The difference, in figures
Black metal is far heavier (+6), far less melodic (−6) and clearly faster (+4) than Britpop. It emerged in 1982, 11 years before Britpop in 1993. They sit on opposite branches of the tree and share no common ancestor.
Britpop
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Britpop
In short
Britain answers grunge with Beatles-and-Kinks melody and lyrics about ordinary English life.
How it sounds
- Beatles and Kinks melodic writing inside classic British pop structures.
- Clean or lightly distorted guitars, organ, occasionally strings.
- Deliberately marked British accents and lyrics about ordinary life.
Key acts
- Oasis
- Blur
- Pulp
- Suede
Start here
The pickPulp - Different Class. The decade's best lyrics, and it isn't close.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
Full page →