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'Oasis beat Blur in long-term Britpop war', claims music industry stats

PRS For Music figures claim more people listen to Noel than Damon

July 8, 2009 | 29 Comments
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Oasis have won the long-term Britpop battle with Blur, PRS For Music has claimed.

The organisation that collects royalties for songwriters, say their figures suggest despite Damon Albarn and co beating the Gallaghers to the UK Number One single spot in August 1995 – when 'Country House' outsold 'Roll With It' after they were released on the same day – it's the northern band who have enjoyed the most exposure since.

Based on PRS' research, Oasis have been listened to more than Blur over the last 14 years when both band's total listens are compared head-to-head.

As a percentage of both groups' combined total plays, the following songs have proved the most popular:

Oasis – 'Wonderwall', 68%
Oasis – 'Roll With It', 12%
Blur – 'Country House', 10%
Oasis – 'Some Might Say', 7%
Blur – 'Beetlebum', 3%

“With Blur performing some storming gigs and Oasis' back on tour it’s like the heyday of Britpop once again," explained Steve Porter, Chief Executive PRS For Music. "These new figures showing that despite Blur winning the original battle, Oasis wins long-term by number of plays. However with both bands still working and their music being widely played the battle continues.”

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Comments (29)

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lipgloss

Jul 8, 2009

There'll always be room for both bands in the history of British music, both amazing in their own right!!

Museician

Jul 8, 2009

Hopefully this wil make everyone realise that the Britpop wars was just a stupid marketing gimmick from half arsed record labels.

aphexbin

Jul 8, 2009

Well duh- yes blur had the number one single in 1995, but who sold more albums, by a long way?Everyone knows blur won the battle but oasis clearly won the war

possitive mental attitude

Jul 8, 2009

hahahaha what a load of old bollocks!!! a) does anyone really give a shit?b) tell us something we don't know!!!Oasis were always bigger and better than blur......facts are facts.. the size of oasis's gigs in the past 10 years say's it all...

barrinho

Jul 8, 2009

Where is Song 2? Surely that has to one of the most popular songs listened to as the yanks always use it for their sports games and ads plus it is always top spot on blur's last.fm

adam_love

Jul 8, 2009

Who was it who said you can prove anything by statistics except the truth...?In August I saw Oasis at Heaton Park and Blur in Hyde park on Friday and Blur were the better by fifteen furlongs or thereabouts.

Girlfromschool

Jul 8, 2009

But in the long run Blur made better music. Oasis have whored themselves over the last 14 years when Damon and co. decided to go their separate ways. I am sure there has been a massive increase in plays for Blur over the last couple of weeks. They should do the survey again this time next year.

fnchy77

Jul 8, 2009

And the relevance of the statistics is what exactly? I seem to remember a few years back that both Noel and Damon said there was no battle between them.... it was always a battle dreamt up by the media (as always).

IndieWriter

Jul 8, 2009

could've told you that for free, but who the hell is listening to Roll With It??? That's the tune that's probably got the least plays out of every single Oasis tune on my itunes, and i was a little bit gutted when they added it to their stadium set lists instead of something, well... good?

ratedr69

Jul 8, 2009

song 2 SHOULD be on that list they made like a million pound each out of the song.... this list is a farce..

markiechops

Jul 8, 2009

Yeah, and "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdink was obviously better than "Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles because it pipped it to No.1. Are we now supposed to believe that Oasis have "won" some kind of imaginary war simply because they're played more often on sterile, unchallenging computer-programmed radio than their "adversaries" Blur? If we're going to apply that logic, why not just declare Celine Dion and Phil Collins the outright winners, get our pop news from the Sun Bizarre column, and put Take That on the cover of NME every week? In fact, why have the NME at all? Why bother with value judgements when you can just look at sales and airplay figures to tell you what's good?

the_royal_wee

Jul 8, 2009

blur disbanded in 2003 while oasis released and heavily promoted 2 further albums. i'd have thought this was bleedin' obvious?

the*strokes

Jul 8, 2009

The dumbest buy the mostest!

jameshyett

Jul 8, 2009

Was at Hyde Park on Friday. No other band can come close to generating the emotion or joy that Blur can - certainly not Oasis as they plod through their gigs purely to keep the pennies rolling in. No contest, never was, never will be.

batboy_x

Jul 8, 2009

every one seems to forget that only geeks and students were listening too Oasis and Blur in the 90s... anyone with an ounce of cool was in a field or club raving. Britpop was a backward looking, unimaginative youth culture that was just a pale imitation of the 60s and is best left on radio 2 where it belongs

Rockymcfc

Jul 8, 2009

You seen oasis in August? Do you have a delorean. beacause i seen them in June and they were great. Blur's shows have been special. but this was just stating the obvious. Song for song Oasis better than Blur. FACT!

Slip kid (2nd generation)

Jul 8, 2009

Ha ha, this makes me laugh, it really does! For one, the fact that we have to keep dredging up the 'Battle of Britpop' (spoken whilst executing a scrunched up spastic face) is a complete and irrelevant joke!Yeah, Oasis won the war - big deal! Let us compare and contrast the living remnants of said skirmish.1. A recently and successfully reformed band with at least 4 classic and critically respected albums (not including comps), effective side projects (Gorillaz, Monkey, Mali Music, Good The Bad & The Queen) solo albums, multi media art projects etc etc,2. An endlessly continuing rock behemoth with 2 critically respected albums (not including comps Masterplan fans!), a possible solo album and a crap mod clothing range."Bet you're sorry you won now!"(quote from Beatles film if it helps Noel)

~X OasisMad X~

Jul 8, 2009

hate blur

~X OasisMad X~

Jul 8, 2009

love oasis

shimmeronhorizons

Jul 8, 2009

Is it better to burn out or fade away? At least Albarn, Coxon and co have remained artistically (and in some cases gastronomically) relevant in this decade. And I agree with barrinho - Song 2 has got to give Wonderwall a run for its money. But Lighthouse Family's 'Lifted' beats them all, so what does that prove? Were Simply Red and Lighthouse Family the true face of Britpop? **shudder**

jimcadwa

Jul 8, 2009

If the Gallagher brothers had fallen out with each other 6 years ago and stopped recording, would those stats still be the same?! Have they produced anything that's any good since their 2nd album when they peaked?! (Yes, their first 2 albums are absolute classics of their time!) They rip off the Beatles, but it is actually Blur who have a back catalogue of such artistic quality and diversity that they are the ones who, when it comes down to it, could possibly be mentioned in the same breath of the fab 4! Oasis songs are so formulaic and samey, the band have become a parody of themselves. Blur's comeback has shown, to the pleasant suprise of so many people, that their songs are timeless and still relevant today.

markiechops

Jul 9, 2009

I have become gay for you, batboy. You are so effing bang on.

stairway2notion

Jul 9, 2009

Blur will always have the most credability having not used Blow for the length of their career, and maybe bowing out at the right time instead of going through the motions. That being said, got nothing against Oasis as they both take up places in my albums, though the AIDS comment from Noel & co. was pretty wank truth be told.

Hammerinho

Jul 9, 2009

Whats better - Aldi or Lidl? Answer - They're both shite.

Slip kid (2nd generation)

Jul 9, 2009

X OasisMad X - a well executed and eloquent argument! I take back all I said!How long have you worked for Liam's PR department? Does it pay well? Can you sit down?

Slip kid (2nd generation)

Jul 9, 2009

By the way, before you start - I AM an Oasis fan, but it is also the 'inalienable right' (see what I did there) of any fan to adopt a subjective approach to the artist, otherwise we are merely reduced to fawning lickspittles throwing money and praise at worthless, bloated, rock stars to 'prove' our loyalty. When it comes down to it, as far as I'm concerned, contemporary music should be challenging, artistic and eclectically fulfilling as well as instinctive and righteous. Both bands are flawed in their own special ways but Oasis' mindnumbing lack of artistic vision (with the notable exception of Falling Down - a blip in an otherwards downward trajectory) leaves them way behind Blur these days in my tastes. Oh, and one of the beautiful aspects of music is its often unique ability to unify people regardless of race, creed or belief. The Battle of Britpop (spastic face again) was a disgusting abhoration as it reduced musical appreciation to a 'football fan' style clash of loyalties, demographics and localities - all for the sake of shifting units. And still it goes on it seems! Sad really!

emstone23

Jul 12, 2009

I can't believe that this is even relevant... Blur aren't Britpop... It doesn't even exist anymore. Thank the Lord, or whoever. Music is music and you either like it or you don't and that is kind of it really... surely?

97mde

Jul 12, 2009

While I've never doubted that Oasis were the bigger band of the two, I've also never doubted that Blur were miles better (as the majority of these comments testify). The NME must be devastated.