Why Did Oasis Break Up In The First Place?

The wait is over, Oasis fans! The Gallagher brothers are finally putting their infamous feud on pause for a 14-date reunion tour across the UK and Ireland in 2025. This is the moment many fans thought they’d never see — Oasis back together, belting out classics like "Wonderwall" and "Don’t Look Back in Anger" in packed stadiums. Kicking off in July and spanning through August, the band will hit iconic venues including Cardiff's Principality Stadium, Manchester’s Heaton Park, London’s Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium, and Dublin’s Croke Park. However, if you were holding your breath for an Oasis headliner at Glastonbury or 10 consecutive nights at Wembley, it’s time to exhale. The band won’t be taking the Pyramid Stage at Glasto, nor are they going all out with mega-runs at Wembley or the Etihad. This tour is all about UK and Ireland stadiums, with a possible European leg later in the year. The setlist for the tour promises a bit of everything but won't center around any specific album anniversary, unlike Liam Gallagher’s ongoing celebration of the 30th anniversary of their debut, 'Definitely Maybe.' And while the full lineup remains under wraps, you can bet on a stellar show with some surprises. But let's rewind. Why did Oasis break up in the first place, and why is this reunion so shocking to some? The short answer: sibling rivalry. The long answer? Let’s dive into the saga of rock's most famous feuding brothers. Oasis called it quits in 2009 after years of on-again, off-again bickering, culminating in Noel Gallagher's dramatic exit just before a show at a Paris festival. The band had been a powder keg of tension for years, and Noel’s departure felt like the final matchstick. In a statement at the time, Noel said, "I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer." Ouch. The Gallaghers had a long history of clashing, both onstage and off, with tales of flying guitars and backstage blowouts becoming the stuff of rock legend. Liam, the younger of the two, was known for his brash, unapologetic attitude, while Noel, the band’s principal songwriter and lead guitarist, was more of a controlled but equally sharp-tongued counterweight. It was a dynamic that fueled the band’s explosive energy but ultimately led to their implosion. The breakup wasn’t just a one-off spat, either. The brothers reportedly didn’t speak for years afterward, with each of them going on to pursue solo careers while taking regular jabs at each other in the press. In one notorious interview, Noel accused Liam of being too hungover to perform in 2009, which led to a lawsuit that Liam later dropped. Noel later described an incident where Liam wielded a guitar "like an axe" — a move that nearly “took [his] face off.” Despite the bad blood, both Gallaghers continued to play Oasis hits in their solo sets, keeping the band's spirit alive and teasing fans with the possibility of a reunion. Every time the brothers made a positive comment about each other — like Noel’s recent praise for Liam’s voice — it sent fans into a frenzy, hoping it was the start of a reconciliation. The 2017 Manchester Arena bombing seemed to soften relations further, as Liam performed at a benefit concert and Noel allowed the use of Oasis songs, even donating royalties from “Don’t Look Back in Anger” to the victims. By the end of that year, Liam was even tweeting Christmas wishes at his brother, which many took as a sign of thawing relations. Fast forward to now, and the brothers are back, baby. Maybe it’s the allure of revisiting the glory days, maybe it’s the mountain of cash they stand to make, or maybe they’ve just grown up. Noel recently wrapped up a festival tour with his band, High Flying Birds, while Liam’s been busy touring Definitely Maybe with original Oasis guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs. With all this momentum, it seems the time was right for a full-blown Oasis comeback. Sure, there are whispers about Noel’s recent pricey divorce possibly pushing him towards a lucrative reunion, but fans are mostly just pumped to see the Gallaghers together again. Whether they’re in it for the nostalgia, the money, or just to settle old scores, Oasis’s return is the comeback of the decade.