Oasis

Oasis, British rock band that helped give rise to the so-called Britpop sound that was popular in the United Kingdom during the 1990s. Led by the tempestuous and often fractious brothers vocalist Liam Gallagher and guitarist and chief songwriter Noel Gallagher, the group achieved immense commercial success and critical acclaim, drawing comparisons to legendary predecessors such as the Beatles and the Who. The band is known for its timeless hits such as “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and “Live Forever.”

Formation

Oasis was formed in Manchester, England, in 1991. Originally called the Rain, the band comprised Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs on guitar, Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan on bass, and Tony McCarroll on drums. Liam Gallagher was brought in as vocalist, and the band became Oasis. Gallagher’s elder brother Noel, who had been playing guitar since age 13, agreed to join the band after he returned from touring as roadie for the band Inspiral Carpets. His enlisting, however, was dependent on his having full control, and for the next two years he put the group, which he thought terrible, through its paces until it reached his standards.

Definitely Maybe

In 1993, during one of Oasis’s live shows in Glasgow, Scotland, Alan McGee, who was a cofounder of Creation Records, a British independent label, happened to be in attendance. He was so impressed with Oasis’s performance that he offered the group a contract. The band released its debut album, Definitely Maybe, the next year to rave reviews. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it “a furious, inspiring record, a rallying cry for the downtrodden to rise above and seize their day but, most of all, it’s a blast of potent, incendiary rock & roll.” The album went straight to number one on the U.K. album charts and became the fastest-selling debut record in the United Kingdom at the time. Oasis also won the best British newcomer award at the 1995 Brit Awards, England’s equivalent of the American Grammys. Already tensions between the Gallagher brothers were apparent during the tour in support of the album, however, and Noel briefly quit the band between the U.S. and U.K. legs.

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(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

Oasis’s sophomore album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, was released in 1995, with Alan White replacing McCarroll on drums. The first two singles, “Some Might Say” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” reached number one on the U.K. singles charts, but “Wonderwall,” which peaked at number two, became the band’s most enduring ballad. With its relatable lyrics and catchy melody, it was Oasis’s biggest single in the United States; it was the only one to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at number eight in 1996). Meanwhile, Morning Glory won the 1996 Brit Award for best British album and earned Oasis the best British group award. The record also reached number four on the Billboard albums chart and topped the charts in several other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Canada.

Be Here Now and Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

When Oasis’s third album, Be Here Now, was released in 1997, it became the fastest-selling album in the United Kingdom, selling 696,000 copies in three days of its first chart week. It peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 26 weeks. The Gallagher brothers, however, continued to draw headlines for their quarreling, drug and alcohol use, and boorish behavior. During the recording of Oasis’s fourth album in 1999, two of the band’s founding members, guitarist Arthurs and bassist McGuigan, left the group within weeks of each other. They were replaced by Gem Archer and Andy Bell, respectively, and the album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was released the following year.

Later records and breakup

Subsequent Oasis studio albums included Heathen Chemistry (2002), Don’t Believe the Truth (2005), and Dig Out Your Soul (2008). Drummer White left the band in 2004 and was replaced by guest drummers Zak Starkey, son of former Beatle Ringo Starr, and then Chris Sharrock. In 2009 the Gallagher brothers had a backstage argument at the Rock En Seine festival in Paris. The show was canceled, and that evening Noel issued a statement: “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that 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.”

Going solo

The breakup was lasting, and the Gallagher brothers went their separate ways in subsequent years, though both continued making records and performing live. With the remaining members of Oasis, Liam formed Beady Eye, which released two studio albums, Different Gear, Still Speeding (2011) and Be (2013). He then began a solo career which included the studio records As You Were (2017), Why Me? Why Not. (2019), and C’Mon You Know (2022). He also collaborated with former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire on a self-titled record in 2024. Meanwhile, his brother formed his own band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, which released a self-titled studio record in 2011 followed by the studio albums Chasing Yesterday (2014), Who Built the Moon? (2017), and Council Skies (2023).

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Reunion and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Oasis fans, nonetheless, long hoped for a reunion, and after some 15 years of speculation, the Gallagher brothers announced in 2024 plans for a 2025 summer tour across the United Kingdom. They later added dates for the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Alluding to the band’s notoriously fraught history, the original press release read, “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

In 2026 Oasis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year saw the release of the documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, which features concert footage and explores the Gallagher brothers’ tumultuous relationship.