Songwriter of the Year: Why Noel Gallagher Still Shapes British Rock Culture
Last summer marked a triumphant return for the Gallagher brothers and, even more so, for the sea of Oasis fans who witnessed their long-awaited reconciliation and the exhilarating wall of sound that defines Oasis Live. The band featured Andy Bell on bass, Gem Archer and Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs on guitar, and Joey Waronker on drums—with Liam leading, backed by a confident Noel.
The demand to see the band was undeniable. Fans flocked to the stage at 41 concerts across 14 countries. There were reported queues of over 1 million for tickets. This led to stressed fans scrambling to buy tickets. The concerts evoked emotions among fans who were revisiting the band. For those witnessing the raw power for the first time, it was a seismic moment either way. The split in 2009 left many young fans seeing the brothers in separate bands. But that was incomparable to what Live '25 made people feel.
Noel Gallagher's contributions have earned him the honour of being named BritAwards' 2026 Songwriter of the Year. This award recognises Noel's exceptional songwriting talent and the cultural movement shaped by the Oasis catalogue and attitude. Britain and its music scene have been significantly moulded by this influence. There are 7 studio albums with Oasis and 4 with his High Flying Birds. The music's commercial success and public admiration speak for themselves. Noel is cited as the sole songwriter on the first 3 Oasis albums: Definitely Maybe 1994, What’s The Story (Morning Glory) 1995 and Be Here Now 1997. Many consider this Oasis’s strongest work. This showed in the setlists for the Live ‘25 shows: Oasis played 8 tracks from What’s the Story? and 6 from Definitely Maybe.
Despite Definitely Maybe’s release in 1994, the band managed to sell over 1 million albums across the whole Oasis catalogue in 2025. This made them the only UK artist to surpass that milestone in 2025. Not bad, eh? Especially for a band that released no new material that year. It’s a testament to the impact Oasis has had on the country. The band's contributions fueled the notable resurgence in bucket hats and parkas, even when fans in their droves tackled the sweltering heat at Heaton Park.
Noel will collect his BRIT Award on the 28th of February in his hometown of Manchester at the Co-op Live. It is a fitting location for a Manchester legend. The venue sits right across from his beloved Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. Undoubtedly, Noel will find some way to push some buttons amongst the crowd and viewers.
BRH