Oasis B-sides !exclusive!
The Masterplan: Why Oasis B-Sides Formed the Greatest Second Album That Never Was
captures the raw, urgent energy of early Oasis. Built on a stolen melody from Wham!'s "Freedom," this track is a full-throttle rocker that many argue rocks harder than anything on the band's debut album. Its defiant spirit and blistering guitars make it a fan favorite from the Definitely Maybe era.
For Oasis, B-sides weren’t mere throwaways or remixes. They were a statement of prolific arrogance and creative fertility. At their peak, Noel Gallagher famously claimed he could release Definitely Maybe and its B-sides as a double album, and he wasn’t wrong. Many fans argue that the best Oasis tracks—songs that define their swagger, melancholy, and ambition—are hiding on singles, not albums.
To truly understand the depth of the Oasis catalog, one must look closely at the individual masterpieces hidden on the backs of their vinyl and CD singles. 1. "Acquiesce" (B-side to Some Might Say , 1995) oasis b-sides
Break down the like "Talk Tonight"
: Inspired by a brief period when Noel walked out on the band in Las Vegas, this acoustic track is an intimate look into the pressures of their sudden, meteoric rise to fame. 3. The Masterplan : The Ultimate B-Side Compilation
Born out of crisis, this acoustic track was written by Noel after he briefly walked out on the band during a disastrous 1994 US tour. It is a raw, vulnerable, and beautifully stripped-back song that features just Noel, his acoustic guitar, and occasional handclaps. It proved that Oasis could captivate listeners just as effectively without their wall of distorted electric guitars. 4. "Half the World Away" (B-side to Whatever , 1994) The Masterplan: Why Oasis B-Sides Formed the Greatest
A deeply personal acoustic song written by Noel about a traumatic experience where he almost left the band and met a girl in Las Vegas who helped him through it. It highlights the raw, stripped-back emotional honesty often missing from their louder tracks.
: A bittersweet, Burt Bacharach-inspired track that gained massive popularity as the theme for the TV show The Royle Family . Fan-Favorite "Hidden Gems" Every Oasis B-Side Ranked! - Mojo Magazine
: A high-energy anthem that was originally intended for Be Here Now but was swapped for "Magic Pie"—a decision fans still debate today. For Oasis, B-sides weren’t mere throwaways or remixes
For fans of Oasis, the "B-side" was rarely a throwaway instrumental or a rough demo. It was a "biblical" (as Liam Gallagher would say) extension of their swagger, a treasure trove of melodic rock, acoustic melancholia, and acoustic anthems that often surpassed the A-sides they accompanied.
: Well-known as the theme for The Royle Family , it was originally a B-side for "Cigarettes & Alcohol".
Had tracks like "Acquiesce," "The Masterplan," "Talk Tonight," and "Headshrinker" been held back for a proper third album, the narrative surrounding the band's late-90s output might have been vastly different. Instead, Be Here Now suffered from over-production and a lack of emotional nuance—qualities that the concurrent B-sides possessed in abundance. A Legacy Untouched
(B-side to "Cigarettes & Alcohol"): Featuring a soaring guitar solo and some of Noel's most poignant lyrics about isolation and destiny, many fans rate this above half of the tracks that actually made it onto Definitely Maybe . The Morning Glory Era (1995)