Apr 3: In a new poll, Oasis’ hit record “Live Forever” has been voted the best British song ever.
The Britpop act’s single from their 1994 debut Definitely Maybe won first place in a new Radio X poll.
In 2017, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” had topped the poll, but “Live Forever” stole the spot this year.
Noel Gallagher responded to the news of the honour saying, “I have always tried to aim higher than I think is possible. Some people try to be bigger or better than their contemporaries or their predecessors… Me? I’m just trying to be better than myself, which as we now know is virtually impossible.”
The managing editor of Radio X, Matt Deverson added: “This year, we see Oasis take the number one spot in a Top 100 that features truly great British tunes from across the decades. The release of ‘Live Forever’ in 1994 heralded the arrival of an era-defining debut album from one of the country’s greatest bands – it was a hugely exciting moment for British music.”
Deverson concluded saying “Live Forever” is “a very special song” that has resonated more in the past year “as a much-loved Manchester anthem.”
The top 10 ended up featuring five Oasis songs in total including “Don’t Look Back In Anger” (number 3), “Wonderwall” (number 6), “Slide Away” (number 7) and “Champagne Supernova” (number 9).
The remaining slots included The Stone Roses “I Am the Resurrection” (number 4), The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” (number 5), The Smiths’ “There is a Light That Never Goes Out” (number 8) and Arctic Monkeys “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (number 10).