The Nineties are in but let’s be honest on our nostalgia trip

Indie anthems bring back memories but Will Gore admits it wasn’t Britpop he played in his bedroom as a youngster

Spice Girls perform at the Brit Awards in 1997 (PA)

So, Britpop’s back in business. With Gen Z discovering the Nineties in lieu of anything decent to look forward to, and their parents uncovering the sad reality of mid-life in an economic desert, real and imagined nostalgia for the optimism and swagger of the Rule Britannia age is riding high.

In response to the renewed interest, Blur are playing Wembley in July, while Pulp can be found in a variety of places over the summer. All the talk is whether the apparent – albeit modest – thawing of relations between the Gallagher brothers could finally precipitate an Oasis reunion. The fact that Noel’s latest song sounds like it was bottled in 1996 just adds to the sense of bygone times being revisited.

It’s lovely in a way. For all that Britpop ultimately – and inevitably – failed to maintain the joie de vivre of its early years, it nevertheless burned bright while it lasted. Given the dark times we now find ourselves in, it’s no wonder that people should seek a little of the Nineties reflected – or perhaps refracted – light in their lives.