The Oasis Effect: Which bands should reunite next?
Which begs the question: If Liam and Noel can put their volatile ways behind them and patch things up, who else can get back on the road for a (highly lucrative) tour?
Some reunion yearnings are wishful thinking - bordering on pipe dreams - while others will just never happen. And maybe it's for the best. We're looking at you, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Smiths and Fleetwood Mac.
However, with Jenny Lewis' band Rilo Kiley hitting the road once more after nearly 20 years apart; Aerosmith's Joe Perry stating that the band could reunite for a proper send-off after their farewell tour was abandoned in 2023 due to Steven Tyler sustaining damage to his vocal chords; and underappreciated British post-rockers Hope Of The States recently announcing a comeback after 18 years of inactivity, anything's possible...
Here are our five picks for the musical acts we'd like to see play together again.
R.E.M.
When American alternative rockers R.E.M. split in 2011 after more than three decades together, frontman Michael Stipe said there would be no reunion. That was that. Not that there was ever any bad blood: they simply called it quits because they accomplished everything they wanted. "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished,' the band stated at the time. 'To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." Fair enough.
What are the odds? Slim, but Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry did come together last year to perform 'Losing My Religion' at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony... It had been 15 years since they last played live, and while it was billed as a one-off, it was great seeing and hearing them perform together again. The band also reissued their debut single 'Radio Free Europe' in May to help out the real and financially struggling titular organisation. Hope springs eternal...
Daft Punk
The French duo who were at the center of the French Touch movement may not be together anymore, but they remain one of the most influential acts in electronic dance music. Between 1997 and 2013, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo released four albums. Seven if you count the 2010 Tron: Legacy soundtrack and both 1997 and 2007 live albums. Then, in 2021, they announced their split – explosively. And during the height of Covid, no less. Taking off masks during a pandemic? What were they thinking?? Since then, fans have been clamoring for a comeback...
What are the odds? Don't hold your breath. Even the Paris Summer Olympic Games couldn't get them back on stage last year. Since their break, Homem-Christo and Bangalter still share a studio, with the latter releasing a solo orchestral album called 'Mythologies'. Still, it hasn't been that long since they disbanded – give them time. We hold out hope.
Outkast
Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin) formed one of the most influential hip-hop acts out there, and their six studio albums remain joys to listen to. Especially the back-to-back triumphs of 'Aquemini' (1998), 'Stankonia' (2000) and 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below' (2003). We miss them.
What are the odds? It's feasible. It's been more than 10 years since Outkast have performed together, and enough's enough. Granted, pressures to succeed led to the duo's hiatus, but considering a hiatus can be more likened to an ellipsis than a clean break, there's still a chance. And while André 3000 seems content with releasing new-age woodwind music right now (as well as underwhelming 'piano sketches'), the fact that Outkast were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year feels like another reminder that the boys should get back in the studio and prove that their sixth studio album 'Idlewild' (2006) needn't be their swansong.
Talking Heads
Another legendary act in need of a comeback... The art rock pioneers wowed everyone from the late 70s to the late 80s with classic albums like 'Talking Heads: 77', 'Fear of Music' and the peerless 'Remain in Light'. Then there's that live album to beat all live albums: 1984's 'Stop Making Sense'. The band released their last album, 'Naked', in 1988, before splitting in 1991... Understandably so, as the members aren't huge fans of each other. David Byrne has acknowledged the tensions, while bassist Tina Weymouth once described the frontman as 'a man incapable of returning friendship.' Ouch. Add to that drummer Chris Frantz writing some scathing passages about Byrne in his autobiography, and you've got yourself four music legends who are happier apart.
What are the odds? We nearly got there this year. Or so we thought. The band had been teasing an announcement last month, and fans were hoping for a reunion. It turned out to be the first ever music video for their iconic hit 'Psycho Killer', starring Saoirse Ronan – released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Talking Heads' live debut. Still, baby steps and all that... David Byrne's solo career continues – with the release of 'Who Is The Sky?' in September – and he described the relationship between all four members of Talking Heads as 'cordial'. A significant improvement. Still, any plans for a reunion don't seem to be on the cards. People have tried though: Billboard reported that Coachella had offered them $80 million for a reunion in 2024. The offer was declined. Anyone got a spare $100m tucked away somewhere?
The Fugees
In 1996, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michael released their second album, 'The Score', and it became the best-selling hip-hop album by a group in history - with 22 million copies sold worldwide. They split up – acrimoniously - at the height of their success in 1997, with each member going solo. A year later, Hill dropped her groundbreaking debut solo album, 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill', which also went on to shatter records and cement the artist as the reigning queen of hip-hop.
What are the odds? As the French would(n't) say: il y a du boeuf. Chronicling the beef between The Fugees members would make this article endless, and theie drama makes the Gallagher brothers' tiffs look like child play. Put simply: there's no love lost. To put it mildly. Before you lose all hope for a reunion, the band did reform between 2004 and 2007. They toured together but once again, the relationships between them deteriorated. In 2007, Pras told AllHipHop.com: "Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and (George W.) Bush in Starbucks having a latte, discussing foreign policies, before there will be a Fugees reunion.' Then, Wyclef Jean revealed in his 2012 autobiography 'Purpose' that his tumultuous affair with Lauryn Hill led to the band's ruin. The last chapter (so far) in this emotional rollercoaster came in 2021, when The Fugees announced a reunion tour to celebrate 25 years of 'The Score'. It was postponed due to COVID and rescheduled for August 2024... Before being quietly called off three days before the first show, with no reason given. Ready or Not? We've been ready for a while now. Please get it together.
Which acts did we miss and who would you like to see on stage once more?
The Oasis tour continues. After 19 dates in the UK and Ireland come stops in North and South America, Asia and Australia - ending in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on 23 November.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- LeMonde
Kendrick Lamar and SZA deliver three-hour tour de force at Paris concert
The recent programming at Paris La Défense Arena suggests that American rap had reached gender parity. On Sunday, July 13, Mary J. Blige, the "queen of hip-hop soul" of the 1990s, shared the bill with gangsta rapper 50 Cent. Two days later, current heavyweights of rap and R&B, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, were taking to the stage together in a nearly three-hour concert. While the two New York artists performed separately before a half-filled Arena on Sunday, it was a different story for Lamar and SZA, who designed a joint show. The two stars, whose debut albums were produced by the label Top Dawg Entertainment, had already collaborated on several tracks, including the hit "Luther," which has surpassed one billion streams. For the Grand National Tour, the artists each rap or sing for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, going back and forth and delivering a total of more than 50 songs from their repertoires. The tour, which includes 23 shows across the US and Europe, is on track to become the most profitable in hip-hop history, with over one million tickets sold. The 80,000 spots for the two Paris dates were snapped up almost instantly.
Fashion Network
4 hours ago
- Fashion Network
How Levi's is blending music, tech and fashion to drive growth
Levi Strauss is riding a fresh wave of momentum, posting a 9% increase in like-for-like sales for the first half of its 2025 financial year. Building on that growth, the denim giant now expects full-year sales to rise by 1% to 2%. But according to CEO Michelle Gass, the results reflect more than a temporary boost—they validate the vision and restructuring she has led since taking the helm in 2023. Under her leadership, Levi's has made bold moves, including divesting its Denizen brand in Asia, exiting its footwear division, and selling Dockers, the iconic chinos label. The company's ' Project Fuel' transformation plan, launched in early 2024, also included a major reorganization of its regional headquarters. These decisions align with Gass's broader ambition to turn Levi's into a global lifestyle brand rooted in denim, with a direct-to-consumer focus. 'The brand has never been stronger, and that's thanks to a combination of things,' Gass told analysts during a recent earnings call. 'We have a rich heritage, but you have to earn that relevance every day. That means showing up wherever the consumer is—on social media, in music, at cultural events, through Beyoncé or Shaboozey's wardrobe.' The Beyoncé partnership, linked to her 'Cowboy Carter' album and tour, is a powerful example of how Levi's continues to blend culture and commerce. 'This quarter, we launched the third chapter of our 'Reiimagine' campaign with Beyoncé, recreating a classic Levi's ad from the archives,' Gass said. 'We rolled out a limited-edition product line and worked directly with her team through our House of Strauss platform to design exclusive, custom looks for her tour. Staying deeply connected to music culture remains a pillar of our marketing strategy.' Levi's music push doesn't end there. In Europe, the brand recently partnered with Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival, launching a capsule collection and branding three performance stages. It also released a special-edition collection in tribute to the legendary British band Oasis. Still, Gass is quick to point out that Levi's rebound isn't built on celebrity campaigns alone—particularly in Europe, where sales rose 15% year over year on a like-for-like basis. 'Last month, I visited key cities like Paris, Barcelona and Milan. I was genuinely impressed by the brand's strength in these markets—both in-store and with younger consumers. Our teams have made real improvements in how and where Levi's shows up,' she said. The group's operating margin hit 17.2% in Q2, a 210 basis-point improvement. France, the UK, Italy and Spain all posted double-digit sales growth. Gass said she met with key franchise partners as well as retail heavyweights like Zalando and Galeries Lafayette —and sees continued potential for growth across Europe. Another bright spot is Levi's 'tops' category, which includes T-shirts, dresses and jumpsuits. 'Last year, we restructured our tops division—and it's paying off. This category is driving our evolution from jeans-only to full lifestyle,' Gass noted. The brand also introduced a new fast-track design function to bring tops and graphic tees to market faster and respond to trends through its direct channels. The brand is leaning into the westernwear revival, citing strong sales for subtle western-inspired silhouettes. Long, baggy shorts—a nod to the Y2K aesthetic—have also performed well. Levi's is branching out from its denim roots with fabric innovations like the 'Linen plus Denim' blend, designed for warmer climates and now used across a wider range of product categories. These innovations support Levi's shift toward a more premium segment. The brand recently partnered with high-end label Sacai and launched its elevated Blue Tab line—moves that allow it to justify selective price increases. Still, Levi's remains a mass-market brand at its core. Gass is focused on leveraging technology and data to refine product offerings and enhance profitability. 'We've streamlined our assortment and introduced newness with discipline,' she said. 'That's helping us drive better productivity and more full-price sales. These choices are key to maintaining our market leadership and growing the average spend per customer.' That discipline appears to be paying off. With strong investor confidence, Levi's and its ambitious CEO are now one step closer to hitting their goals of 5% annual organic growth and 15% operating margins.
Fashion Network
6 hours ago
- Fashion Network
How Levi's is blending music, tech and fashion to drive growth
Levi Strauss is riding a fresh wave of momentum, posting a 9% increase in like-for-like sales for the first half of its 2025 financial year. Building on that growth, the denim giant now expects full-year sales to rise by 1% to 2%. But according to CEO Michelle Gass, the results reflect more than a temporary boost—they validate the vision and restructuring she has led since taking the helm in 2023. Under her leadership, Levi's has made bold moves, including divesting its Denizen brand in Asia, exiting its footwear division, and selling Dockers, the iconic chinos label. The company's ' Project Fuel' transformation plan, launched in early 2024, also included a major reorganization of its regional headquarters. These decisions align with Gass's broader ambition to turn Levi's into a global lifestyle brand rooted in denim, with a direct-to-consumer focus. 'The brand has never been stronger, and that's thanks to a combination of things,' Gass told analysts during a recent earnings call. 'We have a rich heritage, but you have to earn that relevance every day. That means showing up wherever the consumer is—on social media, in music, at cultural events, through Beyoncé or Shaboozey's wardrobe.' The Beyoncé partnership, linked to her 'Cowboy Carter' album and tour, is a powerful example of how Levi's continues to blend culture and commerce. 'This quarter, we launched the third chapter of our 'Reiimagine' campaign with Beyoncé, recreating a classic Levi's ad from the archives,' Gass said. 'We rolled out a limited-edition product line and worked directly with her team through our House of Strauss platform to design exclusive, custom looks for her tour. Staying deeply connected to music culture remains a pillar of our marketing strategy.' Levi's music push doesn't end there. In Europe, the brand recently partnered with Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival, launching a capsule collection and branding three performance stages. It also released a special-edition collection in tribute to the legendary British band Oasis. Still, Gass is quick to point out that Levi's rebound isn't built on celebrity campaigns alone—particularly in Europe, where sales rose 15% year over year on a like-for-like basis. 'Last month, I visited key cities like Paris, Barcelona and Milan. I was genuinely impressed by the brand's strength in these markets—both in-store and with younger consumers. Our teams have made real improvements in how and where Levi's shows up,' she said. The group's operating margin hit 17.2% in Q2, a 210 basis-point improvement. France, the UK, Italy and Spain all posted double-digit sales growth. Gass said she met with key franchise partners as well as retail heavyweights like Zalando and Galeries Lafayette —and sees continued potential for growth across Europe. Another bright spot is Levi's 'tops' category, which includes T-shirts, dresses and jumpsuits. 'Last year, we restructured our tops division—and it's paying off. This category is driving our evolution from jeans-only to full lifestyle,' Gass noted. The brand also introduced a new fast-track design function to bring tops and graphic tees to market faster and respond to trends through its direct channels. The brand is leaning into the westernwear revival, citing strong sales for subtle western-inspired silhouettes. Long, baggy shorts—a nod to the Y2K aesthetic—have also performed well. Levi's is branching out from its denim roots with fabric innovations like the 'Linen plus Denim' blend, designed for warmer climates and now used across a wider range of product categories. These innovations support Levi's shift toward a more premium segment. The brand recently partnered with high-end label Sacai and launched its elevated Blue Tab line—moves that allow it to justify selective price increases. Still, Levi's remains a mass-market brand at its core. Gass is focused on leveraging technology and data to refine product offerings and enhance profitability. 'We've streamlined our assortment and introduced newness with discipline,' she said. 'That's helping us drive better productivity and more full-price sales. These choices are key to maintaining our market leadership and growing the average spend per customer.' That discipline appears to be paying off. With strong investor confidence, Levi's and its ambitious CEO are now one step closer to hitting their goals of 5% annual organic growth and 15% operating margins.
