Blur are to be officially recognised at next year’s Brit Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The special Brit Award comes 21 years after their debut and 17 years since they monopolised the Brit Awards, winning four Brits for their Parklife album – they picked up best album, best single, best video and best group in 1995.

Blur briefly reformed in the summer of 2009 but disbanded after a series of high profile outdoor concerts, including headlining Glastonbury. The chances are that Blur’s next high profile performance will be at the Brits ceremony at London’s 02 Arena in February. This year’s Brit Awards statue has been designed by Sir Peter Blake, best known in music circles for his iconic collage cover for The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Previous winners of the outstanding contribution award include Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Blur’s nemesis and adversaries in the 1990s, Oasis. As the two Big Beasts in the Britpop Jungle, Blur and Oasis inevitably clashed, reinforced by the North / South Divide ( Oasis being from Manchester and Blur Essex / London ). There was much posturing between these two Britpop Bands in the media, culminating in a race for the No1 spot in the Summer of 1995, when Oasis released “Roll With It” and Blur released “Country House” in the same week. The latter were the victors, pipping Oasis to the No1 spot. The announcement on the Radio 1 Chart Show will always stick in my mind, as I was sitting in glorious sunshine, sipping Pimms in Carol McGiffen’s garden at her Hampstead Heath home, that she had previously shared with her former husband, DJ Chris Evans. For those who might be at a loss, Carol McGiffen is the very loud, flamboyant one on ITV’s “Loose Women”.

Anyway, enough of this blatant celebrity name dropping – it’s not big or clever!! Back to Blur!! This Brit Award is richly deserved because Blur along with a few other groups ie Oasis, Suede, Cast, Supergrass, were an intrinsic part of the Britpop movement. However it was Blur who wove those first few threads that became the rich tapestry of Britpop in the 1990s. So to celebrate Blur’s triumphant return to the Brit Awards and their place in music history as Architects of Britpop, here’s a Top 5 Blur Songs –

Top 5 Blur Songs / Hits

1)  Country House

2)  Girls and Boys

3)  Parklife

4)  The Universal

5)  There’s No Other Way

What are your favourite Blur songs, singles or album tracks? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

You can immortalise Blur in your own home or office ( especially if you are an optician!! ), by ordering your favourite vinyl record or CD; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc. ORDER NOW by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding ( Wedding Song ), a 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th Birthday, a Silver or Ruby Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For all other Blur memorabilia, merchandise and news……. blur.co.uk/