Born in Nottingham and raised to the soundtrack of musical greats including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Oasis, Jake Bugg began composing his own songs on guitar at the age of just 12.
Bugg got his big break at 17 when a local DJ discovered an early track that he had uploaded to BBC Introducing. Before long he was playing Glastobury; supporting massive acts including Lana Del Ray, Example and Michael Kiwanuka; and signing a deal with Mercury Records.
With a blend of blues, Britpop and indie folk and a definitively British working-class swagger, Bugg quickly won the hearts of the UK indie scene. His first two singles, ‘Lightning Bolt’ and ‘Two Fingers’, proved hits and his subsequent eponymous debut album (2012) topped the UK album charts, earning both Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations and saw the then 18 year old from Nottingham fêted as the next Bob Dylan.
Since then, Bugg has embraced a more pop-orientated sound with the Rick Rubin-produced Shangri La (2013) and 2017’s Hearts That Strain moving into genres such as country rock and Americana. His most recent effort, 2021’s Saturday Night, Sunday Morning is perhaps Bugg’s most straight-edge record, full of bold, hooky pop-rock cuts.