4 Britpop Classics To Celebrate 30 Years of Oasis’ Legendary Record, ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’

On October 2, 1995, Oasis returned with its second studio album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, catapulting the band to even greater heights, including in the United States, thanks to “Wonderwall”.

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Some critics at the time lamented how Oasis had traded the raw punk of Definitely Maybe for classic rock. But the album was a massive commercial success, with “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” enduring as defining songs of both the band and British music in the 1990s.

So let’s look at four additional tracks that also became Britpop classics as (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? turns 30.

“Some Might Say”

“Some Might Say” sounds like a sped-up interpretation of Grant Lee Buffalo’s 1993 alt-country tune “Fuzzy”. It also represents a period of transition for Oasis: the band’s first U.K. No. 1 single, and the last to feature original drummer Tony McCarroll. (His replacement, Alan White, recorded drums on the rest of Morning Glory.) “Some Might Say” feels closer in attitude to the punk leanings of Definitely Maybe, while Noel Gallagher’s acoustic demo shares its dusty spirit with the Grant Lee Buffalo song that inspired it.

“Hello”

Oasis understandably begin the Live ’25 reunion sets with “Hello”. After 15 years apart, when Liam Gallagher sings the hook, “Hello, it’s good to be back,” it’s enough to send the punters into a frenzy. It’s also the perfect way to open a second album. Especially considering how Oasis nearly broke up on its very first U.S. tour. Noel briefly quit Oasis after a disastrous gig in Los Angeles and traveled to Northern California without telling his bandmates. His time in San Francisco with a woman named Melissa Lim inspired one of the most beloved Oasis B-sides, “Talk Tonight”. Yet, the Gallagher brothers survived each other, which means the band also survived. Good to be back, indeed.

“Morning Glory”

While “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” get the most attention, Morning Glory is full of bangers. The title track echoes R.E.M.’s “The One I Love”; however, like many Oasis tunes, The Beatles’ influence remains ever-present. “Tomorrow Never Knows” gets namechecked, but the other interesting thing is how Noel often repeated verse lyrics on this album. Perhaps the band felt pressured to get a new record out quickly, or Noel just prioritized melody over words. Who knows? But the result is songs with endless hooks on an album full of anthems.

“Champagne Supernova”

Between recording sessions for Morning Glory, Oasis left to perform a run of festivals and, upon running into Paul Weller, played the Modfather rough mixes of the new album. Weller wanted to play on the title track, but Noel thought “Champagne Supernova” needed a guitar solo instead. The song runs past seven minutes, and even as Noel recorded the guide track for the rest of the band, he wasn’t sure how it would turn out. No one knew, which is why the lyrics to “Hello” remain poignant 30 years later. “Champagne Supernova” and its sampled waves offer the perfect bookend to “Hello” with a moment of calm before the peaking Britpop storm.

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