The Bluetones (GB)

About

Also known as: Bluetones, Bluetones, the

Few bands can say their debut album knocked Oasis off the top spot, but The Bluetones managed exactly that when Expecting to Fly hit number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1996, bumping (What's the Story) Morning Glory? down a peg. That record, named after a Buffalo Springfield track, spawned singles like "Slight Return" and "Cut Some Rug", the latter peaking at number two and going on to earn a platinum certification. The Hounslow four piece, built around vocalist Mark Morriss, guitarist Adam Devlin, bassist Scott Morriss and drummer Eds Chesters, went on to rack up thirteen Top 40 singles across their career. After Expecting to Fly, the band kept delivering solid albums through the britpop hangover years, with Return to the Last Chance Saloon and Science & Nature both cracking the UK top 10. They never chased trends, just kept writing guitar driven indie pop with real craft behind it. After a long gap following 2010's A New Athens, they returned with Atlas in 2026, proof that stepping away for a while does not have to mean stepping away for good.