TOKYO – When Oasis took to the stage on Oct 25 for their first concert in Japan in 16 years, the roar that filled Tokyo Dome was not only from fans who had followed the English rock band since the 1990s.<\/p>\n
Among the 50,000-strong crowd were also thousands of younger listeners who had discovered the Britpop legends after their 2009 split and not through record stores or radio, but music streaming services.<\/p>\n
The sold-out gig marked a symbolic moment for both generations.<\/p>\n
It showed how, in the subscription era, music from decades past can circulate as freely as the latest hits, bridging the gap between those who once bought Oasis albums on CD and those who stream them on digital platforms such as Spotify.<\/p>\n
\u201cI discovered Oasis through Alexandros, a Japanese band I was a fan of,\u201d a 23-year-old apparel store clerk from Chiba Prefecture said. \u201cI thought this might be my first and last chance to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Oasis members Noel and Liam Gallagher appeared on the stage with their hands held aloft \u2013 a moment of unity from the Mancunian brothers after years of feuding \u2013 the Dome erupted.<\/p>\n
The swagger was still there: Liam, hands clasped behind his back, stared down the crowd as he growled through classics like Some Might Say (1995) and Wonderwall (1995), with fans of all ages joining in.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Back in the day) they looked so effortlessly cool…Their sibling rivalry was thrilling too,\u201d said Ms Miho Hayashi, a company employee from Toyama who has been an Oasis fan since high school.<\/p>\n
The 48-year-old attended the concert with her teenage daughter, who grew up hearing the band\u2019s songs \u201clike lullabies\u201d.<\/p>\n
The cross-generational enthusiasm extended far beyond the concert venue.<\/p>\n
In the days leading up to the show, Miyashita Park in Shibuya was transformed into an Oasis-themed hub, with digital billboards looping music videos and a pop-up shop selling T-shirts and posters as well as Japan-exclusive merchandise such as teacups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reunion is like a festival,\u201d said one woman in her 30s, who spent over 20,000 yen (S$170) on merch including a Gallagher-themed acrylic stand.<\/p>\n
\u201cFans want something physical to connect with,\u201d explained Sony Music Entertainment\u2019s Kumiko Muto. \u201cThey collect items as part of their fandom activities. In that sense, Oasis fans today aren\u2019t that different from fans of pop idols.\u201d<\/p>\n
The data backs up this renewed interest. According to American research firm Luminate, the week Oasis\u2019 reunion was announced in August saw around 120 million streams of their music worldwide \u2013 more than triple the previous week\u2019s total.<\/p>\n
When the reunion tour began in July, weekly plays again exceeded 100 million.<\/p>\n
That spike reflects a broader transformation in global music listening habits. In the streaming era, so-called \u201ccatalogue\u201d music \u2013 older albums released more than 18 months ago \u2013 now accounts for the majority of listening.<\/p>\n
Luminate reports that in the American market in 2024, new releases made up just 26.7 per cent of streams, while catalogue albums comprised 73.3 per cent. In rock music, the dominance of older material is even greater.<\/p>\n
For younger fans, the algorithm has replaced the record shop clerk. Songs from the 1990s surface alongside current chart-toppers, blurring the sense of musical generations.<\/p>\n
As the final notes of Stand By Me (1997) rang out at Tokyo Dome, Liam Gallagher sang the line, \u201cSing me something new\u201d. But the concert itself suggested that what is \u201cnew\u201d has taken on a different meaning. KYODO NEWS <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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