Liam Gallagher Said Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ Gets the Same Reaction as One of the Biggest Songs of All Time

Classic rock culture can get a little repetitive. For example, a member of Oasis said “Wonderwall” inspires the same reaction as John Lennon’s “Imagine.” He has a point — and that’s not necessarily a good thing for Oasis.

Oasis’ Liam Gallagher said ‘Wonderwall’ is as divisive as John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’

During a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Oasis’ Liam Gallagher reacted to the continuing popularity of “Wonderwall.” “I don’t know anything about Spotify and all that,” he says. “But all I can say is people love it. And people hate it. I’m not comparing it to ‘Imagine,’ but a lot of people say, ”Imagine’  — f*** that,’ but some people say it’s one of the best songs around.”

“Wonderwall” and “Imagine” aren’t that different on a musical level. Both are middle-of-the-road songs that straddle the line between soft rock and pop. While some listeners find their emotionality moving, others feel like the songs are overwrought. Furthermore, it’s easy to argue that both songs suffer from overexposure, especially since they have inspired countless covers.

Members of Oasis on the song’s legacy

A reporter noted that “Wonderwall” is one of the few 1990s rock songs that became a standard. “I know what you mean — it definitely has a place with the big boys, for sure,” he conceded. “The funny thing is, I don’t even know how to play it on guitar, and it’s probably one of the easiest songs ever. People at parties are like, ‘Play it, ‘and I say, ‘You f****** play it then.'”

During a 2019 interview with The Face, Noel Gallagher noted that “Wonderwall” had the power to unite fans with different musical tastes. “The sight of two goths, one in a Rancid T‑shirt, one in a Kiss T-shirt, with their arms around each other, singing ‘Wonderwall’ in Arkansas is not something you see every day!” he said. “And with no reaction to any other single song that we did! What is it about that song? It’s crazy.”

‘Wonderwall’ inspired some knock-offs

“Wonderwall” became Oasis’ sole top 10 single in the United States. It reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. The tune is a central part of the album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? That album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 78 weeks.

The Official Charts Company reports “Wonderwall” was even bigger in the United Kingdom. There, it reached No. 2 and charted for 90 weeks. In the U.K., (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? was No. 1 for 10 of its 660 weeks on the chart.

In addition to the never-ending deluge of “Wonderwall” covers, the track has inspired other compositions as well. Most famously, Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” has some instrumental similarities to “Wonderwall,” though Green Day took the arrangement in a much darker direction. “Life Got Cold” by the girl group Girls Aloud sounds like a redux of “Wonderwall” designed to be played in the changing rooms at Kohl’s. “Writing to Reach You” by Travis even references’ Oasis’ signature hit by name.

“Wonderwall” was huge even if some listeners would prefer to never hear it again.