The hospitalisation of Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain in early April 1994 marked a turning point for not only the growing US alternate scene, but the industry as a whole. The release of his group's In Utero the previous year had maintained their commercial success, and its succession by Pearl Jam's Vs seemed to show the "grunge" sound becoming harder and more abrasive, as a reaction to the industry successfully promoting it as the next big thing. However, the noise-rock of In Utero clearly alienated some listeners, with it lacking Nevermind's massive success, quickly slipping out of the charts despite entering at #1 and garnering critical acclaim. Labels knew that the coming months would be important in deciding whether alternate rock would remain a fad or truly blow up, and several doubted the noisier strands would have the same selling power.
That year, Manchester band Oasis, consisting of brothers Liam (lead vocals) and Noel Gallagher (lead guitar and vocals), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (rhythm guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCaroll (drums) signed with Alan McGee's indie label Creation Records. Importantly, contract loopholes meant that they were actually signed to Sony Music Entertainment as their overseas distributor, who licensed them to Creation.
After two failed attempts, the band's debut Definitely Maybe was finished, mastered and presented to the label in May. Since performing "Live Forever" and a cover of their idols The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" to executives in a company event in February of that year, Sony had kept a close eye on the band. They lacked an alternate rock group on Nirvana or Alice in Chains' level, and wanted to break into the market. In the UK, "Supersonic" was released as the band's debut single in April, followed by "Shakermaker" in June and "Live Forever" just before the album's release on 29 August, on both sides of the Atlantic.
However, in the US, their discography before the album release had been very different. Sony concluded that while their distorted guitars and untrained vocals would attract the grunge audience, their optimism and catchy melodies could offer an alternative to the nihilism and noise of In Utero. The label's publicists decided to play up their working class punk image and admiration of the Sex Pistols, and their first singles were chosen to reflect this, emphasising punk rock instead of psychedelia.
"Cigarettes and Alcohol" was released as the band's debut in June accompanied by a very punkish video of the band performing and eventually trashing the venue with the audience, denting the Billboard 100 at #81 but hitting #9 on the Alternative Songs chart, and album tracks "Rock and Roll Star" and "Bring it on Down" were serviced as promotional singles, peaking at #27 and #20 respectively.
The band were put on a short US tour for June and July, performing solo and opening for Weezer (Rivers Cuomo was an early supporter of the band and struck up a friendship with Noel and Bonehead, performing "Undone (The Sweater Song)" acoustically with them for MTV), quickly gaining a reputation for chaotic and lively sets, and performed several times for MTV programs. Even the Gallaghers' growing reputation for controversial statements in interviews seemed to gain them more exposure and support, though it also helped their critics.
Sony's marketing push and restructuring of releases to fit a certain image was initially unknown to the band ("Live Forever" received a US release in part because Liam announced it as their current single during a New York gig broadcast on MTV, causing many enquiries from retailers), but after Oasis's rise to fame in the UK, these alternate singles would become expensive and valuable imports.
Alan McGee would use this authority from Sony to get leverage over Noel (who usually decided the band's releases): previously wanting "Bring it on Down" as the group's lead single due to being a devoted punk fan, he was able to prevent the similarly fast-paced and loud "Fade Away" from being released as a B-side after convincing the US publicists (instead, it would become a promotional non-album single in early 1995, peaking at #17 on Alternative Songs), later using this power to save several potential hits from being confined to B-sides.
The efforts paid off, and while the album went straight to #1 in the UK, it peaked at a respectable #35 in March 1995. "Live Forever" became the second commercial US single in September, climbing to #64 and #2 on Alternative Songs, with a re-shot video (the UK one was deemed too low budget to get much airplay). The band had already established themselves in the UK ("Cigarettes and Alcohol" became their first domestic top 10 hit in April), and were growing in the US, with decent critical support.
"Whatever", the band's non-album single for Christmas '94, became their first to be released on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously and their first UK top 5 (#3) and hitting #58 in the US, with a performance on the Late Show with Letterman propelling it to matching "Live Forever" on the Alternative Songs chart.
All in all, Sony's marketing push had resulted in a very successful first year for the band. An MTV program featuring interviews with students about their favourite bands confirmed that many liked Oasis for their working-class credentials and saw them as a more uplifting alternative to grunge, Their videos were gaining heavy MTV airplay (including the videos for UK "Supersonic" and "Shakermaker") and mainstream US success seemed imminent. However, opposition to the band was growing. In one of Cobain's first interviews after his release from hospital and rehab he stated he found the band "idiotic and repetitive", and expressed support for another UK band who were quickly shaping up to rival Oasis: Blur.
That year, Manchester band Oasis, consisting of brothers Liam (lead vocals) and Noel Gallagher (lead guitar and vocals), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (rhythm guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCaroll (drums) signed with Alan McGee's indie label Creation Records. Importantly, contract loopholes meant that they were actually signed to Sony Music Entertainment as their overseas distributor, who licensed them to Creation.
After two failed attempts, the band's debut Definitely Maybe was finished, mastered and presented to the label in May. Since performing "Live Forever" and a cover of their idols The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" to executives in a company event in February of that year, Sony had kept a close eye on the band. They lacked an alternate rock group on Nirvana or Alice in Chains' level, and wanted to break into the market. In the UK, "Supersonic" was released as the band's debut single in April, followed by "Shakermaker" in June and "Live Forever" just before the album's release on 29 August, on both sides of the Atlantic.
However, in the US, their discography before the album release had been very different. Sony concluded that while their distorted guitars and untrained vocals would attract the grunge audience, their optimism and catchy melodies could offer an alternative to the nihilism and noise of In Utero. The label's publicists decided to play up their working class punk image and admiration of the Sex Pistols, and their first singles were chosen to reflect this, emphasising punk rock instead of psychedelia.
"Cigarettes and Alcohol" was released as the band's debut in June accompanied by a very punkish video of the band performing and eventually trashing the venue with the audience, denting the Billboard 100 at #81 but hitting #9 on the Alternative Songs chart, and album tracks "Rock and Roll Star" and "Bring it on Down" were serviced as promotional singles, peaking at #27 and #20 respectively.
The band were put on a short US tour for June and July, performing solo and opening for Weezer (Rivers Cuomo was an early supporter of the band and struck up a friendship with Noel and Bonehead, performing "Undone (The Sweater Song)" acoustically with them for MTV), quickly gaining a reputation for chaotic and lively sets, and performed several times for MTV programs. Even the Gallaghers' growing reputation for controversial statements in interviews seemed to gain them more exposure and support, though it also helped their critics.
Sony's marketing push and restructuring of releases to fit a certain image was initially unknown to the band ("Live Forever" received a US release in part because Liam announced it as their current single during a New York gig broadcast on MTV, causing many enquiries from retailers), but after Oasis's rise to fame in the UK, these alternate singles would become expensive and valuable imports.
Alan McGee would use this authority from Sony to get leverage over Noel (who usually decided the band's releases): previously wanting "Bring it on Down" as the group's lead single due to being a devoted punk fan, he was able to prevent the similarly fast-paced and loud "Fade Away" from being released as a B-side after convincing the US publicists (instead, it would become a promotional non-album single in early 1995, peaking at #17 on Alternative Songs), later using this power to save several potential hits from being confined to B-sides.
The efforts paid off, and while the album went straight to #1 in the UK, it peaked at a respectable #35 in March 1995. "Live Forever" became the second commercial US single in September, climbing to #64 and #2 on Alternative Songs, with a re-shot video (the UK one was deemed too low budget to get much airplay). The band had already established themselves in the UK ("Cigarettes and Alcohol" became their first domestic top 10 hit in April), and were growing in the US, with decent critical support.
"Whatever", the band's non-album single for Christmas '94, became their first to be released on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously and their first UK top 5 (#3) and hitting #58 in the US, with a performance on the Late Show with Letterman propelling it to matching "Live Forever" on the Alternative Songs chart.
All in all, Sony's marketing push had resulted in a very successful first year for the band. An MTV program featuring interviews with students about their favourite bands confirmed that many liked Oasis for their working-class credentials and saw them as a more uplifting alternative to grunge, Their videos were gaining heavy MTV airplay (including the videos for UK "Supersonic" and "Shakermaker") and mainstream US success seemed imminent. However, opposition to the band was growing. In one of Cobain's first interviews after his release from hospital and rehab he stated he found the band "idiotic and repetitive", and expressed support for another UK band who were quickly shaping up to rival Oasis: Blur.