Suede (band)

Suede (known as the London Suede in the United States) are an English rock band formed in London in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Justine Frischmann, and bassist Mat Osman. Drawing from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were labeled "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992, attracting significant attention from the British music press. The following year, their debut album, Suede, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in nearly a decade. It won the Mercury Music Prize and helped propel Britpop as a musical era, though the band distanced themselves from the label. The recording sessions for their second album, Dog Man Star, were tumultuous, ending with guitarist and songwriter Bernard Butler leaving after conflicts with the other members. Guitarist and songwriter Richard Oakes replaced him and joined the band just before the accompanying tour. Though a commercial disappointment at the time, the album received generally enthusiastic reviews upon release and has since been celebrated as one of rock music's great albums. In 1994, Suede became part of Britpop's "big four," alongside Oasis, Blur, and Pulp. In 1996, following the addition of keyboardist Neil Codling, Suede achieved greater commercial success with Coming Up. The album reached number one in the UK, produced five top ten singles, and became Suede's best-selling album worldwide. Despite internal issues, Suede's fourth album, Head Music (1999), topped the British charts. Heavily promoted, the album received substantial media attention upon release; however, fan and critical responses were less enthusiastic than for previous records. Codling left the band in 2001, citing chronic fatigue syndrome, and was replaced by Alex Lee. The band's fifth album, A New Morning (2002), their first after the collapse of Nude Records, was a commercial and critical disappointment, leading to the...