Oasis

Oasis burst out of Manchester in 1994 and became the defining band of Britpop, channeling the spirit of the Beatles through a working-class lens of council estates and electric dreams. The Gallagher brothers — Noel's songwriting genius and Liam's sneering, effortlessly powerful vocals — created a partnership as volatile and productive as any in rock history. Definitely Maybe became the fastest-selling debut album in UK history, and its follow-up (What's the Story) Morning Glory? cemented their status as a generational phenomenon with Wonderwall and Don't Look Back in Anger becoming permanent fixtures of the cultural landscape. Oasis's sound was deceptively simple — layered guitars, soaring melodies, and lyrics that oscillated between cryptic poetry and lad-culture bravado — but its emotional impact was undeniable. Their rivalry with Blur defined mid-90s British culture, and their influence on guitar music in the UK remains profound. Even after their acrimonious split in 2009, Oasis's songs continued to soundtrack British life, and their legacy as the people's band endures.