Paul Weller

Paul Weller came to fame with his ‘70s punk/New Wave outfit The Jam, which combined a singer/songwriter sensibility, left-leaning politics and an equally anarchic sound. The group ushered in a new era of ‘60s-inspired mod music and became one of the biggest acts of the punk era, particularly in the UK, where they had a string of Top 10 hits, including the 1982 bop “Town Called Malice”. Weller then reinvented himself with The Style Council, bringing a jazz-inflected Motown vibe to ‘80s rock, complete with synthesisers and drum machines. By the mid-’90s Weller was ready to go it alone, releasing a string of influential, cross-genre solo albums, including 1993’s Wild Wood and 1995’s Stanley Road. With 2020’s electro-soul experiment On Sunset, Weller cemented his status as one of the few artists to top the UK album chart in five consecutive decades.