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LONDON — Nearly three decades after Oasis‘ cultural and commercial peak, the Gallagher brothers — songwriter/guitarist Noel and singer Liam — are once again making headlines around the world, following the shock announcement that the long-warring siblings are to reunite for a series of huge outdoor shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland next year.
In the U.K., anticipation for the band’s comeback has been building since rumors began circulating several weeks ago that the feuding brothers had buried the hatchet after a 15-year war of words and were set to return. The group split up in 2009 when Noel quit before a show at French music festival Rock en Seine following an argument with Liam.   

Oasis fans’ wildest dreams were realized on Tuesday (Aug. 27) with the announcement that the band will play a massive 14-date stadium tour of the U.K. and Ireland next summer, marketed as ‘Oasis Live ’25.’

Trending on Billboard

“The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised,” Oasis bullishly said in a statement, prompting a feverish rush of news coverage in their home country and beyond that has reignited interest in the Britpop-era rock act. 

Registration for the tour’s ticket pre-sale opened the same day. 48 hours later the group announced three extra concert dates due to “unprecedented demand.” 

The additional gigs mean Oasis will now play five nights at London’s 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium, five nights at Heaton Park in their home city of Manchester (80,000 cap.) and three shows at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (67,000-cap.), as well as two performances at Dublin’s Croke Park (83,000-cap.) and two shows at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (74,000-cap.).

With tickets expected to quickly sell out when they go on sale Saturday (Aug. 31), Oasis look set to perform to around 1.3 million people across the 17-show run, according to Billboard‘s calculations.

That puts the band’s live return at a similar level to Taylor Swift‘s recent U.K. and Ireland leg of her “Eras Tour,” which spanned 18 sold-out stadium shows, including eight nights at Wembley Stadium – a new record for a solo singer at the venue. The estimated total attendance for Swift’s U.K. shows was 1.2 million, not including her three shows at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

With tickets to Oasis’ live shows priced between £65.00 ($85.00) and £250.00 ($330.00), excluding fees, Billboard estimates that the tour — jointly promoted by Live Nation, SJM Concerts, MCD and DFC — could gross the band around £200 million ($262 million) on ticket sales alone (based on an average ticket price of £150.00). When VIP and premium packages, merchandise, sponsorship, performance rights and future filming revenues are factored in total earnings are likely to be at least double that amount, according to talent agent Jonathan Shalit, posting on X before the three extra concert dates were announced.

FINANCIAL WINDFALL

“It’s a once in a generation moment for a lot of music fans to experience an iconic rock band that has a very special place in many people’s hearts. It’s also going to be a really big economic moment for the country and music industry,” Tom Kiehl, chief executive of umbrella trade body UK Music, tells Billboard.

In 2023, 19.2 million “music tourists” — defined by UK Music as someone who travels outside of their hometown or city for a gig or visiting from overseas — attended live concerts and festivals in the United Kingdom, up 33% on the previous year, generating 8 billion pounds ($10.3 billion) for the country’s economy.

Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, says the frenzy of interest in Oasis’ return ensures it will create large revenues for hotels, taxis, bars, restaurants and pubs in cities where the band is performing “bringing a significant boost to the U.K. economy.”

The U.K. leg of Swift’s “Eras Tour” was estimated to have earned £1 billion ($1.3 billion) for the U.K. economy, according to analysis by Barclays bank, based on Swifties each spending a projected £848 ($1,100) on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other expenses.

“While spending by Oasis fans might not reach those heady heights, they are unlikely to hold back from splashing the cash to celebrate the brothers’ return,” Streeter tells Billboard.

In Oasis’ home city of Manchester, the band’s five shows will earn the local economy over £15 million ($19.7 million), says Sacha Lord, the city’s nighttime economy advisor and founder of Parklife music festival.

WILL A RISING TIDE LIFT ALL BOATS?

Alongside the financial benefits, live execs hope that the explosion of interest in Oasis will strengthen support for the U.K.’s struggling grassroots music sector, where the band cut their teeth in the early 1990s, but has experienced a tide of small venue closures in the decades since.

According to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), just under 150 grassroots venues closed or stopped staging live music in the U.K. in 2023. Of the 15 venues that Oasis played on its first ever tour, nine are reported to have closed or are no longer putting on gigs.

To stop the wave of small venue closures, live execs are pushing for the British government to cut sales tax (VAT) on tickets for all grassroots music shows from 20% to the European average of between 5-7%. Doing so “will mean more shows and festivals, thriving venues of all sizes and [help] the next world class superstars off the U.K. talent production line,” says Jon Collins, CEO of U.K. music trade body LIVE.

“The Oasis reunion is a huge moment not just for fans, but for the live music industry too,” Andrew Foggin, global head of music at ticketing company DICE, tells Billboard. “These high profile, beloved artists serve as a catalyst to get people out more. They don’t just draw crowds to massive stadium events, but they also remind people what makes live music so special, creating benefits for the rest of the industry.”

As for the Gallaghers themselves, they stand to land a sizable royalty windfall even before a single ticket is sold. On the back of Tuesday’s reunion announcement, Oasis’ Spotify streams spiked 690% globally, says the streaming service, with some of the band’s lesser-known songs such as “Turn Up The Sun” and The Swamp Song” enjoying especially large spikes (450%-plus) in the U.K. The band has more than 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify with its most popular song, “Wonderwall,” having been streamed more than 2 billion times in total.

On TikTok, Oasis has seen a 101% increase in video views, creations and user engagement over the past seven days, with #OasisReunion having 109 million video views over the past two weeks, reports the platform. (Billboard understands that Sony Music owns the master rights to Oasis’ entire catalog, which it licenses back to the band’s label Big Brother Recordings, with the exception of 2008’s final album Dig Out Your Soul, which Sony doesn’t own).

“Oasis has always been popular on TikTok, and the news of the reunion has taken it to another level,” says Adam Read, TikTok’s U.K. and Ireland music programs manager. “Fans have celebrated in typically creative ways, whether it’s dressing up like Liam Gallagher waiting [for] the on sale or remixing classic Oasis tracks in unique TikTok videos. We’re excited to see how the community will continue to get creative with the band’s catalog on the platform.”

So far, the only live dates announced by Oasis are the 17 shows in the U.K. and Ireland, although the fact that the band is calling its 2025 outing a world tour suggests that international dates, including possible U.S. shows, will likely follow. It’s anticipated that additional U.K. shows could be announced if the initial ticket allocation sells out quickly, although the band has made it clear that it will not be playing next year’s Glastonbury festival, as previously rumored.

“Oasis were the last big band of the pre-digital era,” enthuses Kiehl. “There’s a legendary status attached to them and there’s a whole new generation of Oasis fans who have never seen them perform live, as well as all of their original fans from the Nineties, so their return is going to be a really big moment for the music industry and live music.”

Taylor Swift is gearing up to play three shows in Dublin as part of The Eras Tour, and she’s getting some love from Ireland‘s most famous rockers as she plays their hometown.

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On Friday (June 28), Swift shared on her Instagram Stories a photo of the flowers and a sweet note that she received from iconic rock band U2.

Alongside a bouquet of white, pink and purple roses and lilies was a card that read, “Dear Taylor, welcome back to our hometown…leave some of it standing?!!!!”

Trending on Billboard

The note was signed, “Your Irish fan club, Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry.”

On her Instagram Stories, Swift responded by captioning her post with “Already feeling that Irish hospitality!! @u2, thanks for always being the classiest & coolest.” Swift also included an Irish flag emoji.

The note came as Swift is set to perform three shows at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on June 28-30. Paramore will open each of the shows.

Swift has seen numerous artists and celebrities in attendance at her The Eras Tour shows. Beatles legend Paul McCartney recently danced with fans at one of Swift’s concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium, while others who have attended The Eras Tour include Shania Twain, Haim, Diplo, Selena Gomez, Billy Joel, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman and Maren Morris.

Following her Ireland concerts, Swift’s tour itinerary through the rest of 2024 includes stops in Amsterdam, Milan, Munich, London, Toronto and Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department spends its ninth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album marks her 14th project to top the Billboard 200.

For years, Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan sketched out his funeral plans to his friend, Philip “Philly” Ryan of Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland. “He kept it simple. He wanted it the same as his mother’s,” says Ryan, owner of the 152-year-old family business JJ Ryan Undertaker in Nenagh, where MacGowan’s late mother, Therese, grew up. “A private few prayers and a rosary. A public mass and a private cremation.”
The beloved singer-songwriter, who pioneered a punk approach to Irish music anddied last Thursday at 65, perhaps didn’t anticipate the crowds — Ryan predicts 5,000 to 10,000 mourners for MacGowan’s funeral mass Friday afternoon at St. Mary of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, population 8,000, after a procession with a horse-drawn carriage near MacGowan’s home in the Dublin area. After the mass, a second funeral procession will travel through Nenagh. “The whole town will stop for a few hours while it’s happening,” says Michael O’Connor, the town and county’s director of roads, transportation, active travel, health and safety, adding that Nenagh will add 1,500 local parking spaces for the occasion. “We’ll have his more famous songs played on the public-address system. We’re delighted that he’s coming home.”

“It’s a big effort down here,” Ryan says by phone from Phil Ryan’s Pub, across the street from the undertaker, where he reminisced about his friend’s Nenagh presence and discussed how the town is preparing for the influx of mourners and fans.

What have the logistics been like for the funeral mass?

The local council, the police, they’re all working together on it. It should pack up nicely. We’re going to bring it up to the Barracks Street end of Nenagh, turning up Pearse Street and onto Church Road. It’s kind of the long way around, so less people to line the routes. Nenagh’s a big enough church for a huge crowd. We’re going to put some amplification outside for the overflow so they can all hear the mass. We’re all going to do our best.

What’s the most attendance you’ve had at a funeral in Nenagh?

Funerals down here are big. Two thousand, regularly. Anything of that size, no. It’s massive.

Have you had to hire more employees for the occasion?

Absolutely. We have security, extra staff on the hearse and my funeral home. I don’t foresee any problems, because, whatever we do, we do funerals very well. It’s a great tradition and we want to give him a good send-off.

Shane MacGowan, vocals, performs with the Pogues on December 4, 1990 at Vredenburg in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Frans Schellekens/Redferns

What was your friendship like with MacGowan?

Shane didn’t have that many friends, but I was lucky enough to be one of his close circle. I own the pub as well. The funeral parlor is across from the pub. That was his favorite pub in the country. He was a shy guy behind it all and he loved to come in and just while the time away with the locals. Some stories and laughing. He’d never get up and sing and take over the place. He would never do that.

When was the last time you saw him?

Two weeks ago tomorrow. He was released from the hospital on a Tuesday. A lot of fanfare to him was going home for Christmas. Myself and Brendan Fitzpatrick, his driver for 20 years, went to see him in his apartment. You know what, we knew he was in big trouble. The poor man. We spent a couple of hours with him and we left. I normally go up to him on a Wednesday — I just was a little busy last Wednesday and didn’t make it up. I probably would have gone up on Thursday, but he died on Thursday.

His behavior at Pogues concerts suggested he was a big, boisterous personality. Was that true in your friendship?

No. No. He was anything but boisterous. That was a persona onstage, with that roar of his. Shane was a very, very quiet and gentle person and very kind. Very conscientious. Look, I suppose we all have our moments when we’re on a bender, but I can tell you he was a gentleman.

Did he discuss what he wanted for his service with you before his passing?

Yeah, he did. Black Sabbath played in Dublin in 2017. That night, we went to a party in Dublin. He was in great form. Same night, he called me and told me what he wanted. We met Nick Cave another night. All night, he was telling Nick, “This is Philly. This is me undertaker!” He was saying, “Shane, I know. You said it already.” It was a running joke.

I imagine the pub will do well this weekend.

Oh, jeez, it’s humming all week. We’re going to convert the lounge into the Shane MacGowan Lounge. We’re going to do something memorable for him.

Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon are each nominated for three 2023 Ivors, as are Cleopatra Nikolic and Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, making them this year’s most honored songwriters.
The Ivors Academy announced the nominations for The Ivors 2023 with Amazon Music on Tuesday (April 18). The awards recognize outstanding British and Irish songwriters and composers across nine categories.

Styles and Harpoon are nominated for songwriter of the year with Amazon Music. They are also nominated in two categories for co-writing Styles’ global smash “As It Was” with Tyler Johnson – best song musically and lyrically and PRS for music most performed work.

Styles indirectly factors into a fourth nomination this year. He starred in the film Don’t Worry Darling, which netted a nomination for best original film score for composer John Powell.

“Inflo” and Nikolic are competing with “As It Was” for best song musically and lyrically as the co-writers of SAULT’s hit “Stronger.” They are also nominated twice for best album, for their work on Little Simz’s No Thank You alongside Little Simz and SAULT’s 11 alongside Jamar McNaughton and Jack Peñate.

In the PRS for music most performed work category, Ed Sheeran makes history as “Bad Habits” is nominated again after winning the award last year. He is the first artist to achieve this feat in this category. Sheeran’s follow-up hit “Shivers” is also nominated in the category this year.

Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” is nominated in that same category 37 years after the track was nominated for best contemporary song. The song experienced a global resurgence after being featured in the hit TV series Stranger Things.

A total of 72 individual songwriters and composers received Ivor Novello nominations this year, with 54% of those being nominated for the first time.

The songwriter of the year with Amazon Music category recognizes British or Irish songwriters or songwriting teams for outstanding bodies of commercially successful songs released in 2022. This year’s nominees are Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine), the only individual songwriter nominated in the category this year; Styles & Harpoon; Rhian Teasdale & Hester Chambers (Wet Leg); George Daniel & Matty Healy (The 1975); and Central Cee & Young Chencs.

Knucks receives two nominations for best contemporary song, for his track “Leon the Professional” with co-writers Venna and Toshifumi Hinata and for his feature on Kojey Radical’s “Payback,” which also credits Swindle.

British duo The Flight (consisting of Joe Henson and Alexis Smith) received two nominations for best original video game score. They are nominated for composing the Batman-inspired Gotham Knights and for co-composing the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West, alongside Joris de Man and Oleksa Lozowchuk.

Since its inception in 2020, the rising star award with Amazon Music has championed Britain and Ireland’s most promising songwriting talents. This year’s nominees are Cat Burns, Ines Dunn, tendai, venbee and Victoria Canal. Previous winners are Mysie, Willow Kayne and Naomi Kimpenu.

Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, said in a statement, “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing. It’s a superlative list and on behalf of The Ivors Academy, I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”

Winners will be revealed at The Ivors with Amazon Music at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday May 18.

As previously announced, Sting will become a Fellow of the Ivors Academy, the highest honor the Academy bestows. Ivor Novello Awards will also be presented for the outstanding song collection, special international award, visionary award with Amazon Music and PRS for music icon award.

Here’s a complete list of The Ivors 2023 nominations:

Songwriter of the year with Amazon Music

Central Cee and Young Chencs

Florence Welch

Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon

Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers

George Daniel and Matty Healy

Best contemporary song

“Cold Summer”; written by Wesley Joseph and Leon Vynehall; performed by Wesley Joseph

“Escapism”; written by 070 Shake, RAYE and Mike Sabath; performed by RAYE & 070 Shake

“Hide & Seek”; written by Owen Cutts, P2J, PRGRSHN and Stormzy; performed by Stormzy

“Leon the Professional”; written by Knucks, Venna and Toshifumi Hinata; performed by Knucks

“Payback”; written by Knucks, Kojey Radical and Swindle; performed by Kojey Radical feat. Knucks

Best song musically and lyrically

“As It Was”; written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles; performed by Harry Styles

“Best Day of My Life”; written by Laurie Blundell and Tom Odell; performed by Tom Odell

“Complex”; written by Katie Gregson-Macleod; performed by Katie Gregson-Macleod

“King”; written by Jack Antonoff and Florence Welch; performed by Florence + The Machine

“Stronger”; written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover and Cleopatra Nikolic; performed by SAULT

PRS for music most performed work

“As It Was”; written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles; performed by Harry Styles

“Bad Habits”; written by FRED, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran; performed by Ed Sheeran

“Heat Waves”; written by Dave Bayley; performed by Glass Animals

“Running Up That Hill”; written by Kate Bush; performed by Kate Bush

“Shivers”; written by Johnny McDaid, Kal Lavelle, Steve Mac and Ed Sheeran; performed by Ed Sheeran

Best album

11; written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Jamar McNaughton, Cleopatra Nikolic and Jack Peñate; performed by SAULT

No Thank You; written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Little Simz and Cleopatra Nikolic; performed by Little Simz

Skinty Fia; written by Grian Chatten, Thomas Coll, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan and Carlos O’Connell; performed by Fontaines D.C.

Some Nights I Dream of Doors; written by Barney Lister and Obongjayar; performed by Obongjayar

The Car; written by Alex Turner; performed by Arctic Monkeys

Best original film score

Avatar: The Way of Water; composed by Simon Franglen

Death on the Nile; composed by Patrick Doyle

Don’t Worry Darling; composed by John Powell

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris; composed by Rael Jones

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain; composed by Arthur Sharpe

Best television soundtrack

Bad Sisters; composed by PJ Harvey and Tim Phillips

Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen; composed by David Schweitzer

The Midwich Cuckoos; composed by Hannah Peel

The Responder; composed by Matthew Herbert

The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe; composed by Harry Escott and Ben Pearson

Best original video game score

Gotham Knights; composed by The Flight

Horizon Forbidden West; composed by Joris de Man, Oleksa Lozowchuk and The Flight

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope; composed by Gareth Coker, Grant Kirkhope and Yoko Shimomura

Rising star award with Amazon Music

Cat Burns

Ines Dunn

tendai

venbee

Victoria Canal