
Anyway, Heres Wonderwall (and 20 More of the Best Oasis Songs) The Gallagher brothers reunite for a sold-out UK tour in the latest example of the lucrative business of nostalgia. Plus: A dream set list.
By
Bryan Parys
September 24, 2024
Liam (left) and Noel Gallagher
Image has been modified. Original image courtesy of Shymanet (CC BY-NC 4.0)
First, a disclaimer: I have been a dedicated Oasis fan since I was in eighth grade, when my college-aged sister tossed a CD copy of (What's the Story) Morning Glory? at me and said, Listen to this and tell me if it's any good. (Confession: I never told her it was good so that I could hoard it for myself.) Since then, I can't tell you how many times I've had a recurring dream where the band asks the audience if anyone out there can play the guitar solo to Live Forever, only to see me jumping up and down, begging for the chance.
This all to say, I cannot be objective on this subject, and I can't believe my boss let me write this article. However, I promise the goal here is not to create Oasis stans, but rather to look at why the news of their reunion and tour has made headline news, despite the band not releasing any new music since 2008.
Oasis Was Never a Paradise A big reason the Oasis reunion tour announcement has been so popular is due to the contentious relationship between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher. Their sibling rivalry has been headline fodder since the release of their debut album Definitely Maybe in 1994, and has continued to make news all the way to the present.
When they released Morning Glory in 1995, their popularity grew to a global scale off the megahit singles Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, and Don't Look Back in Anger, which are still mainstays on radio and streaming (in fact, the hugely popular YouTube music critic Rick Beato recently explained why Champagne Supernova is the best Oasis song). However, the band's first North American tour was beset with fraternal spats, which led Noel to quit the band briefly at one point.
Their fraught tour should've halted their meteoric rise, as it soured many American listeners (believe me-I took constant flak for being a die-hard past the Wonderwall era). Their mythology as a swaggering rock band marked by clickbait-worthy drama kept them in the public eye, however, despite diminishing returns on their later albums, followed by what felt like a definitive breakup in 2009.
The Big Business of NostalgiaA broader explanation for the buzz around the reunion is, quite simply: nostalgia sells. Oasis is by no means the first band to recognize this, and they've been turning down highly lucrative offers to reunite basically since they split.
Berklee professor and musicologist Joe Bennett spoke with a radio program in the United Arab Emirates (Bennetts interview begins 22 minutes into the broadcast) on this topic, and pointed out that reunions on this scale have been happening for decades. He cited as notable examples the Eagles 1994 album and tour cheekily titled Hell Freezes Over and a one-off Led Zeppelin show in 2007, given that both bands had made it very clear years earlier that their breakups were definitive. ABBA kinda-sorta reunited in 2016-34 years after splitting up in 1982-when they announced a new tour . . . featuring hologram avatars rather than the actual band members.
You're very susceptible to the pop music from that formative period [of ages 12-25]. . . . The industry knows this . . . and Oasis are no more immune to those market forces than anybody else.
- Joe Bennett
Bennett explains that legacy tours like this sell so well because for their fans, it's a visceral reminder of the culture that existed as they were discovering their identities between the ages of 12 and 25. You're very susceptible to the pop music from that formative period, Bennett says, pointing out that, in psychological terms, this phenomenon is referred to as the reminiscence bump. He continues, the industry knows this, and can commercially mobilize around it, and Oasis are no more immune to those market forces than anybody else.
As someone who discovered Oasis within that reminiscence bump, it makes sense that I am absolutely ecstatic about this reunion-and the fact that somehow, in 2024, they broke Ticketmaster for their UK performances in a very similar way to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. However, if you ever indulged in the many jokes about Oasis just being Beatles rip-offs, but you're still planning to grab a ticket for this tour: As long as you let me get in that digital queue ahead of you, I won't look back in anger.
Oasis Set List Predictions and Personal PicksBefore we get to my dream set list, here are a few predictions and thoughts about how Oasis might sequence their reunion performances.
What They Will Open With Rock n Roll Star : First song off the first off album, and the line Tonight, I'm a rock n roll star is an overt and obvious mission statement. Musically, it opens with a definitive Noel guitar riff, with the rest of the band building up behind him for drama.
What They Should Open With Columbia: Also off the first album, but no one will expect it, so it'll pack a surprise punch. Also, the trancey four-on-the-floor beat allows the band to draw the crowd in, even for those unfamiliar with the song, all while building to some of Noel's most gripping lead work. Drawing more on the Stone Roses than the Beatles, it's an up-front declaration that the rock band you thought you knew can also groove.
What Will Come Next Acquiesce : What you follow your opening song with on a reunion tour is almost more important than the first song. The first song has a low bar because the moment the lights go down and the band walks out, the audience will already be losing their mind. The second song,
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
10/09/2026
Duff Foreman is an AI-generated announcer who will add color to this month's New Mexico Open...
10/09/2026
Bitmovin is rolling out Encoder Version 3, the next major release of the technology behind its VOD and Live Encoders. Version 3 is built on a premise every stre...
10/09/2026
At IBC2026, on booth 1.B47, Net Insight will showcase Open Live Media, its architecture for delivering resilient live media services across networks, partners, ...
10/09/2026
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and Scripps Sports have announced a national broadcast rights agreement for the 2026-27 season, a landmark par...
10/09/2026
The Trusted Partner Network (TPN), the global content security initiative powere...
10/09/2026
The NFL is launching its most expansive creator programming yet, bringing togeth...
10/09/2026
Sportsnet is set to deliver its biggest hockey season ever with a national sched...
10/09/2026
LiveU is now a Clarus Integrated Reseller, bringing Starlink's fast, reliabl...
10/09/2026
Mimir is the cloud-native media production platform built for teams that need to move media fast across live, archive, web, social, and broadcast workflows. At ...
10/09/2026
ATSC is being honored with a 2026 Technology & Engineering Emmy Award by the Nat...
10/09/2026
Audio-Technica has introduced the BP880R Contact Transducer, a specialized micro...
10/09/2026
TMRW Sports in partnership with the LPGA, today announced multiyear U.S. media rights agreements with ESPN and Scripps Sports/ION to bring WTGL, the new women...
10/09/2026
SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) in partnership with Major League Baseball and the Pit...
10/09/2026
Tennis Channel announced today its launch as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel.
Tennis Channel offers viewers a single home for Tennis Channel and Ten...
10/09/2026
Dolby has announced major updates to Dolby OptiView, its live sports platform, ahead of IBC 2026. The updates include new AI-powered intelligence to better unde...
10/09/2026
Dalet has appointed Brian Doheny as CEO. Doheny joined Dalet as President and Chief Revenue Officer in April 2026. Since joining Dalet, Doheny has led the compa...
10/09/2026
Sony, as well as its partner company Nevion, is starting IBC 2026 with a handful of announcements for attendees to see on the show floor.
Sony Announces the 4t...
10/09/2026
The six-year-old venue is expanding capabilities for NFL action, Super Bowl LXI, 2028 Summer Olympics
SoFi Stadium, as well as the surrounding area known as Ho...
10/09/2026
Editing, restoration & mastering suite upgraded Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editing restoration mastering software.
Acon Digital have just launched the la...
10/09/2026
Classic synths & drum machines available to play
Based in Reading, UK, Readipop are a music and arts charity with a long track record of innovative, partici...
10/09/2026
Popular model updated & new addition introduced
With many of the models in Neumann's KH family now boasting onboard DSP and support for the company'...
10/09/2026
Improved desktop interface announced
The latest iteration of Arturia's flagship desktop audio interface has just arrived, introducing improved preamps, ...
10/09/2026
Progress needs proof: Rohde & Schwarz showcases its trailblazing test solutions ...
10/09/2026
France launch follows UK and Germany as Nielsen expands product across EMEA
Paris, France, September 10, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measuremen...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/09/2026
Leading professional audio manufacturers NUGEN Audio, RTW, Steinberg and Telos Alliance have joined forces with Fraunhofer IDMT to establish a common approach t...
10/09/2026
Built Into Setplex's Zapflex Platform, AI Insider Turns Video Service Data Into Actionable Insights
Setplex today introduced AI Insider, a breakthrough new...
10/09/2026
Managed service changes dialogue without actor-specific training or facial rigging while preserving the original performance and fitting established post-produc...
10/09/2026
The ACT Entertainment tvONE and Green Hippo Pixel Academy has released its autumn course schedule, with hands-on training dates in September, October and Novemb...
10/09/2026
Orange Polska continues to Rely on Viaccess-Orca for Secure TV Services and the Next Phase of its Technology Evolution
Viaccess-Orca (VO), a global leader in T...
10/09/2026
Generate and create directly in your timeline with new AI-powered innovations in...
10/09/2026
Tedial is introducing Media Business Hub (MBH) at IBC 2026, a new business enablement platform designed to help media organizations unlock the full value of the...
10/09/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, will unveil the next phase of its transformation at IBC2026 with a preview...
10/09/2026
Fabric Data and TMT Insights today announced that the two companies are combining to create Fabric Insights, uniting authoritative data, purpose-built software,...
10/09/2026
Operative, the preferred advertising and broadcast management provider for the world's leading media brands, today announced a comprehensive slate of new pr...
10/09/2026
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, has announced the launch of its latest range of handheld signal generation, analysis and monitoring ...
10/09/2026
The partnership begins with native Zixi protocol support on the Kiloview D350 and will extend to deeper product integration and joint go-to-market initiatives
...
10/09/2026
Avid and FilmLight announce strategic partnership to reimagine the color pipelin...
10/09/2026
Maxon Brings Exclusive Preview of Fall Innovations to IBC2026
Brie Clayton September 10, 2026
0 Comments
IBC attendees will get the first look at new ...
10/09/2026
Puget Systems Launches Built Different by Puget Systems, A New Podcast That Go...
10/09/2026
Three Boston Conservatory Dance Alums Honored for Their Early-Career Promise India Hobbs and Demetrius Lee received Princess Grace Awards, while Lilly David t...
10/09/2026
MonoNeon Returns to Berklee to Kick Off Signature Series The Grammy-winning bassist and alumnus performs with students and faculty from the Planet MicroJam In...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...