Oasis (band) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oasis
Liam and Noel Gallagher performing in 2005
Background information
Origin	Manchester, England
Genres	Rock Britpop
Years active	1991–2009 2024–present
Labels	Creation Epic Columbia Sony Big Brother Reprise
Members	Liam Gallagher Noel Gallagher
Past members	Paul Arthurs Paul McGuigan Tony McCarroll Alan White Gem Archer Andy Bell

Oasis are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. The group initially consisted of Liam Gallagher (lead vocals), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan (bass guitar) and Tony McCarroll (drums). Liam asked his older brother Noel Gallagher (lead guitar, vocals) to join as a fifth member a few months later to finalise their formation. Noel became the de facto leader of the group and took over the songwriting duties for the band's first four studio albums. They are regarded as one of the defining and most globally successful groups of the Britpop genre.

Oasis signed to independent record label Creation Records in 1993 and released their record-setting debut studio album Definitely Maybe (1994), which topped the UK Albums Chart and quickly became the fastest-selling debut album in British history at the time. The following year, they released (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) with new drummer Alan "Whitey" White in the midst of a highly publicised chart rivalry with peers Blur, dubbed by the British media as the "Battle of Britpop". Spending ten weeks at number one on the British charts, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? was also an international chart success and became one of the best-selling albums of all time, the fifth-best-selling album in the UK and the best-selling album in the UK of the 1990s. The Gallagher brothers featured regularly in tabloid newspapers throughout the 1990s for their public disputes and wild lifestyles. In 1996, Oasis performed two nights at Knebworth for an audience of 125,000 each time, the largest outdoor concerts in UK history at the time. In 1997, Oasis released their highly anticipated third studio album, Be Here Now, which became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history but retrospectively was seen as a critical disappointment.

Founding members Arthurs and McGuigan left in 1999 during the recording of the band's fourth studio album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000). They were replaced by former Heavy Stereo guitarist Gem Archer on guitar and former Ride guitarist Andy Bell on bass guitar. White departed in 2004, replaced by guest drummer Zak Starkey, and later by Chris Sharrock. Oasis released three more studio albums in the 2000s: Heathen Chemistry (2002), Don't Believe the Truth (2005) and Dig Out Your Soul (2008). The group abruptly disbanded in 2009 after the sudden departure of Noel Gallagher. The remaining members of the band continued under the name Beady Eye until their disbandment in 2014. Both Gallagher brothers have since had successful solo careers. In 2024, Oasis announced that they would reform in 2025 for worldwide performances as part of the Oasis Live '25 Tour.

As of 2022, Oasis had sold over 70 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. They are among the most successful acts in the history of the UK singles chart and the UK Albums Chart, with eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums. The band also achieved three Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)-certified Platinum albums in the US. They won 17 NME Awards, nine Q Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards and six Brit Awards, including one in 2007 for Outstanding Contribution to Music and one for the "Best Album of the Last 30 Years" for (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. They were also nominated for two Grammy Awards.

History

1991–1993: Formation and early years

In 1991, bassist Paul McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs, drummer Tony McCarroll, and singer Chris Hutton formed a band called the Rain. Unsatisfied with Hutton, Arthurs invited and auditioned acquaintance Liam Gallagher as a potential replacement. Liam suggested that the band name be changed to Oasis, inspired by an Inspiral Carpets tour poster in the childhood bedroom he shared with his brother Noel, which listed the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon as a venue. Oasis played their first gig on 14 August 1991 at the Boardwalk club in Manchester, bottom of the bill below the Catchmen and Sweet Jesus. Noel, who was working as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets, went with them to watch Liam's band play. He and his friends did not think Oasis sounded particularly spectacular, but he began to consider the possibility of using the group as an outlet for a series of songs he had been writing for several years.

Noel approached the group about joining on the provision that he would become the band's sole songwriter and leader, and that they would commit to an earnest pursuit of commercial success. Arthurs recalled, "He had loads of stuff written. When he walked in, we were a band making a racket with four tunes. All of a sudden, there were loads of ideas." Under Noel, the band crafted a musical approach that relied on simplicity, with Arthurs and McGuigan restricted to playing barre chords and root bass notes, McCarroll playing basic rhythms, and the band's amplifiers turned up to create distortion. Oasis thus created a sound described as being "so devoid of finesse and complexity that it came out sounding pretty much unstoppable".

1993–1995: Breakthrough with Definitely Maybe

After over a year of live shows, rehearsals and a recording of a demo, the Live Demonstration tape, in May 1993, Oasis were spotted by the Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee. Oasis were invited to play a gig at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut club in Glasgow by Sister Lovers, who shared their rehearsal rooms. Oasis, along with a group of friends, hired a van and made the journey to Glasgow. When they arrived, they were refused entry as they were not on that night's set list. They and McGee have given contradicting statements about how they entered the club. They were given the opening slot and impressed McGee, who was there to see 18 Wheeler, and Sister Lovers, whose member Debbie Turner was a close friend of McGee's from his days frequenting the Haçienda in Manchester. McGee offered them a recording contract; however, they did not sign until several months later. Due to problems securing an American contract, Oasis signed a worldwide contract with Sony, which in turn licensed Oasis to Creation in the UK.

Following a limited white label release of the demo of their song "Columbia", Oasis went on a UK tour to promote the release of their first single, "Supersonic", playing venues such as the Tunbridge Wells Forum, a converted public toilet. "Supersonic" was released in April 1994, reaching number 31 in the charts. The release was followed by "Shakermaker", which became the subject of a plagiarism suit, with Oasis paying $500,000 in damages. Their third single, "Live Forever", was their first to enter the top ten of the UK Singles Chart. After troubled recording and mixing sessions, Oasis's debut album, Definitely Maybe, was released on 29 August 1994. It entered the UK Albums Chart at number one within a week of its release, and at the time becoming the fastest selling debut album in the UK.

Nearly a year of constant live performances and recordings, along with a hedonistic lifestyle, damaged the band. This behaviour culminated during a gig in Los Angeles in September 1994, leading to an inept performance by Liam during which he made offensive remarks about American audiences and hit Noel with a tambourine. Upset, Noel temporarily quit the band and flew to San Francisco (it was from this incident the song "Talk Tonight" was written). He was tracked down by Creation's Tim Abbot and they made a trip to Las Vegas. Once there, he was persuaded to continue with the band. He reconciled with Liam and the tour resumed in Minneapolis. The group followed up with the Christmas single "Whatever", issued in December 1994, which entered the British charts at number three.

1995–1996: (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, international success, and peak popularity

In April 1995, "Some Might Say" became their first number-one UK single. At the same time, McCarroll was ousted from the band. He said he was "unlawfully expelled from the partnership" for what he called a "personality clash" with the brothers. The Gallaghers were critical of McCarroll's musical ability, with Noel saying: "I like Tony as a geezer but he wouldn't have been able to drum the new songs." He was replaced by Alan White, formerly of Starclub and the brother of the percussionist Steve White, who was recommended to Noel by Paul Weller. White made his debut with Oasis on a Top of the Pops performance of "Some Might Say".

Oasis began recording material for their second album that May in Rockfield Studios near Monmouth. During this period, the British press seized upon a supposed rivalry between Oasis and another Britpop band, Blur. Previously, Oasis had not associated with the Britpop movement and were not invited to perform on the BBC's Britpop Now programme introduced by Blur's singer, Damon Albarn. On 14 August 1995, Blur and Oasis released singles on the same day, setting up the "Battle of Britpop" that dominated the national news. Blur's "Country House" outsold Oasis' "Roll with It" 274,000 copies to 216,000 during the week. Oasis' management argued that "Country House" had sold more because it was less expensive (£1.99 vs £3.99) and because there were two versions of the "Country House" single, with different B-sides, forcing fans to buy two copies. Creation said there were problems with the barcode on the "Roll with It" single case, which did not record all sales. Noel Gallagher told The Observer in September that he hoped members of Blur would "catch AIDS and die", which caused a media furore. He apologised in a formal letter to various publications.

Noel Gallagher played an Epiphone Sheraton guitar with Union Jack paintwork during the tour promoting (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.

McGuigan briefly left Oasis in September 1995, citing nervous exhaustion. He was replaced by Scott McLeod, formerly of the Ya Ya's, who was featured on some of the tour dates as well as in the "Wonderwall" video before leaving abruptly while on tour in the US. McLeod contacted Noel, saying he felt he had made the wrong decision. Noel replied: "I think you have, too. Good luck signing on." To complete the tour, McGuigan was persuaded to return.

Although a softer sound initially led to mixed reviews, Oasis' second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, was a worldwide commercial success, selling over four million copies and becoming the fifth-bestselling album in UK chart history. By 2008, it had sold up to 22 million copies globally, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album produced two more singles, "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger", which reached numbers two and one. It also contained "Champagne Supernova", which featured guitar and backing vocals by Paul Weller and received critical acclaim. The song reached number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In November 1995, Oasis played on back-to-back nights at Earls Court in London, the biggest ever indoor gigs in Europe at the time. Noel played a customised Sheraton guitar emblazoned with a Union Jack, commercially released as Supernova.

An aerial shot of the 125,000-person audience prior to one of Oasis's performances at Knebworth in 1996

On 27 and 28 April 1996, Oasis played their first headline outdoor concerts, at Maine Road football stadium, home of Manchester City F.C., of whom the Gallagher brothers had been fans since childhood. Highlights from the second night featured on the video ...There and Then, released later the same year (along with footage from their Earls Court gigs). As their career reached its zenith, Oasis performed to 80,000 people over two nights at Balloch Country Park at Loch Lomond in Scotland on 3 and 4 August, before back-to-back concerts at Knebworth House on 10 and 11 August. The band sold out both shows within minutes. The audience of 125,000 people each night (2.5 million people applied for tickets, and 250,000 were actually sold, meaning the possibility of 20 sold out nights) was a record-breaking number for an outdoor concert held in the UK and remains the largest demand for a show in British history.

Oasis were due to record an episode of MTV Unplugged at the Royal Festival Hall but Liam pulled out, citing a sore throat. He watched the performance from a balcony with beer and cigarettes, heckling Noel's singing between songs. Four days later the group left for a tour of American arenas but Liam refused to go; the band decided to continue the tour with Noel on vocals. Liam rejoined the tour on 30 August and on 4 September 1996, Oasis performed "Champagne Supernova" at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Liam made gestures at Noel during his guitar solo, then spat beer all over the stage before storming off. A few weeks later Noel flew home without the band, who followed on another flight. This event prompted media speculation that the group were splitting up. The brothers soon reconciled and decided to complete the tour.

1996–1999: Be Here Now and The Masterplan

Oasis spent the end of 1996 and the first quarter of 1997 at Abbey Road Studios in London and Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey recording their third album. Quarrels between the Gallagher brothers plagued the recording sessions. Be Here Now was released in August 1997. Preceded by the UK number one single "D'You Know What I Mean?", the album was their most anticipated effort, and as such became the subject of considerable media attention. Footage of excited fans clutching copies made ITV News at Ten, leading anchorman Trevor McDonald to intone the band's phrase "mad for it". By the end of the first day of release, Be Here Now had sold 424,000 units and first week sales reached 696,000, making it the fastest-selling album in British history until Adele released 25 in 2015. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the US, but its first week sales of 152,000—below expected sales of 400,000 copies—were considered a disappointment. Predominantly written by Noel Gallagher during a holiday with Kate Moss, Johnny Depp and Mick Jagger, Gallagher has since expressed regret over the writing process of Be Here Now, adding it doesn't match up to the standard of the band's first two albums.

Noel had been ambivalent about the album in pre-release interviews, telling NME, "This record ain't going to surprise many people." However, there was nobody around him to echo his reservations. "Everyone's going: 'It's brilliant!'" he later said. "And right towards the end, we're doing the mixing and I'm thinking to myself: 'Hmmm, I don't know about this now.'" When the album was released Oasis were woven into Britain's cultural fabric like no other band since the Beatles, and according to their former press officer Johnny Hopkins: "There were more hangers-on, constantly telling them they were the greatest thing. That tended to block out the critical voices." Dorian Lynskey writes, "If it couldn't be Britpop's zenith, then it must be the nadir. It can't be just a collection of songs – some good, some bad, most too long, all insanely overproduced – but an emblem of the hubris before the fall, like a dictator's statue pulled to the ground by a vengeful mob."

After the conclusion of the Be Here Now Tour in early 1998, amidst much media criticism, the group kept a low profile. Later in the year, Oasis released a compilation album of fourteen B-sides, The Masterplan. "The really interesting stuff from around that period is the B-sides. There's a lot more inspired music on the B-sides than there is on Be Here Now itself, I think," said Noel in an interview in 2008.

1999–2001: Line-up change and Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

In early 1999, the band began work on their fourth studio album. First details were announced in February, with Mark Stent revealed to be taking a co-producing role. Things were not going well and the shock departure of founding member Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs was announced in August. This departure was reported at the time as amicable, with Noel stating Arthurs wanted to spend more time with his family. Arthurs' statement clarified his leaving as "to concentrate on other things". Two weeks later the departure of bassist Paul McGuigan was announced. The Gallagher brothers held a press conference shortly thereafter, in which they assured reporters that "the future of Oasis is secure. The story and the glory will go on."

After the completion of the recording sessions, the band began searching for replacement members. The first new member to be announced was new lead/rhythm guitarist Colin "Gem" Archer, formerly of Heavy Stereo, who later claimed to have been approached by Noel Gallagher only a couple of days after Arthurs' departure was publicly announced. Finding a replacement bassist took more time and effort: the band were rehearsing with David Potts, but he quickly resigned, and they brought in Andy Bell, former guitarist/songwriter of Ride and Hurricane#1 as their new bassist. Bell had never played bass before and had to learn to play it (with Noel since saying, "I was amazed that Andy was up for actually playing the bass y'know, cos he's such a good guitarist"), along with a handful of songs from Oasis' back catalogue, in preparation for a scheduled US tour in December 1999.

With the folding of Creation Records, Oasis formed their own label, Big Brother, which released all of Oasis' subsequent records in the UK and Ireland. Oasis' fourth album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, was released in February 2000 to good first-week sales. It reached number one on the British charts and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard charts. Four singles were released from the album: "Go Let It Out", "Who Feels Love?", "Sunday Morning Call" and "Where Did It All Go Wrong?", which the first three were top five UK singles. The "Go Let It Out" music video was shot before Bell joined the group and therefore featured the unusual line-up of Liam on rhythm guitar, Archer on lead guitar and Noel on bass. With the departure of the founding members, the band made several small changes to their image and sound. The cover featured a new "Oasis" logo, designed by Gem Archer, and the album was also the first Oasis release to include a song written by Liam Gallagher, entitled "Little James". The songs also had more experimental influences. Standing on the Shoulder of Giants received lukewarm reviews and sales slumped in its second week of release in the US.

To support the record the band staged an eventful world tour. While touring in Barcelona in 2000, Oasis were forced to cancel a gig when an attack of tendinitis caused Alan White's arm to seize up. After a row between the two brothers, Noel declared he was quitting touring overseas altogether, and Oasis were supposed to finish the tour without him. Noel eventually returned for the Irish and British legs of the tour, which included two major shows at Wembley Stadium. A live album of the first show, called Familiar to Millions, was released in late 2000 to mixed reviews.

2001–2003: Heathen Chemistry

Oasis performing in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2002

Throughout 2001, Oasis split time between sessions for their fifth studio album and live shows around the world. Gigs included the month-long Tour of Brotherly Love with the Black Crowes and Spacehog and a show in Paris supporting Neil Young. The album, Heathen Chemistry, Oasis' first album with new members Andy Bell and Gem Archer, was released in July 2002. The album reached number 1 in the UK and number 23 in the US, although critics gave it mixed reviews. There were four singles released from the album: "The Hindu Times", "Stop Crying Your Heart Out", "Little by Little/She Is Love" which were written by Noel, and "Songbird", written by Liam and the first single not to be written by Noel. The record blended the band's sonic experiments from their last albums, but also went for a more basic rock sound. The recording of Heathen Chemistry was much more balanced for the band, with all of the members, apart from White, writing songs. Johnny Marr provided additional guitar as well as backup vocals on a couple of songs.

After the album's release, the band embarked on a successful world tour that was once again filled with incidents. In late summer 2002, while the band were on tour in the US, Noel, Bell and touring keyboardist Jay Darlington were involved in a car accident in Indianapolis. While none of the band members sustained any major injuries, some shows were cancelled as a result. In December 2002, the latter half of the German leg of the band's European tour had to be postponed after Liam Gallagher, Alan White and three other members of the band's entourage were arrested after a violent brawl at a Munich nightclub. Two years later Liam was fined around £40,000. The band finished their tour in March 2003 after returning to those postponed dates.

2003–2007: Alan White's departure and Don't Believe the Truth

Oasis began recording a sixth album in late December 2003 with producers Death in Vegas at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall. The album was originally planned for a September 2004 release, to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the release of Definitely Maybe, However, long-time drummer Alan White, who at this time had played on nearly all of the band's material, had been asked to leave the band. At the time, his brother Steve White stated on his own website that "the spirit of being in a band was kicked out of him" and he wanted to be with his girlfriend. White was replaced by Zak Starkey, the Who's drummer and the son of the Beatles' drummer, Ringo Starr. Though Starkey performed on studio recordings and toured with the band, he was not officially a member and the band were a four-piece for the first time in their career. Starkey played publicly for the first time at Poole Lighthouse.

A few days later, Oasis, with Starkey, headlined the Glastonbury Festival for the second time in their career and performed a largely greatest hits set, which included two new songs — Gem Archer's "A Bell Will Ring" and Liam Gallagher's "The Meaning of Soul". The performance received negative reviews, with NME calling it a "disaster". The BBC's Tom Bishop called Oasis' set "lacklustre and uneventful ... prompting a mixed reception from fans", mainly because of Liam's uninspired singing and Starkey's lack of experience with the band's material.

After much turbulence, the band's sixth album was finally recorded in Los Angeles-based Capitol Studios from October to December the same year. Producer Dave Sardy took over the lead producing role from Noel, who decided to step back from these duties after a decade of producing leadership over the band. In May 2005, after three years and as many scrapped recording sessions, the band released their sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth, fulfilling their contract with Sony BMG. It followed the path of Heathen Chemistry as being a collaborative project again, rather than a Noel-written album. The album was the first in a decade not to feature drumming by Alan White, marking the recording debut of Starkey. The record was generally hailed as the band's best effort since Morning Glory by fans and critics alike, spawning two UK number one singles: "Lyla" and "The Importance of Being Idle", whilst "Let There Be Love" entered at number 2. Oasis picked up two awards at the Q Awards: one People's Choice Award and the second for Don't Believe the Truth as Best Album. Following in the footsteps of Oasis' previous five albums, Don't Believe the Truth also entered the UK album charts at number one. To date the album has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.

Oasis performing live at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California in September 2005

In May 2005, the band's new line-up embarked on a large scale world tour. Beginning on 10 May 2005 at the London Astoria, and finishing on 31 March 2006 in front of a sold-out gig in Mexico City, Oasis played more live shows than at any time since the Definitely Maybe Tour, visiting 26 countries and headlining 113 shows for over 3.2 million people. The tour passed without any major incidents and was the band's most successful in more than a decade. The tour included sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden and LA's Hollywood Bowl. A rockumentary film made during the tour, entitled Lord Don't Slow Me Down directed by Dick Carruthers was released in October 2007. A second DVD included live footage from an Oasis gig in Manchester from 2 July 2005.

Oasis released a compilation double album entitled Stop the Clocks in 2006, featuring what the band considers to be their "definitive" songs. The band received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in February 2007, playing several of their most famous songs afterwards. Oasis released their first ever digital-only release, "Lord Don't Slow Me Down", in October 2007. The song debuted at number ten in the UK singles chart.

2007–2009: Dig Out Your Soul

The band's resurgence in popularity since the success of Don't Believe the Truth was highlighted in February 2008 when, in a poll to find the fifty greatest British albums of the last fifty years conducted by Q magazine and HMV, two Oasis albums were voted first and second (Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory? respectively). Two other albums by the band appeared in the list – Don't Believe The Truth came in at number fourteen, and the album that has previously been heavily criticised by some of the media, Be Here Now, made the list at no. 22.

Noel Gallagher playing live at the Bell Centre, Montreal in 2008

Oasis recorded for a couple of months in 2007 – between July and September – completing work on two new songs and demoing the rest. They then took a two-month break because of the birth of Noel's son. The band re-entered the studio on 5 November 2007 and finished recording around March 2008 with producer Dave Sardy.

In May 2008, Zak Starkey left the band after recording Dig Out Your Soul, the band's seventh studio album. He was replaced by former Icicle Works and the La's drummer Chris Sharrock on their tour but Chris was not an official member of the band and Oasis remained as a four-piece. The first single from the record was "The Shock of the Lightning" written by Noel Gallagher, and was pre-released on 29 September 2008. Dig Out Your Soul, the band's seventh studio album, was released on 6 October and went to number one in the UK and number five on the Billboard 200. The band started touring for a projected 18-month-long tour expected to last till September 2009, with support from Kasabian, the Enemy and Twisted Wheel. On 7 September 2008, while performing at Virgin Festival in Toronto, a member of the audience ran on stage and physically assaulted Noel. Noel suffered three broken and dislodged ribs as a result from the attack, and the group had to cancel several shows while he recovered. In June 2008, the band re-signed with Sony BMG for a three-album deal.

On 25 February 2009, Oasis received the NME Award for Best British Band of 2009, as well as Best Blog for Noel's 'Tales from the Middle of Nowhere'. On 4 June 2009, Oasis played the first of three concerts at Manchester's Heaton Park and after having to leave the stage twice due to a generator failure, came on the third time to declare the gig was now a free concert; it delighted the 70,000 ticket holders, 20,000 of whom claimed the refund. The band's two following gigs at the venue, on 6 and 7 June, proved a great success, with fans turning out in the thousands despite the changeable weather and first night's sound issues.

2009–2024: Split and aftermath

Oasis performing in Hong Kong in April 2009 during the Dig Out Your Soul Tour

After Liam contracted laryngitis, Oasis cancelled a gig at V Festival in Chelmsford on 23 August 2009. The band were due to perform on 28 August 2009 at the Rock en Seine festival near Paris, however mid-way through Bloc Party's set at the festival their frontman Kele Okereke (alongside Bloc Party tour manager Peter Hill) announced that Oasis would not be performing. Two hours later, a statement from Noel appeared on the band's website:

It is with some sadness and great relief ... I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.

Liam and the remaining members of Oasis decided to continue under the name Beady Eye, releasing two studio albums until their break-up in 2014. Liam started a solo career and has released three studio albums, with Arthurs joining him occasionally on tour. Noel formed a solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and has released four studio albums, with Sharrock and Archer later joining as members. Bell reunited with former band Ride.

On 16 February 2010, Oasis won Best British Album of the Last 30 Years – for (What's the Story) Morning Glory? – at the 2010 Brit Awards. Liam collected the award alone before presenting his speech, which thanked Bonehead, McGuigan and Alan White but not Noel, and throwing his microphone and the band's award into the crowd; he later defended his actions. Time Flies... 1994–2009, a compilation of singles, was released on 14 June 2010. It became the band's final album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. A remastered 3-disc version of Definitely Maybe was released on 19 May 2014.

Liam Gallagher and Paul Arthurs at the Berlin premiere of the 2016 documentary Oasis: Supersonic

A documentary titled Oasis: Supersonic was released on 26 October 2016, which tells the story of Oasis from their beginnings to the height of their fame during the summer of 1996. Another concert documentary film was released in September 2021, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Oasis's two record breaking concerts at Knebworth Park in August 1996. A new demo recording, "Don't Stop...", previously only known from a recording during a soundcheck in Hong Kong, was rediscovered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was released on 3 May 2020; it passed 1 million views on YouTube that morning and reached number 80 on the UK Singles Chart based on streaming alone.

2024–present: Reunion and Oasis Live '25 Tour

By early 2023, both Gallagher brothers expressed interest in reuniting the band if it was done on the right terms. On 27 August 2024, almost 15 years to the date of their 2009 split, Oasis announced that they would reform for performances in the UK and Ireland in July and August 2025, stating "The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised." Shortly after the announcement of the reunion, it was rumoured that former member Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs and the members of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds would perform alongside the two brothers. As time went on, it became rumored that Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Zak Starkey also would be involved. Former drummer Alan White also teased his involvement in the reunion, although his involvement was denied by Liam Gallagher. Original drummer Tony McCarroll stared he does not think that he will be back but did wish the band succes with reunion tour. Liam Gallagher also teased on X that new members could join the band on tour, which led to speculation that R.E.M. and Beck drummer Joey Waronker, who had previously toured with Liam, would be the new drummer for Oasis.

On 30 August 2024, following the news of the reunion, Oasis released the 30th anniversary edition of their debut album Definitely Maybe. A week later the album charted at number 1 in the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100, 30 years after its release along with Time Flies and Morning Glory which rose to number 3 and 4 in the charts. Three more Oasis albums also entered the top 100 in the charts, The Masterplan at number 41, Be Here Now at number 42 and Heathen Chemistry at number 97. Oasis's single "Live Forever" charted at number 8 in the UK Official Singles Chart Top 40, two places higher than it originally finished in 1994, along with "Don't Look Back In Anger" which reached number 9 and "Wonderwall" which reached number 11.

Although no new album from the band has been confirmed, Liam Gallagher has teased new music on X. On 7 September 2024, he said a new Oasis album is "already finished" and that he has been blown away by the music his brother had written. Subsequently, Gallagher claimed to have been joking about a new Oasis album.

The band also added American, Australian and Asian dates to their touring schedule in 2025.

Musical style and influences

Musically, Oasis have been regarded as a rock, Britpop, and power pop band. Oasis were most heavily influenced by the Beatles, an influence that was frequently labelled as an "obsession" by British media. The band were also strongly influenced by the other 1960s British Invasion acts, including the Hollies, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Small Faces and the Who. In addition, members of Oasis have cited AC/DC, Acetone, Burt Bacharach, Beck, Bee Gees, David Bowie, Buzzcocks, the Damned, the Doors, Bob Dylan, Peter Green–era Fleetwood Mac, Grant Lee Buffalo, Happy Mondays, Jimi Hendrix, Humble Pie, Inspiral Carpets, the Jam/Paul Weller, Joy Division/New Order, the La's, Led Zeppelin, MC5, Mercury Rev, Motörhead, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Sex Pistols, Slade, the Smiths, the Specials, the Stone Roses, the Stooges, T. Rex, Talking Heads, U2, the Verve, the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed, and Neil Young, as an influence or inspiration.

Oasis albums consistently featured loud tracks characterized by nasal vocals. These dynamic Britpop compositions stood in stark contrast to the more polished pop tunes of Blur, their chart rivals. Especially in their early years, Oasis' musical style and lyrics were grounded in the working-class backgrounds of Liam and Noel. The brothers became known for their rebellious demeanor, self-assured personalities, and sibling rivalry, these characteristics garnered media interest from the band's beginnings and endured throughout their entire career.

Legacy and influence

Despite parting ways in 2009, Oasis remain hugely influential in British music and culture and are now recognised as one of the biggest and most acclaimed bands of the 1990s. They are widely recognized as one of the spearheads of Britpop, which has claimed a prominent place in the British musical landscape. With their record breaking sales, concerts, sibling disputes, and their high-profile chart battle with Britpop rivals Blur, Oasis were a major part of 1990s UK pop culture, an era dubbed Cool Britannia. Many bands and artists have cited Oasis as an influence or inspiration, including Arctic Monkeys, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Deafheaven, the Killers, Alvvays, Maroon 5, Coldplay, and Ryan Adams.

The band's success also helped local businesses. Pete Caban, owner of Bandwagon Music Supplies in Perth, Scotland, which closed in 2020 after 37 years in business, said: "The highlight years were the mid-90s to the early 2000s. That was the peak period. The Oasis period, as I call it, where everyone wanted to buy a guitar. That was the game changer for music and for me here in Perth. I was shovelling guitars out the door at the point. So hurrah for Noel Gallagher."

In 2007, Oasis were one of the four featured artists in the seventh episode of the BBC/VH1 series Seven Ages of Rock – an episode about British indie rock – along with Britpop peers Blur in addition to the Smiths and the Stone Roses.

In 2023, an unofficial music project by the name of AISIS was the first full-length album to use AI vocals. The project was a success and attracted more than half a million views within six weeks of publication, including multiple newspaper articles written about it, and brought Breezer, the band that created the project, out of obscurity and landed them with prestigious live dates. Bobby Geraghty and his Breezer bandmates wrote original Oasis-style songs and then used AI to create audio deepfakes based on Liam Gallagher's voice alongside their original instrumentation. Liam himself approved of the album, saying that he "sounded mega".

Oasis were nominated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their sixth year of eligibility in February 2024. Initially, the members included in the nomination were the Gallagher brothers, McGuigan, White, Arthurs, McCarroll, Archer, and Bell.

Band members

Current members

• Liam Gallagher – vocals, tambourine (1991–2009, 2024–present); acoustic guitar (2001–2002, 2007–2008)
• Noel Gallagher – lead guitar, vocals (1991–2009, 2024–present); rhythm guitar (1991, 1999–2009, 2024–present); keyboards (1995–2009); bass (1993–1994, 1995, 1999)

Former members

• Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs – rhythm guitar (1991–1999); lead guitar (1991); keyboards (1994–1997); bass (1995)
• Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan – bass (1991–1995, 1995–1999)
• Tony McCarroll – drums (1991–1995)
• Alan "Whitey" White – drums, percussion (1995–2004)
• Gem Archer – rhythm and lead guitar (1999–2009); backing vocals (2002–2003); keyboards (2002–2005); harmonica (2005–2009)
• Andy Bell – bass (1999–2009); rhythm guitar (2003–2009); keyboards (2007–2009)

Former touring members

• Scott McLeod – bass (1995)
• Mike Rowe – keyboards (1997–2000, 2001)
• Matt Deighton – rhythm guitar (2000)
• Zeb Jameson – keyboards (2000–2001)
• Steve White – drums, percussion (2001)
• Jay Darlington – keyboards (2002–2009)
• Zak Starkey – drums, percussion (2004–2008)
• Chris Sharrock – drums, percussion (2008–2009)

Timeline

Touring timeline

Discography

• Definitely Maybe (1994)
• (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
• Be Here Now (1997)
• Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000)
• Heathen Chemistry (2002)
• Don't Believe the Truth (2005)
• Dig Out Your Soul (2008)

Concert tours

• Definitely Maybe Tour (1994–1995)
• (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Tour (1995–1996)
• Be Here Now Tour (1997–1998)
• Standing on the Shoulder of Giants Tour (1999–2001)
• The Tour of Brotherly Love (2001)
• 10 Years of Noise and Confusion Tour (2001)
• Heathen Chemistry Tour (2002–2003)
• Don't Believe the Truth Tour (2005–2006)
• Dig Out Your Soul Tour (2008–2009)
• Oasis Live '25 Tour (2025)

Awards and nominations

• Brit Awards: 6 wins from 18 nominations, including Outstanding Contribution to Music and Best Album of the Last 30 Years for "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?".
• Grammy Awards: 2 nominations, including Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song.
• NME Awards: 17 wins from 26 nominations.
• Q Awards: 9 wins from 19 nominations.
• MTV Europe Music Awards: 4 wins from 4 nominations.
• Ivor Novello Awards: 2 wins from 3 nominations.

Oasis has also been recognized by other award bodies, such as the MTV Japan Awards, UK Video Music Awards, and the Mercury Prize.

See also

In Spanish: Oasis (banda) para niños