Sugar

Having already left an indelible mark on rock’s evolution with Hüsker Dü, Bob Mould formed Sugar in late 1991 with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis, debuting live the following year at Athens, GA’s 40 Watt Club. Their now-classic debut, Copper Blue, was named NME’s 1992 “Album of the Year,” earning worldwide acclaim for its melodic strength and cathartic popcraft on songs like “A Good Idea,” “Helpless,” and the MTV favorite “If I Can’t Change Your Mind.” The trio quickly rose to larger stages, including a show-stealing performance at London’s Great X-pectations Festival in Finsbury Park. With momentum high, Sugar released Beaster in 1993, debuting at #3 on the UK Albums Chart and #4 on Billboard’s Heatseekers in the US. Though recorded during the Copper Blue sessions, the six-song mini-album revealed a darker, more visceral energy on tracks like “Judas Cradle” and “JC Auto.” Their second full-length, 1994’s File Under: Easy Listening, again hit the UK top 10 and broke into the upper reaches of the Billboard 200. Expanding their sonic palette with songs like the country-tinged “Believe What You’re Saying” and the fiery “Gee Angel,” Sugar continued to balance melody and power with unrestrained intensity. Despite their success, the band dissolved after a Japanese tour in early 1995. In the decades since, live albums, reissues, and anthologies have only amplified Sugar’s enduring legacy as masters of high-volume, guitar-driven rock.