Thirty years after its initial release, Blur‘s seminal fourth studio album, “The Great Escape,” is receiving a commemorative vinyl reissue that promises to delight both longtime fans and new collectors alike.
The special half-speed mastered double-disc colored vinyl edition, scheduled for release on December 12, 2025, through Parlophone Records, marks three decades since the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart in September 1995.
Following the band’s breakthrough success with “Parklife,” “The Great Escape” completed what critics consider Blur’s Britpop trilogy, which began with “Modern Life Is Rubbish” in 1993.
The album achieved triple platinum status in the UK within less than a year, validating sales of more than 900,000 copies domestically, while also making a modest impact on the American charts, peaking at number 150.
The 30th anniversary package features the original 15-track album on the first disc, while the second contains rare B-sides and bonus tracks from the era, with several appearing on vinyl for the first time.
Presented in yellow and turquoise colored vinyl, the reissue comes housed in a gatefold cover with expanded artwork by artist Tony Hung, emphasizing both musical fidelity and visual presentation.
“The Great Escape” generated four hit singles that have demonstrated remarkable longevity, accumulating over 61 million YouTube views and more than 335 million global streams.
“Country House,” the album’s lead single, secured Blur’s first UK number one and famously triumphed over Oasis’s “Roll with It” in the much-publicized “Battle of Britpop.”
Produced by Stephen Street and Damon Albarn, the album runs approximately 57 minutes and represents a creative high point before Blur shifted their musical direction on subsequent releases.
Fans may be surprised to learn that the album’s title went through several iterations, with the band considering alternative names like Wifelife, Darklife, and Nextlife before settling on “The Great Escape.”
To complement the vinyl reissue, a five-piece capsule merchandise collection designed by Tony Hung will launch simultaneously, featuring bespoke artwork connected to the album’s themes and aesthetics.
The anniversary celebration highlights “The Great Escape” as a definitive document of mid-90s British culture within the Britpop movement.
The album, originally released on September 11th, 1995, has maintained its cultural significance as blur’s fourth studio album and an essential touchstone in the Britpop era.
This reissue represents an opportunity for the band to capitalize on physical format sales, which have become an increasingly important revenue stream for musicians in the digital age.
The reissue will be available across all major streaming platforms, allowing both new listeners and dedicated fans to experience the album’s iconic tracks through high-fidelity sound options.
