Cool Cymru was the name given to the explosion of Welsh talent which took Wales into the international cultural scene. Coined in the late stages of the 1990s, the term was applied to the new and exciting talent making a name for itself internationally.
Initially sparked by the popularity of bands like Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia and Stereophonics, it lead to the idea that Wales was an untapped vein of new and exciting talent.
Other talents in other cultural fields soon emerged, such as film maker Justin Kerrigan (Human Traffic) and fashion designer Julien Macdonald. It was a reaction to the staid and dated old guard of Welsh culture, as well as an expression of the growing confidence in Wales.
This confidence was engendered by the forming of the National Assembly and a growing sense of Welsh identity. During Wales' cultural resurgence, Newport in South Wales was briefly held to be the 'new Seattle' (a reference to that city's grunge boom in the 90s), and bands such as Super Furry Animals, 60ft Dolls and Big Leaves were expected to do great things.
In reality, however, the Cool Cymru period was short lived, and only a handful of bands from that time achieved anything of lasting impact. These days the term is considered to be a bit of a joke; a media creation following the similarly media-led mid-90s Cool Britannia period that encompassed the Britpop musical years.
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