Oasis — (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
Release Date: October 2, 1995
Artist: Oasis
Type: Studio album (second)
Label: Creation Records
Genre: Britpop / alternative rock / rock
Producer: Owen Morris, Noel Gallagher
Recorded: March – July 1995, Rockfield Studios (Wales) & The Townhouse (London)
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? is the second studio album by Oasis and the record that cemented their status as the leading band of the Britpop movement. It features some of their most iconic songs and became a global phenomenon, recognized for its stadium-ready anthems and Noel Gallagher’s memorable songwriting. The album propelled Oasis into international stardom.
🎵 Tracklist
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Hello
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Roll with It
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Wonderwall
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Don’t Look Back in Anger
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Hey Now!
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[Untitled Track / Interlude]
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Some Might Say
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Cast No Shadow
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She’s Electric
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Morning Glory
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Champagne Supernova
Notes: The album blends upbeat anthems (Roll with It, Some Might Say), introspective ballads (Cast No Shadow, Wonderwall), and epic closers (Champagne Supernova), showcasing Oasis’s mix of swagger and melody.
👥 Personnel / Credits
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Liam Gallagher – lead vocals, tambourine
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Noel Gallagher – lead guitar, vocals, backing vocals, keyboards
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Paul Arthurs (Bonehead) – rhythm guitar, keyboards
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Paul McGuigan (Guigsy) – bass guitar
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Alan White – drums (Tony McCarroll left prior to these sessions; White replaced him)
Production: Owen Morris (mixing, production assistance), Noel Gallagher (co-production, songwriting).
📊 Commercial Performance & Ratings
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UK Albums Chart: #1 (remained for 10 weeks)
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US Billboard 200: #4
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Worldwide sales: over 22 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
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Certifications: 16× Platinum UK, 4× Platinum US
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Critically acclaimed: Metacritic 88/100; widely regarded as a Britpop landmark.
🎨 Cover Art Description
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Front Cover: Photograph of two men passing each other on Berwick Street, London, with motion blur to give a sense of energy and urban bustle.
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Back Cover: The band’s lineup walking down the street in a similar motion-blur effect.
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Photographer: Michael Spencer Jones, who captured the gritty yet iconic London street scene.
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Typography: Album title and band name appear subtly, letting the image dominate visually.
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Symbolism: Reflects the everyday life and working-class British ethos that the band embodied, juxtaposed with the grandeur of their anthems.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
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Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger became two of Oasis’s most famous tracks, played at countless live shows and weddings.
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The album sparked the “Battle of Britpop” with Blur in 1995, a cultural event widely covered in the UK press.
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Noel Gallagher wrote most of the album in Britain and abroad, including sessions in Dublin and Ireland.
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The album title reportedly references a film script written by Noel Gallagher called Morning Glory.
🧠 Did You Know?
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Champagne Supernova was partially improvised in the studio and became one of Oasis’s longest songs, often extended live.
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The album spent over 300 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, making it one of the longest-charting records in British history.
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Its global success helped Oasis headline massive stadium tours, including Wembley Stadium in 1996.
