Oasis — B-sides

In 1998, despite barely promoting it, Oasis released (What's the Story) Morning Glory? — wait, no. They released The Masterplan. A full LP consisting entirely of B-sides.

No other major rock band has dared to do this so early in their career. Usually, a B-side comp is a cash-grab for the grave (see: Bob Dylan, The Beatles). For Oasis, it was a victory lap.

The NME called it "the best album Oasis never meant to make." It features 14 tracks, all previously hidden on singles. It went platinum. It proved that for Oasis, the B-side wasn't the shadow; it was the main event.

Oasis B-sides often orbited specific themes. During the Morning Glory sessions, Noel was obsessed with the passage of time and lost youth. oasis b-sides

Most of the legendary B-sides come from the first three album cycles: Definitely Maybe (1994), (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), and Be Here Now (1997).

| B-side | Album Single | Year | Notes | |--------|--------------|------|-------| | "Acquiesce" | Some Might Say | 1995 | The most famous Oasis B-side. Features a dual vocal between Liam (chorus) and Noel (verses). Lyrics: "Because we need each other / We believe in one another." Often played live as a set closer. | | "The Masterplan" | Wonderwall | 1995 | Noel's crown jewel. A philosophical, piano-led ballad. Noel later admitted it was a mistake not to put it on Morning Glory. Became the title track of the 1998 B-side compilation. | | "Talk Tonight" | Some Might Say | 1995 | An acoustic, introspective song about Noel's crisis during the 1994 US tour. One of his most vulnerable lyrics. | | "Rockin' Chair" | Roll With It | 1995 | A melancholic, mid-tempo track about aging and regret, sung by Noel. Fan favorite. | | "Half the World Away" | Whatever | 1994 | A haunting, organ-driven ballad. Gained a second life as the theme song for the BBC sitcom The Royle Family. | | "Fade Away" | Cigarettes & Alcohol | 1994 | Punk-inspired and urgent. Later re-recorded for a charity album with Johnny Depp on guitar. | | "Listen Up" | Cigarettes & Alcohol | 1994 | Anthemic and defiant. Lyrics: "Got to make it somehow / On the dreams we still believe." | | "Going Nowhere" | Stand by Me | 1997 | A late-era gem from the Be Here Now sessions. Wistful, loping melody about stagnation. | | "Stay Young" | D'You Know What I Mean? | 1997 | Upbeat, power-pop. Originally considered for Morning Glory. Features the line "Come on, brother, stay young." |

The Verdict: The best Oasis song that never made an album. In 1998, despite barely promoting it, Oasis released

"Acquiesce" is the ultimate statement of the Gallagher brotherhood. Built on a jagged, descending guitar riff that sounds like The Rolling Stones trapped in a Manchester alley, the song famously splits vocals: Liam sings the verses, Noel sings the bridge. "We need each other / We believe in one another."

It’s a song about surviving the apocalypse of fame together. The chorus explodes with a melody so triumphant it’s ridiculous. Why wasn’t it on Morning Glory? Because, as Noel puts it, they "had too many songs." It remains the perennial opener for fans’ mixtapes (and later, Spotify playlists).

Noel wrote this in a hotel room in Los Angeles during the infamous 1994 tour meltdown (when he briefly quit the band). Recorded on a four-track, it is just an acoustic guitar and a weary, vulnerable vocal. It’s a love song to a stranger who talked him off the ledge. It proves that behind the "Rock 'n' Roll Star" bravado was a deeply sensitive, anxious songwriter. The live versions, where Noel plays it solo, are enough to make a grown man weep. A full LP consisting entirely of B-sides

In 1998, after the mixed reception of Be Here Now, Noel compiled the best B-sides from 1994-1998 into a single album titled The Masterplan. The tracklist (14 songs) has since been re-evaluated as a de facto fourth studio album.

Critical Consensus: The Masterplan compilation holds a Metacritic-style user score of ~85/100, often rated higher than Be Here Now and even Definitely Maybe in some fan polls. It demonstrates Noel’s depth as a songwriter.