The legendary August 12, 1995 cover of NME with Blur vs Oasis
The Battle of Britpop: A Blur vs. Oasis deep dive from WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY
Hear classics and deep cuts alike in this 90+ minute exploration of two icons of UK rock in the 90s.
- Oasis - Roll With It
- Blur - Country House
- Oasis - Some Might Say
- Blur - Fool
- Oasis - Talk Tonight
- Blur - Clover Over Dover
- Oasis - Columbia
- Blur - I Love Her (demo)
- Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star
- Blur - Tracy Jacks
- Oasis - Round Are Way
- Blur - Blue Jeans
- Oasis - Cloudbursting
- Blur - Globe Alone
- Blur - Girls and Boys
- Oasis - Supersonic
It was a war of words. Hurt feelings on both sides. Fans divided. When they were both vying to be number one in the summer of 1995, you were either a Blur fan or an Oasis fan … there was no middle ground.
A decade and a half in the wake of the legendary Battle of Britpop, both artists remain impactful, whether it be Blur frontperson Damon Albarn’s zeitgeist-riding pop project Gorillaz or solid solo efforts from Oasis’ Liam Gallagher, who returned to Knebworth Park this summer to headline as a solo artist.
As we warm up for WXPN’s 90s A-Z next month, WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY host John Vettese dedicated a 90+ minute stretch of his show on November 11th to a bout between two bands who each produce solid music in their own way. Guest DJ Maureen Walsh joined the show to curate the playlist and provide commentary about the rivarly — and Britpop as a whole.
The WXPN 90s A-Z begins at 8 a.m. on December 1st, with an array of programming leading up to it; more information can be found here.