Nostalgia and the new – from Oasis to church

It seems nostalgia is back in vogue. My last article in these pages referenced Blur and Damon Albarn’s hissy fit at Coachella. By some coincidence, the perma-bickering Gallagher brothers seem to have made up and decided to get Oasis back together.

Cue much hoopla from middle-aged people and geriatric millennials who remember the first time (if you spot the allusion to another Britpop band and write in with the correct answer, just like the ’90s Saturday TV of yore, en might send you a Marathon Bar and a Tamagotchi!)

What is perhaps a little more surprising is that the Oasis reunion seems to have excited a lot of Gen Z. Those of us who remember the first coming (another reference for another ’90s nostalgia toy – Stretch Armstrong or something) also have memories of saving up to spend £10–£15 in order to purchase one CD. Yes, Gen Z, you read that right. For those of us who did not grow up around money, by which I basically mean me, it meant I usually had the bunce to get one album every month or two. This was a risky business, as you could have been stuck with Heathen Chemistry or anything by Travis as your only music purchase for the next month or two! Gen Z have no such fear as the cost of streaming is the same price as a single ’90s/’00s CD album (half if you’re a student) and you can access absolutely anything you want. I suspect it has led to much broader and eclectic music tastes amongst Gen Z than Millennials and Xers as there is no risk in trying out both old and new bands, making them much more willing to take a punt on new music (or, at least, new to them even if it’s actually quite old). Hence, the Gen Z excitement about the Oasis reunion.