Greatest Hits Radio countdown finally reveals Blur v Oasis winner
The Blur vs Oasis rivalry to top the charts seems an age ago, but now Greatest Hits Radio has finally revealed who won the war.
The Battle of Britpop took place nearly 30 years ago in the Summer of 1995, but The UK’s Official Top 300 Most Streamed Songs from the 70s 80s and 90s, compiled by the Official Charts Company, has seen it played out one more!
The chart has placed the 1995 hit Wonderwall by Oasis at Number 1.
Not only did the iconic song reach Number 1 but this was just one of eight songs in the chart for the band. In contrast, Blur only managed two chart entries – with Song 2 at Number 100 and Parklife at Number 200.
The countdown was aired every day over the last week on Greatest Hit Radio, playing the 300 songs that have stood the test of time since release, as they were streamed by new generations of music lovers.
Wonderwall, which was held off the top spot by Robson & Jerome with I Believe, was at Number 1 with 280,870,000 streams.
Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was at Number 2 with 248,210,000 streams and Toto’s Africa came in at Number 3 with 218,290,000 streams.
On hearing the news that Oasis topped the chart, Noel Gallagher said: “Am I surprised to see Wonderwall at the top of this chart? No.
“The first two Oasis albums and all the big hits from them are generally up at the top of these charts of the greatest songs of all time. That said, every time I play Wonderwall it brings the house down and I can’t explain it – it’s a magic thing, a magical, magical thing. Although I’d rather have Don’t Look Back In Anger there frankly, better lead vocal.”
Although Queen didn’t make the top spot, they were the band with most songs in the Top 300 – 13 in total, followed by Fleetwood Mac who had eight songs in the chart.
Michael Jackson is the solo artist with most entries (7) – followed by Elton John, who has four as a solo artist and two as part of a duo – with his highest placed song Tiny Dancer, incidentally never originally released as a single, charting at Number 26.
The impact of films, TV and social media popularity on streaming numbers is clear, with Running Up That Hill charting at Number 42 – making Kate Bush the UK’s highest placed female solo artist in these charts thanks to Stranger Things. While Iris from The Goo Goo Dolls which was covered by The X Factor’s Frankie Cocozza in 2011 and has gone on to carve itself out as a genuine classic ever since, makes it to Number 13.
The Top 300 Countdown is available to listen to again online at greatesthitsradio.co.uk.
Spoiler alert – the Top 20 of the countdown looked like this …
- Wonderwall – Oasis (1995)
- Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen (1975)
- Africa – Toto (1982)
- Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen (1978)
- Dreams – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
- Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis (1995)
- Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac (1987)
- Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey (1981)
- I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston (1987)
- Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader (1999)
- The Chain – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
- Mr Blue Sky – ELO (1977)
- Iris – Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
- Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (1991)
- Summer of ‘69 – Bryan Adams (1984)
- Take On Me – A-ha (1984)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N Roses (1987)
- September – Earth, Wind & Fire (1978)
- Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac (1976)
- Billie Jean – Michael Jackson (1982)