Which Welsh alternative rock band released the 1996 album 'Everything Must Go'?

The Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers released the 1996 album “Everything Must Go.” It was the group’s fourth studio album, released on May 20, 1996, by Epic Records, and it marked a major change in both their sound and circumstances.

The record was the Manic Street Preachers’ first album as a trio after the disappearance of lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards in 1995. Although bassist Nicky Wire, singer-guitarist James Dean Bradfield, and drummer Sean Moore carried the band forward, five songs retained lyrics written or co-written by Edwards. Producer Mike Hedges helped shape a more expansive style featuring strings, synthesizers, and anthemic rock arrangements.

The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and introduced the band to a much larger mainstream audience. Its singles included “A Design for Life,” “Everything Must Go,” “Kevin Carter,” and “Australia”; all four reached the UK Top 10.

It is sometimes mistaken for a Britpop album in the narrow sense, since it appeared during that movement’s peak. The Manics were Welsh alternative rockers whose music overlapped with Britpop but also drew from punk, glam, post-punk, and politically engaged songwriting.