The Official Charts Company, which announced the news, said it was the first time in 14 years the band had topped its album chart. The beloved record - which debuted at No. 1 upon its release in September 1994 - returned to the top of the chart after a 408 percent increase in sales and streams on a weekly basis, the publication added. This was aided by the release of the 30th-Anniversary Deluxe Edition, which includes originally rejected recording sessions at Monnow Valley Studio in Wales and Sawmills Studios in Cornwall, as well as an alternate demo version of "Sad Song".
The achievement comes just over a week after the 1990 Britpop pioneers delighted fans by announcing they would reunite for a series of shows next year after brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher ended their infamous 15-year feud.
Responding to the first place announcement, the band wrote on X: "Huge thanks to everyone who supported Oasis this week."
However, ticket sales for the shows were marred by controversy. The chaotic battle for the prized tickets last Saturday led to sudden big price hikes known as dynamic pricing, to waiting for hours on online sales and hopes scorched over some of Ticketmaster's website technical glitches. The failure prompted the UK government and the country's competition watchdog to promise an investigation into the ticketing website and its practices.
The Irish probe
Ireland's competition regulator has also announced an investigation into ticket prices against Ticketmaster Ireland after receiving more than 100 complaints. "If we find that consumer protection laws have been breached, we will take action," said Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Brian McHugh in a statement released on Friday.
The band subsequently announced two additional tour dates at London's Wembley Stadium next September, designed for fans who missed out. Martin Talbot, chief executive of Official Charts, congratulated the Gallagher brothers on their triumph at the top of the charts. "As if the overwhelming demand for their tour dates wasn't proof enough, the enduring power of Oasis is underlined by the success of 'Definitely Maybe' this week," he said.
The announcement of the reunion tour has helped renew interest in the band's other albums, with two more entries in the top five this week. The 2009 hits compilation "Time Flies... (1994-2009)" earned the third spot, while the 1995 release "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" was fourth. | BGNES
