Oasis has claimed the No. 3 spot on the all-time UK album chart, overtaking The Beatles' iconic "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." This achievement marks a significant milestone for the band, whose 1995 album "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" has now accumulated 6.2 million UK chart units, combining sales and streams.
The updated all-time list was released on Wednesday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the weekly UK album chart. Oasis's album now sits behind Queen's "Greatest Hits" and Abba's "Gold."
Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in Oasis's music, partly fueled by a widely publicized worldwide reunion tour that featured many tracks from "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?", including "Some Might Say" and "Champagne Supernova." The album's hit single "Wonderwall" also experienced renewed popularity this summer, with England fans and players singing it during the World Cup in North America. Another prominent track, the ballad "Don't Look Back in Anger," gained particular significance after being sung at a vigil following the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
Despite its enduring popularity, "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" received mixed reviews from the British music press upon its release in October 1995. However, it went on to win best British album at the 1996 Brit Awards and has since proven its lasting impact.
In 2022, Queen's "Greatest Hits" became the first album to surpass seven million UK chart units. Since then, Abba's "Gold" has also breached this mark, creating an elite club of albums with such extensive commercial success. Other albums that have entered the all-time top 10 over the past decade include Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic "Rumours" and Bob Marley's best-of compilation "Legend."
Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, interim co-managing directors of the Official Charts, acknowledged Oasis's accomplishment. "Three decades on, its scale and influence remain extraordinary - a defining British record that continues to unite generations, fill stadiums and soundtrack lives," they stated in a joint release. Noel Gallagher, a songwriter for Oasis, was born just three days after The Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."