germany's Sophie Hunger, among other exciting acts. Saturday closes off the musical celebration with The Cure, The 1975 and Greta Van Fleet.

If this lineup hasn't inspired you to experience the fest, maybe visiting the beautifully historic city of Madrid will. Single-day and three-day tickets can be found on Mad Cool's website.

Pitchfork Music Festival | July 19–21 | Chicago

The 14th annual Pitchfork Music Festival, held at Union Park in Chicago, offers an eclectic lineup perfectly embodied by its headliners: GRAMMY-nominated dancefloor-pop innovator Robyn, GRAMMY-winning godfathers of funk The Isley Brothers and GRAMMY-nominated sister trio HAIM.

The Isley Brothers, consisting of remaining members Ronald and Ernie Isley, will be celebrating 60 years as a group at the fest, bringing the funk with "special guests," Pitchfork reports. GRAMMY-winning blues and gospel icon Mavis Staples will also bring her longtime musical excellence to the three-day event.

GRAMMY-nominated hip-hop powerhouses Earl SweatshirtJeremih and Pusha T, along with fellow GRAMMY nominee and electro-pop stalwart Charli XCXare also slated to play. Several innovative '90s acts will also be performing: London-based avant-garde dream-pop group Stereolab, Scottish folk-pop band Belle & Sebastian (who will be playing their 1996 album If You're Feeling Sinister in full) and Swedish GRAMMY-nominated MC Neneh Cherry, who earned a nod for Best New Artist at the 32nd GRAMMY Awards in 1999.

The festival prides itself on highlighting emerging talent; some of the up-and-comers on the lineup are 20-year-old dream-pop artist Clairo, L.A.-based social activist/rapper JPEGMAFIA, French-Cuban electro-soul sister duo Ibeyi and 21-year-old N.Y.C. rapper Rico Nasty.

Both weekend and single-day tickets are available; visit the fest's site for more info.

Float Fest | July 20–21 | Gonzales, Texas

Billed as the "only festival in the world to combine the Texas tradition of floating the river and live music," Float Fest 2019 will feature Gucci Mane, Major Lazer, Ice Cube, KaskadePortugal. The ManThe Flaming Lips, Big Gigantic, Zeds Dead, Grouplove, Big Boi, Jungle and more at its new home at a private ranch on the Guadalupe River in Gonzalez, Texas.

"We're thrilled to be moving to a new city and keep the tradition of our fest going. Gonzales is known as the birthplace of Texas independence and we can't think of a better place to celebrate a festival rich in Texas traditions such as live music, floating the river, and camping," Float Fest founder Marcus Federman said.

Additional performers include G. Love & Special Sauce, Missio, St. Lucia, Houndmouth, The Floozies and more. The fest will also be partnering once again this year with local business to organize a river cleanup project. 

Tickets, including weekend and day passes, can be found on Float Fest's website.

Related: Exclusive: Lizzo On Lollapalooza, New Music & RuPaul's 'Drag Race'

Lovebox | July 12–13 | London

Chance the Rapper, Solange, Cypress Hill and 2 Chainz are among the headliners that make the U.K.'s Lovebox an international music festival with one of the most exciting lineups. Taking place in London's Gunnersbury Park, the two-day fest will also have Lizzo, Brockhampton, Action Bronson, and Kaytranada hit the stage.

The fest will also feature plenty of U.K.-based artists, including J Hus and Slowthai. For more information, visit the festival's website.

Newport Folk Festival | July 26–28 | Newport, R.I.

Newport Folk Festival returns for its 60th year to Newport, R.I., for a three-day fest. Taking place at Fort Adams State Park, Newport offers rolling lineup announcements, meaning some artists are still yet to be announced.

The genre-diverse bill is absolutely stacked: Audiences can expect sets from Maggie Rogers, Noname, Sheryl Crow, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, Portugal. The Man, Stephen Marley and The HighWomen. The latter is a new country supergroup consisting of Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby, who have yet perform together publically.

Even without the complete lineup, tickets to Newport have sold out. That said, tickets can be still requested via Newport's fan-to-fan exchange; more info here.

GRAMMYs at Newport 2018: Exclusive: Brandi Carlile On 'By The Way, I Forgive You' & "The Joke"

AUGUST
 

Lollapalooza | Aug. 1–4 | Chicago

Lollapalooza, the iconic Chicago fest held annually in the Windy City's Grant Park, always gets a long lineup of some of the biggest names in music, along with plenty of artists steadily rising to household-name status. For example, prior to dropping their major-label debut LPs this year, both Billie Eilish and Lizzo performed at the 2018 fest.

This year's flagship (organizers have launched Lollas globally now, too) event offers a diverse lineup, including GRAMMY winners Childish Gambino, Ariana GrandeKacey Musgraves, Flume, Lil Wayne and H.E.R.. Janelle Monáe, The StrokesJ Balvin, RosalíaTame Impala and RÜFÜS DU SOL will also bring heat to the four-day fest.

For ticket information, visit Lollapalooza's website

Lolla 2018: Exclusive: Billie Eilish On Success, Her Radio Show & New Music

Outside Lands | Aug. 9–11 | San Francisco, Calif.

San Francisco's biggest music festival returns for its 11th year in the city's gorgeous Golden Gate Park. Outside Lands' 2019 lineup features 2019 GRAMMY winners Childish Gambino, Kacey Musgraves, Leon BridgesLauren DaigleElla MaiPJ Morton and Anderson .Paak.

This year's stellar lineup also includes earlier GRAMMY winners Twenty One Pilots, Edie BrickellFlumeLil WaynePaul Simon and Mavis Staples. GRAMMY nominees Bebe RexhaTierra Whack, Blink-182Counting CrowsHozierthe Lumineers and Bob Moses will also perform among the trees of Golden Gate Park.

Three-day tickets are currently available for the fest, while Outside Lands typically offers one-day options closer to the event.

Made In America | Aug. 31–Sept. 1 | Philadelphia

Made In America Festival, started by GRAMMY-winning rap legend JAY-Z in 2012, boasts GRAMMY nominee Travis Scott and GRAMMY winner Cardi B as this year's headliners. The two-day event will also include performances from GRAMMY winners Anderson .Paak, with The Free Nationals, James Blake and Kaskade.

61st GRAMMY Awards first-time nominees Jorja Smith and Tierra Whack are also on the bill, along with rising rappers Juice WRLD and Blueface, among others. The eighth annual festival will take place outdoors at Philly's Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and is a great way to close out a busy festival season.

Tickets and more info are available on the fest's site.

No matter your musical and venue taste, there are plenty of festivals to keep you dancing all summer long. Stay tuned to grammy.com for updates on new lineup releases, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes artist interviews from the biggest events as we approach festival season.

Tyler, The Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2019 Coming In November

Brann Dailor Unveil His GRAMMY Display
Mastodon's Brann Dailor

Photo: Courtesy of Brann Dailor

video

Where Do You Keep Your GRAMMY?: Mastodon’s Brann Dailor Shares The Story Of Their Best Metal Performance Track, “Sultan’s Curse”

Mastodon drummer and singer Brann Dailor reveals the metaphor behind the track that snagged him his first golden gramophone, “Sultan’s Curse,” and how winning a GRAMMY was the “American Dream” of his career.

GRAMMYs/Apr 25, 2024 - 03:42 pm

Mastodon's drummer and singer Brann Dailor assures you he did not purchase his shiny golden gramophone at his local shopping mall.

“I won that! I’m telling you. It’s a major award,” he says in the latest episode of Where Do You Keep Your GRAMMY?

The metal musician won his first GRAMMY award for Best Metal Performance for Mastodon's “Sultan’s Curse” at the 2018 GRAMMYs.

“‘Sultan’s Curse’ was the jumping-off point for the whole theme of the album,” he explains. “The protagonist is walking alone in the desert, and the elements have been cursed by a Sultan.”

It’s a metaphor for illness — during the creation of the album, the band’s guitarist Bill Kelliher’s mother had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and bassist Troy Sanders’s wife was battling breast cancer.

For the band, the GRAMMY award represented their version of the American Dream and culmination of their career work. Even if Mastodon didn’t win the award, Dailor was happy to be in the room: “We felt like we weren't supposed to be there in the first place! But it's an incredible moment when they actually read your name."

Press play on the video above to learn the complete story behind Brann Dailor's award for Best Metal Performance, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Where Do You Keep Your GRAMMY?

Brann Dailor Talks 20 Years Of Mastodon, New 'Medium Rarities' Collection And How He Spent The Coronavirus Lockdown Drawing Clowns

VASSY
VASSY

Photo: Eric Ross

video

Global Spin: Watch VASSY Search For The “Off Switch” In This Acoustic Performance Of Her New Single

Australian dance pop singer VASSY offers an acoustic take on her EDM-influenced single, “Off Switch.”

GRAMMYs/Apr 25, 2024 - 03:21 pm

In her latest track "Off Switch," Australian dance-pop artist VASSY captures the exhilarating intensity of a budding romance. She loves the rush but, at the same time, wishes she could fight the feeling, even if only for a few seconds.

"There's something electric between you and I/ The way we connected I can't describe/ We're right on the edge of blurring the lines/ Don't know why I'm scared of this rush inside," she sings in the intro. "I wish my heart, it had an off switch/ 'Cause, boy, I don't know how to stop this."

In this episode of Global Spin, watch VASSY deliver an acoustic performance of her track, playing guitar and using a pair of castanets for added rhythm.

VASSY released "Off Switch" on Jan. 5 with an electrifying music video swirling with vibrant neon lights. 

Recently she wrapped a string of appearances supporting Aqua's United States leg of their world tour and earlier this month, performed a headlining show in San Diego. On May 18, she will take the stage at the BASSINTHEGRASS music festival in Darwin, Australia.

Press play on the video above to watch VASSY's lively performance of "Off Switch," and remember to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.

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Blur in Tokyo in November 1994
Blur in Tokyo in November 1994.

Photo: Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images

list

7 Ways Blur's 'Parklife' Served As The Genesis Of Britpop

On the heels of their Coachella return, Blur celebrates the 30th anniversary of their opus, 'Parklife,' on April 25. Take a look at how the album helped bring Britpop to the mainstream.

GRAMMYs/Apr 25, 2024 - 02:33 pm

In April 1993, journalist Stuart Maconie coined the term Britpop for a Select magazine article celebrating the UK's fight back against the dominance of American rock. Remarkably, London four-piece Blur weren't even mentioned in the story. And yet, frontman Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree would provide the catalyst for the scene's mainstream breakthrough.

Just a year later, Blur released what many consider to be Britpop's defining statement. Parklife served as a colorful, vibrant, and incredibly infectious love letter to all things Anglocentric, drawing upon the nation's great cultural heritage while also foreshadowing what was to come. And it instantly struck a chord with homegrown audiences desperate for guitar music that wasn't drowning in abject misery, and better reflected their day-to-day lives.

Remarkably, Albarn had predicted Parklife's success four years earlier. As he declared to music writer David Cavanagh in 1990, "When our third album comes out, our place as the quintessential English band of the '90s will be assured. That is a simple statement of fact."

Three decades after its game-changing release, here's a look at how Parklife forever changed both Blur's career trajectory and the history of British rock.

It Kickstarted Britpop's Greatest Rivalry

In one of those great rock coincidences, Blur's third LP hit the shelves just 24 hours after "Supersonic" gave a then-relative unknown Manchester outfit named Oasis their first ever UK Top 40 single. And the two bands would remain intertwined (perhaps begrudgingly so) from then on, culminating in the most high-profile chart battle in British music history.

You could argue that Oasis' Noel Gallagher threw the first stone, describing Parklife as "Southern England personified" in a manner that suggested it wasn't exactly complimentary. And according to his manager Alan McGee, Definitely Maybe cut "Digsy's Dinner" was written as a deliberate "piss-take of Blur."

An increasingly bitter war of words then broke out in the summer of 1995 as the "Country House" versus "Roll With It" war swept the nation. Blur emerged victorious, although Oasis had the last laugh when (What's The Story) Morning Glory spent 10 weeks atop the UK album chart.

It Brought Storytelling Back To Indie Pop

Heavily inspired by Martin Amis novel London Fields, Parklife was inhabited by a cast of intriguing fictional characters, essentially doubling up as a series of short stories. "Tracy Jacks," for example, is about a golf-obsessed civil servant who ends up getting arrested for public indecency before bulldozing his own house.

"Magic America" is the tale of Bill Barret, a Brit who commits to a life of excess during a Stateside holiday ("Took a cab to the shopping malls/ Bought and ate until he could do neither anymore"), while "Clover Over Dover" explores the mindset of a manipulative boyfriend threatening to jumping off the titular white cliffs.

Over the following 18 months, everything from Pulp's "Common People" and Space's "Neighbourhood" to Supergrass' "Caught by the Fuzz" and The Boo Radleys' "It's Lulu" were combining classic British guitar pop with witty Mike Leigh-esque vignettes of modern life.

It Originated The Big Indie Ballad

Dramatic ballads aren't necessarily the first thing that come to mind with Parklife, a record famed for its jaunty, "knees-up Mother Brown" ditties. But it boasts two examples: "To The End," an alternate Bond theme featuring a burst of Gallic flair from Stereolab's Laetitia Sadler, and the swoonsome "This Is A Low." Turns out the "mystical lager-eater" the record was designed to embody could also get a little vulnerable from time to time.

This appeared to give all of their laddish peers some pause for thought. Oasis, the most fervent advocates of the "cigarettes and alcohol" lifestyle, later scored their biggest hit with acoustic ballad "Wonderwall." And bands including Cast ("Walkaway"), Shed Seven ("Chasing Rainbows") and Menswear ("Being Brave") all enjoyed UK hits revealing their softer sides. No doubt Coldplay, Travis, and every other sensitive post-Britpop outfit that emerged in the late 1990s were taking notes, too.

It Paid Respect To The Greats

The Britpop scene was renowned for its slavish devotion to the first time British guitar bands ruled the airwaves, the Swinging Sixties. Oasis freely admitted they modeled themselves on the Beatles, while the likes of Ocean Colour Scene, Kula Shaker and The Paul Weller all released albums that sounded like they'd been discovered in a vintage record shop.

And while Blur would later distance themselves from the past with a sense of invention (which Albarn would also parlay into his various side projects, including the virtual band Gorillaz), they were more than happy to get all nostalgic on Parklife. See "Far Out," their only track to feature James on lead vocal, which resembled the trippy psychedelia of Pink Floyd in their Syd Barrett era, and the Sgt. Pepper-esque brassy instrumental "The Debt Collector," while there are also echoes of the Walker Brothers, The Kinks, and Small Faces. Suddenly, retro was the new cool.

It Turned Blur Into Britain's Biggest Guitar Band

The UK Top 10 success of 1991's "There's No Other Way" proved to be something of a false start for Blur, with the band soon falling by the wayside like every other baggy pop outfit that emerged at the turn of the decade. "Popscene," the 1992 single intended to revolutionize both their career and British guitar music in general, stalled at No. 32, while 1993 sophomore Modern Life is Rubbish sold just 40,000 copies.

But Parklife single-handedly turned Blur into Britain's biggest guitar band, reaching No. 1 in their homeland, spending 82 weeks in the Top 40, and eventually becoming a million-seller. It went on to pick up four BRITs, a Mercury Prize nomination, and has been recognized as an all-time great by Spin, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone. Further proof of its glowing reputation came in 2009 when Royal Mail selected it as one of 10 albums worthy of commemorating on a postage stamp.

It Spawned A String Of Classic Singles

Parklife's campaign was kicked off in March 1994 with "Girls and Boys," a glorious dissection of British vacationers — which, surprisingly in the days when genre-hopping was frowned upon — evoked the '80s synth-pop of Duran Duran and Pet Shop Boys. Rowntree was even replaced by a drum machine, not that he particularly minded, luckily.

This indie floorfiller was followed up by the hugely underrated "To The End" and then the much-quoted title track. Everything about "Parklife" the song is larger than life: the Cockney geezer narration from Quadrophenia's Phil Daniels, the festival-friendly sing-along chorus, and the brightly colored video in which James — perhaps tipping his hat to Queen's "I Want to Break Free" -– donned soap opera drag. But fourth release "End of a Century," a melancholic tale of domestic drudgery complete with mournful trombone solo, once again proved there was a depth beyond their cheeky chappy personas.

It Made Brits Proud To Be British Again

Unable to connect with the oppressive angst and flannel shirts of the grunge movement that had plagued their first major North American tour in 1992, Blur first started to embrace their inherent Englishness on the following year's Modern Life is Rubbish. Unfortunately, this throwback to the original British Invasion was met with a resounding shrug of the shoulders on both sides of the Atlantic.

Undeterred, however, the band doubled down on all things Anglocentric on its follow-up, from its original title of London, to its greyhound racing cover art, to its celebrations of bank holidays, Club 18-30 holidays, and shipping forecasts. This time around, they managed to capture the zeitgeist (at home, at least), as the rise of New Labour and the forthcoming hosting of Euro '96 made everyone proud to be British again. Within 12 months, the UK charts were littered with homegrown guitar bands selling the idea of the English dream — and it all started with Parklife.

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Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez
(L-R) Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez during the 2008 Teen Choice Awards.

Photo: Kevin Mazur/TCA 2008/WireImage/Getty Images

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Disney's Golden Age Of Pop: Revisit 2000s Jams From Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez & More

As Disney Music Group celebrates its defining era of superstars and franchises, relive the magic of the 2000s with a playlist of hits from Hilary Duff, Jesse McCartney and more.

GRAMMYs/Apr 23, 2024 - 06:41 pm

"...and you're watching Disney Channel!" For anyone who grew up in the 2000s, those five words likely trigger some pretty vivid imagery: a glowing neon wand, an outline of Mickey Mouse's ears, and every Disney star from Hilary Duff to the Jonas Brothers

Nearly 20 years later, many of those child stars remain instantly recognizable — and often mononymous — to the millions of fans who grew up with them: Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato. Nick, Kevin and Joe

Each of those names has equally memorable music attached to it — tunes that often wrap any given millennial in a blanket of nostalgia for a time that was, for better or for worse, "So Yesterday." And all of those hits, and the careers that go with them, have the same starting point in Hollywood Records, Disney Music Group's pop-oriented record label.

This time in Disney's history — the core of which can be traced from roughly 2003 to 2010 — was impactful on multiple fronts. With its music-oriented programming and multi-platform marketing strategies, the network launched a procession of teen idols whose music would come to define the soundtrack to millennials' lives, simultaneously breaking records with its Disney Channel Original Movies, TV shows and soundtracks.

Now, two decades later, Disney Music Group launched the Disney 2000s campaign, honoring the pivotal, star-making era that gave fans a generation of unforgettable pop music. The campaign will last through August and lead directly into D23 2024: The Ultimate Fan Event with special vinyl releases of landmark LPs and nostalgic social media activations occurring all summer long. April's campaign activation was Disney 2000s Weekend at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, which featured special screenings of 2008's Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert and 2009's Hannah Montana: The Movie and Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.

But before Miley and the JoBros, Hollywood Records' formula for creating relatable (and bankable) teen pop stars began with just one name: Hilary Duff. At the time, the bubbly blonde girl next door was essentially the face of the network thanks to her starring role in "Lizzie McGuire," and she'd just made the leap to the big screen in the summer of 2003 with The Lizzie McGuire Movie. In her years with Disney, Duff had dabbled in recording songs for Radio Disney, and even released a Christmas album under Buena Vista Records. However, her first album with Hollywood Records had the potential to catapult her from charming tween ingénue to bonafide teen pop star — and that's exactly what it did.

Released on August 26, 2003, Duff's Metamorphosis sold more than 200,000 copies in its first week and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The following week, the bubblegum studio set performed the rare feat of rising from No. 2 to No. 1, making the then-16-year-old Duff the first solo artist under 18 to earn a No. 1 album since Britney Spears.

The album's immediate success was no fluke: Within a matter of months, Metamorphosis had sold 2.6 million copies. Music videos for its radio-friendly singles "So Yesterday" and "Come Clean" received constant airplay between programming on the Disney Channel. (The latter was eventually licensed as the theme song for MTV's pioneering teen reality series "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," giving it an additional boost as a cultural touchstone of the early '00s.) A 33-date North American tour soon followed, and Hollywood Records officially had a sensation on their hands. 

Naturally, the label went to work replicating Duff's recipe for success, and even looked outside the pool of Disney Channel stars to develop new talent. Another early signee was Jesse McCartney. With a soulful croon and blonde mop, the former Dream Street member notched the label another big win with his 2004 breakout hit "Beautiful Soul."

"When 'Beautiful Soul' became the label's first No. 1 hit at radio, I think that's when they really knew they had something," McCartney tells GRAMMY.com. "Miley [Cyrus] and the Jonas Brothers were signed shortly after that success and the rest is history.

"The thing that Disney really excelled at was using the synergy of the channel with promoting songs at pop," he continues. "I did appearances on 'Hannah Montana' and 'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody' and my music videos were pushed to Disney Channel. The marketing was incredibly brilliant and I don't think there has been anything as connected with an entire generation like that since then."

By 2006, Disney had nearly perfected its synergistic formula, continually launching wildly popular tentpole franchises like High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls, and then giving stars like Vanessa Hudgens and Corbin Bleu recording contracts of their own. (Curiously, the pair's HSM co-star Ashley Tisdale was never signed to Hollywood Records, instead releasing her first two solo albums with Warner.) 

Aly Michalka showed off her vocal chops as sunny girl next door Keely Teslow on "Phil of the Future," and fans could find her off-screen as one half of sibling duo Aly & AJ. In between their 2005 debut album Into the Rush and its electro-pop-charged follow-up, 2007's Insomniatic, Aly and her equally talented younger sister, AJ, also headlined their own Disney Channel Original Movie, Cow Belles. (Duff also helped trailblaze this strategy with her own early DCOM, the ever-charming Cadet Kelly, in 2002, while she was simultaneously starring in "Lizzie McGuire.")

Even after years of proven success, the next class of stars became Disney's biggest and brightest, with Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers all joining the network — and record label — around the same time. "Hannah Montana" found Cyrus playing a spunky middle schooler by day and world-famous pop star by night, and the network leveraged the sitcom's conceit to give the Tennessee native (and daughter of '90s country heartthrob Billy Ray Cyrus) the best of both worlds. 

After establishing Hannah as a persona, the series' sophomore soundtrack introduced Miley as a pop star in her own right thanks to a clever double album that was one-half Hannah's music and one-half Miley's. It's literally there in the title: Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus.

From there, Cyrus' stardom took off like a rocket as she scored back-to-back No.1 albums and a parade of Top 10 hits like "See You Again," "7 Things," "The Climb," "Can't Be Tamed," and the ever-so-timeless anthem "Party in the U.S.A."

At the same time, Gomez had top billing on her own Disney Channel series, the magical (but less musical) "Wizards of Waverly Place." That hardly stopped her from launching her own music career, though, first by fronting Selena Gomez & the Scene from 2008 to 2012, then eventually going solo with the release of 2013's Stars Dance after the "Wizards" finale aired.

For her part, Lovato — Gomez's childhood bestie and "Barney & Friends" costar — got her big break playing Mitchie Torres in Camp Rock alongside the Jonas Brothers as fictional boy band Connect 3, led by Joe Jonas as the swaggering and floppy-haired Shane Gray. Much like Duff had five years prior in the wake of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Lovato released her debut solo album, 2008's Don't Forget, just three months after her DCOM broke records for the Disney Channel. 

Building off their chemistry from the movie musical, nearly the entirety of Don't Forget was co-written with the Jonas Brothers, who released two of their own albums on Hollywood Records — 2007's Jonas Brothers and 2008's A Little Bit Longer — before getting their own short-lived, goofily meta Disney series, "Jonas," which wrapped weeks after the inevitable Camp Rock sequel arrived in September 2010.

As the 2000s gave way to the 2010s, the Disney machine began slowing down as its cavalcade of stars graduated to more grown-up acting roles, music and careers. But from Duff's Metamorphosis through Lovato's 2017 LP, Tell Me You Love Me, Hollywood Records caught lightning in a bottle again and again and again, giving millennials an entire generation of talent that has carried them through adulthood and into the 2020s.

To commemorate the Disney 2000s campaign, GRAMMY.com crafted a playlist to look back on Disney's golden age of pop with favorite tracks from Hilary Duff, Vanessa Hudgens, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and more. Listen and reminisce below.