It’s no coincidence, then. Oasis are reuniting for a UK and Ireland tour that could be one of the most lucrative of all time, with tickets being billed as “the hottest of the decade.”
But the question people ask is: why? The most obvious motivation is money.
Although both Gallagher brothers have established successful solo careers since their split in 2009, nothing they have done comes close to the kind of numbers potentially offered by the 14 reunion dates which include a run of four shows at Wembley Stadium.
Birmingham City University estimates the initial 14 dates could bring in £400m in ticket sales and other additional revenue, with Liam and Noel both in the running to earn £50m each.
According to Dr Matt Grimes, head of the Bachelor of Music Business at Birmingham City University, the brothers could double their net worth in a matter of weeks. “They are also considering expanding into Europe, which would allow them to earn even more,” he added.
Although ticket prices have yet to be revealed ahead of their sale this Friday, they are likely to be ten times higher than in 1995, when tickets cost £14 for their UK tour.
Despite splitting up 15 years ago, Oasis never really disappeared as an entity. The Gallagher brothers’ private lives have kept them in the tabloids, while anniversary releases have allowed their music to continue to have a second life on streaming services.
The 2016 documentary Supersonic rekindled interest in the band among older fans who lived through the original Oasis era and younger audiences who discovered the Gallaghers’ Mancunian insouciance, humour and self-mythology.
Writer and business expert Eamonn Forde says Oasis has a unique place in British culture.
“They’ve always been in the culture,” Forde says. “You could almost compare them to Abba or the Beatles, there’s always something happening that brings something back and attracts new listeners.”
“They’ve never monetized this nostalgia on this scale,” he added. “They’ll probably make more money from these concerts than they did in the entire 1990s.”
Oasis are following in the footsteps of many of their Brit Pop peers by reuniting, but it doesn’t always work out. Pulp have had several reunions over the years, while Blur reformed in 2009 and 2015 ahead of their summer shows in 2023.
Blur’s return to Wembley last year was a success, with tickets selling out in minutes and reviews overwhelming. But the reunion was fraught with tension within the band rising, as documented in the behind-the-scenes documentary To the End.
The Stone Roses, another Manchester band that paved the way for Oasis’s male indie music, are a cautionary tale. When they reformed in 2013, lifelong fan and filmmaker Shane Meadows was there to film the reunion, which fizzled out shortly after it began and led to the members quitting the band mid-tour.
Despite the fallout, Meadows’ documentary shows – perhaps better than any other film about music fans – why bands like the Stone Roses appeal to so many people. “You can’t write it down, can you?” says one fan Meadows speaks to. “There’s a reason I never wore a tie, there’s a reason I still listen to that first album once a week. It still gets me going.”
Oasis have an even greater emotional reach and cultural significance: their single Wonderwall has been streamed over a billion times, while in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing, mourning crowds sang Don’t Look Back in Anger.
But as with the Stone Roses, the personal dynamics within the band are unpredictable. The Gallagher brothers didn’t speak to each other for years after their split in 2009, and have been trading criticism in the press ever since: bookmakers are betting 4/1 on Oasis splitting before the end of the tour.
Forde believes that the well-known frictions may have led to watertight contracts with clauses that would make the separation of one of the brothers financially ruinous or insurance premiums incredibly high for all parties involved in the event of a split. But it is possible to find ways to ease tensions when so much money is at stake.
“You hear about all these bands that hated each other, whether it was The Eagles or Simon and Garfunkel, and only saw each other on stage once,” Forde said.
Another question that arises following the announcement is the line-up of the band. Original guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs toured with Liam Gallagher this summer, while Noel’s band – the High Flying Birds – includes former Oasis member Gem Archer who also played with Liam’s Beady Eye.
Whoever takes the stage will be part of one of the most anticipated – and potentially explosive – comebacks of all time.
