13 (Blur Album)

13 (Blur album)

13 is the sixth studio album by English alternative rock band Blur, released in March 1999. Jettisoning the Britpop sound of Blur's early career as well as the lo-fi indie rock of previous album, Blur (1997), 13 contains elements of Experimental and Electronic music.

Recording took place from June to October 1998 in London and Reykjavik. The album marks a departure of the band's longtime producer, Stephen Street, with his role being filled by William Orbit. Relationships between the band members were reported to be strained, with members frequently missing from the sessions. Lyrically, the album is significantly darker than Blur's previous efforts, being heavily inspired by Damon Albarn's breakup with long-term girlfriend, Justine Frischmann, whose relationship had become increasingly strained over the years.

13 was released on March 1999 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, making it Blur's fourth consecutive studio album to reach the top spot. The album was later certified Platinum. 13 also reached number one in Norway and charted within the top 20 in many other countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden and Japan. The album produced three singles, which charted at #2, #11 and #14 retrospectively on the UK Singles Chart. 13 was well-received critically, with a score of 79 on Metacritic, which equates to a tag of "Generally favorable reviews". 13 received a nomination for Best Album at the 2000 NME Awards. It was also nominated for the Mercury Prize.