How many number ones did Oasis have?
In a list of the most iconic artists of all time, you wouldn’t have to scroll far down to see the name Oasis. There is arguably no other act as defining of the 1990s. Even if you were on the Blur team, the two went hand in hand with the Battle Of Britpop, marking the biggest moment in British guitar music since the breakout of The Beatles. Offering up timeless hit after timeless hit, the band are now legendary – but did that translate to the charts?
By now, we know well that the two often aren’t tied. Sales and cultural power often don’t correspond at all. Some of the best artists to grace music have been somewhat failures by commercial standards. Some of the best albums ever made have flopped in the sales department. Some of the best songs ever penned weren’t even singles as record labels didn’t think they’d do the numbers necessary, despite their quality.
I guess it was different back then. The charts, by now, feel beside the point when things like streaming services and even social media platforms have forever changed how we engage with music. But in decades past, when everything had to be bought, the weekly ranking genuinely was more representative of what people were listening to. It was also more of an event. Fans rallied behind their favourite artists, allowing things like Blur and Oasis’ chart battle to happen as people went out in droves to buy the single and support their side. Now, maybe they’d add it to a playlist, post about it on their Instagram story and call it a day.
So in the 1990s, the charts were more reflective. Acts dominated cultural conversation would storm to the top, and Oasis, as the kings of Britpop, had music talk in a choke hold.
So naturally, they dominated the charts too. From the start to the moment they called it quits, Oasis managed eight number one singles. Beyond that, they had 23 top 10 singles. They also matched it with albums as they also had eight number one LPs too. All in all, the band spent over 60 weeks in the top 10, and that success spanned two decades.
What was Oasis’ first number one?
Oasis came out of the gate swinging. Emerging at exactly the perfect moment, they captured the wave of new obsession with guitar music, being one of the first surfers of the Britpop moment. However, while their debut made them a phenomenon, it took the charts a second to catch up. They didn’t get their first number one until their sophomore release.
‘Some Might Say’ was their first chart topper, and the first single from their second album, when the band were making the step up from new kids on the block to huge, culture-defining players. After that, it was a golden run where every new record brought a new chart success, with their most recent number one coming in 2005 with ‘The Importance Of Being Idle’.
Was ‘Wonderwall’ ever number one?
There are some surprises, though. When thinking about the band’s biggest hits, they didn’t all perform on the charts. ‘Supersonic’ peaked at 31. ‘Roll With It’ got stuck at number two. ‘Morning Glory’ didn’t even make the top 100.
But the biggest shock is ‘Wonderwall’. Given that it’s one of the most well-known songs ever written, it’s surprising to know that it never hit the top of the charts. Instead, it peaked in second place and never crept over the line for the number one trophy.
