Oasis vs Blur

Oasis vs Blur is the defining British rock rivalry of the 1990s - a clash of classes, personalities, and musical philosophies that became known as the "Battle of Britpop" and captivated the UK music press and fans.

The Setup

Both bands emerged in the early-to-mid '90s as part of the Britpop movement - a reaction against American grunge that celebrated British guitar pop and working-class culture. But they represented completely different approaches.

Oasis was working-class Manchester - the Gallagher brothers (Liam and Noel) were brash, arrogant, and unapologetically laddish. They worshipped The Beatles, wrote massive anthemic rock songs, and had that "we're the best band in the world" swagger. They were straightforward, emotional, and populist.

Blur was art-school London - Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, and crew were more middle-class, ironic, and musically diverse. They were influenced by The Kinks, had clever lyrics with social commentary, and were more experimental. They represented a more sophisticated, self-aware version of Britpop.

The Rivalry Explodes

The beef was partly genuine animosity and partly media-manufactured drama, but it became HUGE:

- The music press (NME, Melody Maker) absolutely stoked the flames, pitting them against each other constantly
- There were genuine class tensions - working-class vs middle-class, North vs South, authenticity vs artifice
- The Gallagher brothers were quote machines who'd slag off Blur at every opportunity, calling them pretentious, middle-class poseurs
- Damon Albarn could be condescending about Oasis, suggesting they were musically limited Beatles copyists

The Chart Battle of 1995

The rivalry peaked in August 1995 when both bands released singles the same week:
- Blur: "Country House"
- Oasis: "Roll With It"

It became a national news story - which would reach #1? Blur won, selling more copies that week and hitting #1, while Oasis peaked at #2. It was treated like a sporting event, with the country taking sides.

Different Trajectories

Despite winning that battle, Oasis arguably won the war commercially:

Oasis's (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) became one of the best-selling British albums ever. Songs like "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger" became generational anthems. They became stadium-filling megastars, especially globally. Americans embraced Oasis more than Blur.

Blur had critical respect and UK success, but never achieved Oasis's worldwide domination. However, they were more artistically adventurous - their self-titled 1997 album was a grungier departure, and Damon went on to create Gorillaz and have a diverse, critically acclaimed career.

Personal Animosity

The Gallaghers genuinely seemed to despise Blur, especially Damon Albarn. Noel Gallagher said he hoped Damon and bassist Alex James would "catch AIDS and die." It was vicious, juvenile, and completely over-the-top.

Blur seemed less personally invested in the hatred, though they clearly enjoyed winding up Oasis and felt superior to them artistically.

Reconciliation (Sort Of)

Over the years, things have thawed considerably. Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher have made peace and even spoken warmly about each other. They've acknowledged the rivalry was partly pantomime and that both bands pushed each other to be better.

Liam Gallagher, true to form, has been slower to forgive and occasionally still takes shots.

Legacy

Oasis became working-class heroes and wrote some of Britain's most beloved rock anthems. They burned out spectacularly when the Gallagher brothers' relationship imploded in 2009 (though they're apparently reuniting for 2025 shows).

Blur proved more musically durable and adventurous, and Damon Albarn is now seen as one of Britain's most important musical figures across multiple projects.

The Verdict

It depends what you value:

- Massive anthems and cultural impact? Oasis
- Musical innovation and artistic longevity? Blur
- Entertainment value? The rivalry itself

It was brilliant theater, quintessentially British, and gave us great music from both sides. The UK music scene in the '90s was more exciting because of their beef.

15.8bn all-time streams (2 Nov '25)

4.6bn all-time streams (11 Nov '25)