Gallagher could make more from Oasis reunion than ‘they made in the entire 90s’ | Oasis

So it’s certainly not impossible. Oasis are set to return for a UK and Ireland tour that could be one of the most lucrative tours ever, with tickets being touted as the “hottest of the decade”.

But the question people ask is why? The most obvious motivation is money.

Although the Gallagher brothers have built successful solo careers since their split in 2009, nothing they’ve done comes close to the kind of numbers that a 14-date reunion show, including four shows at Wembley Stadium, is likely to generate.

Birmingham City University estimates the initial 14 dates could generate £400m from ticket sales and other extras, with Liam and Noel each earning £50m.

Dr Matt Grimes, director of the BA Music Business course at Birmingham City University, said the brothers could double their net worth in a few weeks. “They’re thinking about going to Europe too, so they’re ready to earn more,” he added.

Although ticket prices have not yet been revealed ahead of their sales next Friday, they are likely to be ten times higher than in 1995, when tickets cost £14 on their UK tour.

Despite their breakup 15 years ago, Oasis has never really gone away. The Gallagher brothers’ private lives have kept them in the tabloid press, while anniversary releases have ensured their music continues to find a second life on streaming services.

The 2016 documentary Supersonic reignited interest in the group from older fans who lived through the original Oasis era and younger audiences who identified with Gallagher’s Manchester-based nonchalance, sense of humour and self-mythologising.

Oasis has a unique place within British culture, says business writer and author Eamonn Ford.

“They’ve always been present in the culture,” Ford says. “You can almost compare them to ABBA or the Beatles, there’s always something going on to remind and attract new listeners.”

“They’ve never capitalized on this kind of nostalgia on this scale before. They’re probably going to make more money from these concerts than they did throughout the ’90s,” he added.

Oasis are following in the footsteps of many of their British pop peers by reuniting, but it doesn’t always work out. Pulp have played a number of shows over the years, while Blur re-formed in 2009 and 2015 ahead of their summer shows in 2023.

Blur’s comeback shows at Wembley last year were a success, selling out in minutes and wowing critics. But the reunion was fraught with risks As tensions rise within the band,Behind the scenes of the documentary “Until the End” was shown.

A cautionary tale comes in the form of the Stone Roses, another Manchester band who paved the way for Oasis’s brand of youthful indie music. When they got back together in 2013, lifelong fan and filmmaker Shane Meadows was on hand to film the reunion, which went sour shortly after it began and led to the members walking out mid-tour.

Despite the fallout, Meadows’ documentary captures—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 spoke to. “There’s a reason I never wear a tie, and there’s a reason I listen to those songs.” [debut] “I listen to the album once a week. It still makes me tingle.”

Oasis has greater emotional appeal and cultural significance: their single Wonderwall was streamed More than a billion timesIn the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing, a mourning crowd erupted in a rendition of “Don’t Look Back in Anger”.

But like the Stone Roses, the personal dynamics in the group are unpredictable. The Gallagher brothers didn’t speak to each other for years after their split in 2009, and have traded barbs in the press ever since: bookmakers are offering 4/1 odds on Oasis breaking up before the end of the tour.

Ford believes that the well-known differences may have led to airtight contracts that include clauses that would make it financially difficult for either brother to walk away or impose incredibly high insurance premiums on all parties involved in the event of a split. But there are ways to ease tensions when so much money is at stake.

“I’ve heard about all these acts that hated each other, whether it was The Eagles or Simon and Garfunkel, and they didn’t see each other until they got on stage,” Ford said.

Another question looms over the band’s line-up announcement. Original guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs toured with Liam Gallagher this summer, while Noel’s group, the High Flying Birds, includes former Oasis member Jim Archer, who also played with Liam Biadie Eye.

Whoever takes the stage, it will be part of one of the most anticipated — and potentially explosive — comebacks ever.