After years of impressive returns in the music industry - largely due to people's purchasing their favorite albums on the more permanent compact-disc format - sales have finally stagnated, especially for rock'n'roll bands (the recent success of the Spice Girls and Hanson prove that people will always buy bubblegum pop). And since much-anticipated releases by Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and U2 have not done spectacularly well, industry insiders have been somewhat fretful about the future profitability of rock groups.
Nevertheless, two British acts, Radiohead and Oasis, look to turn the tide with the release of their third albums, "OK Computer" and "Be Here Now," respectively. Both are huge bands across the pond and are looking to further capitalize on their modest successes stateside.
Oasis certainly looks poised to join U2 and R.E.M. as one of the three biggest bands of the world, if it hasn't already. In England, the Manchester quintet's second album, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" has outsold every album in history, except for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms." Combining songwriter and lead guitarist Noel Gallagher's tightly crafted, melodic tunes with his younger brother Liam's sex appeal and skyscraping voice, Oasis has become a source of national pride.
While Oasis has been criticized for being a derivative Beatles - hell, Liam and Noel even borrowed the Fab Four's haircuts - the band's clean yet rocking sound has been a welcome change from the more grungy and depressing soundscape that emanated from the radio and MTV a few years ago. Furthermore, several of the group's songs, like "Supersonic," "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger," have a classic, timeless quality about them, something that can't be said about, say, Bush.
Oasis' third album, "Be Here Now," is finally set to be released August 26. It has been a long time in the making, due to the band's recording in multiple studios (including the famous Abbey Road) and Noel Gallagher's intense desire to produce the best-sounding mixes of his songs as possible. "Be Here Now" is supposedly a more up-tempo album than Oasis' last release, more akin to the group's first album, "Definitely Maybe." Look for the album to be absolutely mega, probably outpacing "Morning Glory?"'s three million copies sold in the United States.
Radiohead, on the other hand, has taken another approach to rock 'n 'roll stardom. While not having sold nearly as many albums as Oasis in the U.S. or England, Radiohead nevertheless struck gold first, with its 1993 hit single, "Creep." A "Beavis and Butthead" favorite, "Creep" found singer and guitarist Thom Yorke moaning, "I wish I were special / So very special / But I'm a creep," over an explosive guitar riff. The song, off Radiohead's debut album, "Pablo Honey," was a success, but it seemed destined to make the group a one-hit wonder, as nothing else off the album had remotely the same impact.
The quintet stunned nonbelievers with its extraordinary sophomore album, 1995's "The Bends." Although it didn't sell millions upon millions in the United States or Britain, "The Bends" was highly regarded, as the album flowed from song to song brilliantly, with each track sounding unique yet meshing pefectly with the spacy, well-layered production. Songs like "Fake Plastic Trees," "High and Dry" and "Just" were not only stellar, but the group released very avant-garde videos to accompany them as well.
Radiohead, whom R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe calls "so good, it's scary," has supposedly already made unusual videos for every song off "OK Computer," which is due in July. One song off the album, the excellent "Lucky," can be found on "Help," a benefit album for Bosnian refugees. "OK Computer" is, according to Yorke, to sound like "a stoned Radiohead," meaning listeners who liked "The Bends" will no doubt love the new release.
By the end of the summer, perhaps world domination by these two British titans will already be under way.
Noel Gallagher of Oasis (top) and Radiohead (bottom) will soon delight their fans with new releases.