Oasis is reuniting: Here are 8 of the band’s most iconic moments

The go-to for almost every beginner guitarist, Oasis’ most famous song was released in 1995. It was written by Noel, who describes it as being about “an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself”. Wonderwall is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock tracks, being selected by Rolling Stone in 2021 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and being nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1997.

Several more of their popular songs, such as Don’t Look Back In Anger and Champagne Supernova, are in the same album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?.

As two of the biggest British bands of the time, comparisons (and by extension, clashes) between Oasis and Blur were inevitable, despite the fact that they had vastly different sounds. Although the rivalry was relatively friendly at first—with Damon Albarn of Blur stating that their Brit Award for Best Group should be shared with Oasis, and with Noel Gallagher complimenting Blur on several occasions—Albarn and the Gallaghers’ competitive nature served to escalate the feud.

At the time, fans of both Oasis and Blur were immensely dedicated and invested in the rivalry. This was only egged on by media outlets, who jumped at the opportunity to capitalise off of the fame of the two bands.

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Oasis has a long history with the Brit Awards, receiving a total of seventeen nominations and winning six awards from 1995 to 2010. In the 90s, Oasis would consistently show up to the Awards ceremony inebriated, much to the irritation of fellow attendees. The members would also make brazen digs at other people and bands while onstage, even when handing out awards.

The 1996 Brit Awards also saw the height of the rivalry between Oasis and Blur, where the Gallaghers taunted Blur by singing a parodic rendition of the Blur song Parklife.

The Knebworth Festival is one of the biggest concerts in England, having featured artists such as Elton John, Queen, and Pink Floyd. Oasis’ appearance in 1996 is widely regarded amongst fans as one of their best gigs, playing for an audience of 250,000 over two nights, making it the largest outdoor concert in UK history at the time. In 2021, a live album and documentary film of their set at Knebworth was released.

Oasis’ fifteen-year hiatus can be attributed to a backstage conflict between the two brothers at the Rock en Seine festival in 2009. The fight was the straw that broke the camel’s back after years of infighting, causing Noel to leave the group for good. He posted a statement on the group’s website saying the rift with his brother had become unbearable. Oasis was set to headline the festival in Paris, but their gig was cancelled before they even stepped foot on stage.

So what happened behind the scenes? According to Noel, the two traded blows in a vicious brawl before Liam took a guitar, wielded it like an axe, and smashed it to the ground. Noel described it as “a real unnecessary violent act”.

The younger Gallagher has always loved sporting a parka, with fans often cracking lighthearted jokes about it. One of his most famous parka looks is that of his appearance at the 2011 Isle of Wight festival. He performed with his short-lived band Beady Eye, wearing a huge coat with the Union Jack splashed across it.

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Hot Ones interviews celebrity guests while they make their way through ten rounds of chicken that gets progressively spicier. In 2019, the show featured Noel, and many fans of the band praised host Sean Evans for not asking about an Oasis reunion, as most interviewers typically do.

The Oasis fandom was awoken from its sleep with the announcement of an Oasis reunion tour next year. It came on August 27, the day before the fifteenth anniversary of the band’s split. Alongside this revelation was the first picture of Liam and Noel together in years.

The fourteen-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17 of 2025, beginning at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, before continuing at Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh, and concluding at Dublin’s Croke Park.

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