Beck, born in Los Angeles in 1970, has spent three decades moving between sample-heavy alternative rock, acoustic folk, and pop without ever repeating himself. Odelay (1996), produced with the Dust Brothers, is the classic; Sea Change (2002) and the Grammy-winning Morning Phase (2014) show the quieter side. Browse Beck vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Bek David Campbell was born in Los Angeles on July 8, 1970. He performed in New York and Los Angeles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, releasing the viral single Loser in 1993 (Bong Load) before signing with DGC/Geffen. His major-label debut Mellow Gold (1994) and breakthrough Odelay (1996, produced with the Dust Brothers) established him as one of the defining figures of 1990s alternative music. He has since released through Interscope and Capitol, with his catalog moving fluidly between sample-based hip hop hybrids, acoustic folk records (Mutations, Sea Change, Morning Phase), and pop-oriented projects (Colors, Hyperspace).
Beck's catalog spans an unusually wide stylistic range: alternative rock, folk, hip hop, electronic, country, funk, and pop. His work is characterized by genre-blending arrangements, sample-based production techniques, and lyrics that combine surrealism with confessional songwriting. Producers across his catalog include the Dust Brothers, Nigel Godrich, Greg Kurstin, and Pharrell Williams.
Geffen/DGC and Capitol pressings of the Beck catalog have been issued in multiple anniversary editions, color variants, and box sets. Odelay and Sea Change in particular have appeared in deluxe reissues with bonus material.
Listeners new to Beck typically start with Odelay (1996), Sea Change (2002), or Morning Phase (2014).
