The imperial phase is the period in which a musical artist is regarded to be at their commercial and creative peak simultaneously. [1] [2] The phrase was coined by Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys to describe the group's feelings on their career circa "Domino Dancing" (1988). [3]
"Imperial phase" has since been applied by pop music critics and fans to the creative output of artists. [4] For example, Uncut journalist Michael Bonner identified 1973–1979 as Pink Floyd's imperial phase. [5] While its original usage implied that an imperial phase was a one-time occurrence for a single artist, artists have been referred to as having multiple imperial phases. [1] [6] The term may also be applied to non-musical entities, such as film studios. [7]
Pitchfork critic Tom Ewing described three criteria for defining an artist's imperial phase: "command, permission, and self-definition". He defined "command" as an artist's ability to push the boundaries of their medium in a way that produces lasting change. "Permission" is the public's goodwill toward and interest in the artist's work. Finally, "self-definition" is the concept that the imperial phase defines the rest of the artist's career; future works will be compared to those from the imperial phase. [1]
Aubrey Powell is reflecting on Pink Floyd's imperial phase: the enormous successes of Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall.
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