Oasis

Following in the footsteps their idols The Beatles, Oasis became major stars in the mid-1990s. Taking the Fabs' template as a model, they added a thick wall of Pete Townshend-influenced guitars and stood at the vanguard of the mid-'90s Britpop movement, inspiring scores of imitators. While guitarist/songwriter/leader Noel Gallagher penned several instant-classic pop songs, the press zoomed in on the extra-musical high jinks and squabbles of he and his younger brother and Oasis lead singer, Liam. The constantly feuding brothers have threatened to split countless times (usually after one of Liam's public outbursts), but somehow they've hung together and kept things going against the odds. The band's latter albums--written in the midst of numerous line-up changes--while not critically lauded have consistently sold in their millions.

• rock
• alternative/indie