What started as a whisper soon became a cacophony. As the August bank holiday weekend approached, the UK industry was abuzz with rumors that stadium dates had been booked and that the long gap between Noel and Liam Gallagher had been bridged. The following week (August 27) Oasis released a statement saying that a truce had been reached and they would reunite. “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The long wait is over,” they said.
But how exactly did the stars align? It's the question everyone wants the answer to, and as of publication, we're no closer to knowing. Apart from the revelation that the band will reunite to play a series of UK stadiums in 2025, there's been silence: no telling interviews or posts on Liam's unfiltered, often hilarious X (formerly Twitter) profile. After the announcement, Noel was cornered while out shopping by a cheeky young man who asked why the pair fell out. “Because he stole my teddy bear,” Noel replied hesitantly.
Maybe it's purely for emotional reasons. For years the pair hurled insults at each other through the press. Liam began calling Noel a “potato” and criticizing his “worldly pop” direction on his solo material. Noel gave as good as he got, saying he didn't listen to Liam's solo material because “I can't stand his voice” and renaming the younger brother's 2019 single 'Shockwave' as 'Shitwave'.
But eventually there was a softening. In a clip released alongside his 30th anniversary Sure MaybeNoel praised his brother's vocal performances on the record. Last spring, she left the gauntlet to Liam to sort out the reunion and stop the chatter: “He should get his people to call mine.” Apparently, the call worked.
Post-Covid, the 90s have never been so popular. The aesthetic of the decade – baggy clothes, long hair, middle parting – has permeated TikTok videos, as have the sounds of the generation of musicians who made it big in the era. Reunion shows for band contemporaries (and rivals) Blur and Pulp over the past two summers have been attended by both Gen Z and their parents. Social media users have made false links between the election of a Labor government at this year's general election and the return of Oasis. In 1997, Tony Blair capitalized on the Britpop movement and a left-wing Labor government was elected in a landslide. Noel was later seen hanging out at No. 10 with the elites he once idolized.
Liam, who remains an icon of youth despite his 51 years, has taken the initiative. Earlier this summer, he celebrated Sure MaybeIts 30th anniversary with a dedicated UK tour, playing the entire album. The tour was extremely successful, earning rave reviews and excellent ticket sales. Arriving at the final show of the series at Reading festival on August 25, he teased the upcoming reunion announcement during the show.
The trade opportunities for a reunion were probably overwhelming. Music industry expert Professor Jonathan Shalit the shows are estimated to generate £400 million in revenue for the team and promoters, including SJM Concerts and Live Nation. Noel and Liam are expected to clear £50m each after tax from these shows alone. Billboard Boxscore stated that a world reunion tour could “easily outsell and outsell the band's entire tour history”.
The band has already collaborated with fashion brands Levi's, Urban Outfitters and even Amazon for new merchandise. Streams of the band's back catalog are increasing following news of their announcement. The possibility of introducing a new demographic to the DSPs' back catalog will sweeten their existing power in physical media: a reissue of Sure Maybe is set to enter No.1 in the UK Albums Chart this week, dethroning Sabrina Carpenter's Short n'Sweet.
However, there have been setbacks. Last year, Noel announced that he and journalist Sara McDonald, his partner since 2000 and mother of two of his children, were separating. Reports earlier this year said Gallagher paid his ex-wife a £20million settlement. He also took ownership of their £8m London mansion.
There's potentially another major payday for Noel, the band's lead songwriter. In 2025, the publishing rights to the band's entire catalog – including “Don't Look Back In Anger” and “Wonderwall” – will reportedly revert to his ownership.
In recent years, there has been continued interest from record labels and investment firms like Hipgnosis in acquiring the rights to some of the most profitable catalogs in music. Queen recently sold their rights for an impressive £1 billion, while Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Katy Perry have also collected significant sums for their work.
A 2025 reunion would no doubt act as an exciting advertisement for the range and potential of these songs as they potentially go on sale. The opportunity to boost catalog streams – where much of the revenue will be generated – through a renewed front-end presence is a smart one. Liam, who didn't contribute a song until 2000's “Little James,” likely won't benefit from such a sale.
Despite the excitement and opportunity, Oasis have found themselves at the center of a storm. Ticketmaster's use of the controversial 'on-demand' dynamic pricing model meant fans were paying significantly higher prices than expected, particularly after queuing on the site for hours for a chance to buy. Some reported paying more than £350 for a ticket originally priced at £135. It has sparked outrage from fans, the industry and politicians, with the government and consumer watchdog the Competitions Market Authority saying they are “urgently investigating” the practice. The band has since responded by saying they were “unaware that dynamic pricing was going to be used”.
After 15 years of waiting, the reunion that the world has been waiting for has finally happened. Can Mr. Noel and Liam keep it together long enough for everyone to enjoy? Definitively. Perhaps…
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/oasis-reunion-2025-tour-live-1235768621/
