Beck – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Beck Biography

Beck’s first name was Beck. David Campbell, also known as Beck David Hansen, is an American singer-songwriter who transformed Bob Dylan‘s hipster folk minstrel into the hip-hop and sampling era.

Beck was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 8, 1970. His mother (Bibbe Hansen) had ties to Andy Warhol’s Factory, his father (David Campbell) was a musician who went on to arrange strings for various alternative rockers, and his grandpa (Al Hansen) was a member of the Fluxus art movement in the 1960s. Beck returned to his hometown of Los Angeles after a brief stint in New York City’s East Village’s “anti-folk” movement. He performed at coffeehouses in the Silverlake district. “Loser,” a low-budget demo for Bong Load Custom Records, became a Los Angeles radio hit and, later, a national sensation once Beck signed with major label DGC. “Loser,” a rapped lyric performed over a slide-guitar sample with amazing poetic juxtapositions like “drive-by body pierce,” highlighted Beck’s significant talent, even if he was initially pigeonholed as a Generation X novelty act. The rest of Mellow Gold, his debut album from 1994, demonstrated his mastery of a mash-up of folk, rap, 1960s rock, and pop corniness from every era.

Beck’s odd contract permitted him to record for other labels: One Foot in the Grave was released on K, and Stereopathic Soul Manure was released on Flipside (both were released in 1994). With Odelay, his major label follow-up from 1996, he became a cultural hero. Odelay was produced by the Dust Brothers, who had previously worked on the equally bizarre Beastie Boys album Paul’s Boutique (1989), and featured the Grammy Award-winning single “Where It’s At” (with the iconic lyric “I’ve got two turntables and a microphone”). Beck became the leading alternative rocker for an audience that had grown tired of grunge’s sincerity. The CD was nominated for a Grammy for best alternative music performance. Beck’s following album, Mutations (in part titled after the psychedelic Brazilian group Os Mutantes), added to his palette by exploring the subtlety of Brazilian music. The album earned Beck his third Grammy.

Midnite Vultures (1999), Beck’s return to beat-heavy abstract pop that leaned more heavily than ever in a pseudo-rhythm-and-blues direction (Beck was fond of unveiling James Brown-style and break-dance steps in his live show at this point), was a commercial flop. Beck, like David Byrne (see Talking Heads) before him, had over-conceptualized his art to the point where the results were emotionally devoid.

Sea Change (2002), which contained some of Beck’s most intimate lyrics and was alternately lush and sparse, received some of the greatest praise of his career. The Flaming Lips and Beck shared the bill and the stage (as a supporting band) during the album’s promotion tour. Beck returned to collaborating with the Dust Brothers and genre-hopping with Guero, a track-by-track set of deluxe remixes of Guero by a host of other producers and performers released later that year; Guerolito, a track-by-track set of deluxe remixes of Guero by a host of other producers and performers, was released later that year. Sea Change’s producer, Nigel Godrich, is best known for his work with Radiohead, and he added a spacey psychedelic gloss to Beck’s upbeat musical pastiche The Information (2006), which came with stickers that invited listeners to create a do-it-yourself jewel box cover to mirror Beck’s upbeat musical pastiche.

Beck’s tenth studio album, Modern Guilt, was released in 2008, co-produced by Danger Mouse and further showcased Beck’s love of 1960s psychedelic rock. Beck returned with Morning Phase (2014), a “companion piece” to Sea Change, after taking a sabbatical from recording to create multiple albums and heal from a spine injury. Several Grammy Awards were given to the critically acclaimed album, including album of the year and best rock album.

Beck made guest appearances on various artists’ albums and collaborated with producer Greg Kurstin on Colors (2017), a colorful mix of pop songs. Beck collaborated with a variety of musicians for Hyperspace (2019), particularly Pharrell Williams.

Beck Discography

HyperspaceAppleYouTubeAmazon
ColorsSpotifyYouTubeAmazon
Morning PhaseSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Modern GuiltSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The InformationSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
GueroSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Sea ChangeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Midnite VulturesSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
MutationsSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
OdelaySpotifyYouTubeAmazon
One Foot in the GraveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Mellow GoldSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Stereopathetic Soulmanure
Golden Feelings

Top Videos

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was Beck’s First Album?

Beck’s first album was called “Mellow Gold”. It didn’t do too well when it was first released, but it eventually became a cult classic. The album contains some of Beck’s most famous songs, like “Loser” and “E-Pro”.

What Type Of Music Is Beck?

Beck is often classified as a “slacker rock” or “lo-fi” artist, and his music has been compared to that of Pavement and Guided by Voices. However, Beck’s musical style is difficult to categorize, as it incorporates elements of hip hop, country, folk, pop, soul, jazz, and electronica. In addition, Beck is known for his innovative use of sampling and for his unusual song structures.

What Is Beck’s Biggest Hit?

“Loser” is a song by American musician Beck. It was first released as a single in 1993 and later included on the album Mellow Gold. The song was Beck’s breakthrough hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and becoming a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The song’s success helped launch Beck’s career and brought him to the attention of a wider audience. “Loser” is one of Beck’s most well-known and popular songs.

What Was Beck’s First Album?

Beck’s first album was called “Golden Feelings.” It was released in 1993.

When Did Beck Win Album Of The Year?

Beck won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2015. He beat out some stiff competition, including Beyonce and Sam Smith. It was a bit of a surprise victory, but Beck’s album, “Morning Phase,” was widely praised by critics. It’s a beautiful, atmospheric record that feels like a warm embrace on a cold day. If you’re looking for something to make you feel good, this is it.

Most Searched For Beck Songs

GirlSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The Golden AgeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Sexx LawsSpotifyAppleAmazon
LoserSpotifyAppleAmazon
E-ProSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Broken TrainSpotify
Devils HaircutSpotifyAppleAmazon