Next up in our ongoing series of lists ranking the best songs from our favourite musical acts of all time, we take a look back at the discography of one of the biggest rock bands to ever come out of Great Britain (which is no small claim), Oasis.
In 1991, eyebrow model Liam Gallagher was playing lead tambourine in a Manchester group called the Rain, a rock four-piece also made up of guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, bassist Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll. The band gained little attention until Gallagher's brother Noel also joined the lineup, and the now quintet changed their name to Oasis.
Noel, in addition to being a gifted guitarist, brought with him an arsenal of self-penned songs that would later form the basis fo the group's widely celebrated first two albums. Gigging relentlessly, the band attracted the attention of the famed indie record label, Creation, home to such acts as Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, and Ride.
They released their debut record, Definitely Maybe, in August 1994 to rave reviews and huge sales. Coinciding with the chart success of a wave of other English bands, Oasis rose to the forefront of what the music press came to dub the 90's "Britpop" movement. Along with groups like Suede, Pulp, Elastica, and in particular Blur, Oasis became synonymous with the rise of this new Cool Britannia, and went from playing small club gigs to selling out arenas practically overnight.
The first of what would be many personnel changes for the band took place when Tony McCarroll was unceremoniously replaced with new drummer Alan White during the recording sessions for 1995's (What's The Story) Morning Glory? Selling over twenty million copies internationally, the album elevated the Gallagher brothers to household names in their native England. Stories of their rock star excess became the stuff of legend.
Following 1997's less well-received Be Here Now, both Pauls left the group and were replaced by Gem Archer and Andy Bell, the former lead singer/guitarists of Heavy Stereo and Ride, respectively. This incarnation of the band would record 2000's Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants and 2002's Heathen Chemistry, before Alan White would also depart.
With son of Ringo Starr, drummer Zak Starkey entering the fold, 2005's Don't Believe The Truth marked a slight resurgence, selling more than its two predecessors combined. Starkey's tenure with Oasis would prove short-lived though, as he left following the recording of what remains the band's final studio album, increasing their Spinal Tap quotient handsomely. 2008's unremarkable Dig Out Your Soul was followed by a tour with drummer Chris Sharrock, before internal tensions between the often warring Gallagher siblings apparently reached irreconcilable proportions, and Noel announced he was leaving the band in August 2009, effectively ending Oasis.
The remaining four members continued under the moniker of Beady Eye for a further five years, releasing two studio albums in 2011 and 2013. After their 2014 split, Andy Bell would reform Ride, and Liam Gallagher would embark on a solo career which has, thus far, seen the release of his debut album, 2017's As You Were. Noel Gallagher, meanwhile, went on to front a new band, the abysmally-named Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, who have released three moderately successful records to date.
While none of their post-Oasis work has resonated like in the halcyon days of the Britpop era, any professional reconciliation between Liam and Noel still appears unlikely as we approach 2019, despite band reunions having become de rigeur in recent years. Will it ever happen? It's not like they need the money. As such, despite almost guaranteed success, an Oasis reunion now seems about as likely as The Smiths or Talking Heads reconvening. Then again, we would've once said the same about the Pixies, who have now existed over a decade longer as a reunion act than they did in their actual culturally-relevant heyday. So maybe we should never say never.
In the meantime, Wet Thud takes this completely random occasion to look back at the defunct group's output, and count down our favourite forty tunes from the Manchester lads. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire Top 40 following number one below.
040. "Fuckin' In The Bushes" (album cut from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000)
039. "Shakermaker" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
038. "Up In The Sky" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
037. "The Girl In The Dirty Shirt" (album cut from Be Here Now, 1997)
036. "Little By Little" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
035. "Digsy's Dinner" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
034. "Fade Away" (b-side from the "Cigarettes And Alcohol" single, 1994)
033. "All Around The World" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
032. "Roll With It" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
031. "Rock 'N' Roll Star" (promotional single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
030. "Cast No Shadow" (album cut from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
029. "Love Like A Bomb" (album cut from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
028. "Stand By Me" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
027. "The Meaning Of Soul" (promotional single from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
026. "Gas Panic!" (album cut from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000; live version released as promotional single from Familiar To Millions, 2000)
025. "Hello" (promotional single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
024. "Married With Children" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
023. "Morning Glory" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
022. "The Masterplan" (b-side from the "Wonderwall" single; later released as a promotional single from the The Masterplan compilation, 1998)
021. "Half The World Away" (b-side from the "Whatever" single, 1994)
020. "Lyla" (single from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
019. "She's Electric" (album cut from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
018. "Cigarettes And Alcohol" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
017. "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
016. "Slide Away" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
015. "Songbird" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
014. "Talk Tonight" (b-side from the "Some Might Say" single, 1995)
013. "Acquiesce" (b-side from the "Some Might Say" single, 1995; later released as a single from the The Masterplan compilation, 1998)
012. "Whatever" (single, 1994)
011. "D'You Know What I Mean?" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
010. "The Hindu Times" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
009. "Go Let It Out" (single from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000)
008. "Champagne Supernova" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
007. "Don't Go Away" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
006. "Don't Look Back In Anger" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
005. "Some Might Say" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
004. "Columbia" (promotional single from Definitely Maybe, 1993)
003. "Wonderwall" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
002. "Live Forever" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
001. "Supersonic" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
*****text-only version of the list*****
###. "Song Title" (format from Album Title, original release date)
040. "Fuckin' In The Bushes" (album cut from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000)
039. "Shakermaker" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
038. "Up In The Sky" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
037. "The Girl In The Dirty Shirt" (album cut from Be Here Now, 1997)
036. "Little By Little" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
035. "Digsy's Dinner" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
034. "Fade Away" (b-side from the "Cigarettes And Alcohol" single, 1994)
033. "All Around The World" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
032. "Roll With It" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
031. "Rock 'N' Roll Star" (promotional single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
030. "Cast No Shadow" (album cut from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
029. "Love Like A Bomb" (album cut from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
028. "Stand By Me" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
027. "The Meaning Of Soul" (promotional single from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
026. "Gas Panic!" (album cut from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000; later released as promotional single from the live album Familiar To Millions, 2000)
025. "Hello" (promotional single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
024. "Married With Children" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
023. "Morning Glory" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
022. "The Masterplan" (b-side from the "Wonderwall" single; later released as a promotional single from the The Masterplan compilation, 1998)
021. "Half The World Away" (b-side from the "Whatever" single, 1994)
020. "Lyla" (single from Don't Believe The Truth, 2005)
019. "She's Electric" (album cut from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
018. "Cigarettes And Alcohol" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
017. "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
016. "Slide Away" (album cut from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
015. "Songbird" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
014. "Talk Tonight" (b-side from the "Some Might Say" single, 1995)
013. "Acquiesce" (b-side from the "Some Might Say" single, 1995; later released as a single from the The Masterplan compilation, 1998)
012. "Whatever" (single, 1994)
011. "D'You Know What I Mean?" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
010. "The Hindu Times" (single from Heathen Chemistry, 2002)
009. "Go Let It Out" (single from Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, 2000)
008. "Champagne Supernova" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
007. "Don't Go Away" (single from Be Here Now, 1997)
006. "Don't Look Back In Anger" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
005. "Some Might Say" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
004. "Columbia" (promotional single from Definitely Maybe, 1993)
003. "Wonderwall" (single from (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995)
002. "Live Forever" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
001. "Supersonic" (single from Definitely Maybe, 1994)
