Oasis B-sides High Quality • Updated

This is the story of the Oasis B-side: a legendary catalog of "forgotten" masterpieces that defined an era, fueled the Britpop phenomenon, and culminated in what many consider one of the greatest compilation albums of all time. The Genius of Noel Gallagher’s Hubris

: A melody-heavy track that proved Oasis could do sophisticated pop just as well as stadium rock. Why They Matter Today

Between 1994 and 1998—the band’s myth-making golden era—Oasis released a torrent of non-album tracks that weren't just good; they were often better than the A-sides. In the crowded pubs of mid-90s Britain, you weren't a true fan if you only owned (What's the Story) Morning Glory? . No, the real believers were the ones clutching the “Some Might Say” single, skipping the title track to blast the ferocious “Acquiesce.”

The band released over 50 original B-sides during their 1994-2009 run. That is approximately four full studio albums of material. While albums like Dig Out Your Soul had their moments, nothing compares to the run from 1994 to 1997. To make a list of the top 10 Oasis B-sides is to omit 15 other songs that would be any other band's career highlight.

These songs represent the myth of the 90s: that you could have so much talent that you literally had to throw away anthems because your album was too full. In a world of curated, minimal content, the excess of Oasis—the sheer volume of quality—is almost obscene. oasis b-sides

Oasis B-sides represent a time when the music industry had the budget and the creative "swagger" to bury masterpieces on the back of 7-inch vinyls. For the "parka monkeys" and casual listeners alike, these songs are the secret history of the biggest band of the 90s—the tracks that prove they were far more than just "Wonderwall."

It is lyrically superior to 90% of the Britpop canon. The strings swell like a lost Beatles track from Magical Mystery Tour . It is so beloved that the band eventually titled their 1998 B-side compilation album after it. The song proves that Noel Gallagher, for all his sneering bravado, was a soft-hearted romantic philosopher.

The B-sides of Oasis tell a different story than the albums. The albums were the polished, world-conquering statements; the B-sides were the raw, unfiltered soul of the band. They were where Noel allowed himself to be more experimental ("The Swamp Song") or deeply personal ("Talk Tonight").

The decline of the physical single marked the end of the B-side era. Today, artists release "Deluxe Editions" or "Bonus Tracks," but the specific romance of the B-side is gone. This is the story of the Oasis B-side:

(B-side to Cigarettes & Alcohol )

"The great thing about Oasis," Noel once said, "is that we never saw the B-side as a place to put the rubbish. If I wrote a song, it was going to be heard."

Between 1994 and 1997, Noel Gallagher wrote songs faster than the band could record albums. Rather than hoarding them for future albums, he released them immediately.

: Inspired by Noel nearly quitting the band in 1994, this raw acoustic track shows a vulnerable side rarely seen in their rowdy A-sides. In the crowded pubs of mid-90s Britain, you

Listen to Acquiesce , The Masterplan , Listen Up . If you have 30 minutes: Listen to The Masterplan album. If you want to be sad: Half the World Away , Talk Tonight , Let's All Make Believe . If you want to fight someone: Headshrinker , Fade Away , Stay Young .

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By 1998, the demand for these elusive tracks had reached a fever pitch, particularly in North America where UK import singles were expensive and difficult to find. To bridge the gap between Be Here Now and their next studio project, the band released , a 14-track compilation composed entirely of B-sides.

Here is a guide to the most essential Oasis B-sides that defined their peak era. The "Lost" Masterpieces