Wonderwall is pretty easy to play, especially considering that it sounds really good without any other instruments. It's 5 rather simple chords, sing along to it and there you go...

I guess you could say Oasis did break America if by 'breaking America' you mean they got some radio play. I was a little kid in the 90s but the radio was always on in my house, so when I rediscovered Oasis in the past year or so, I found that I did recognize a few of their bigger hits such as Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova but for the most part I had never heard their music or knew they were even that big of a deal. I thought they were just another alternative rock band who'd had a few well-known singles here and there.. Of the other teens at my school, maybe one in ten would recognize Wonderwall, if anything. But for the most part this band is not well-known anymore. Perhaps it was at one point, but even my father, who used to collect rock albums, had never bought an Oasis one in the 90s. As disappointing as it is, I don't know of any radio station in my city that plays Oasis.. We used to have one awesome station that played soft rock and 90s alternative that you could occasionally hear Wonderwall on, but that's about it.

Overall, I would not say that Oasis 'broke' America for the fact that they had minor success as a alternative rock band but were never at all considered mainstream. Granted, they had some sold-out shows in the 90s, but as an American I've observed that people around me do not listen to this band anymore. And even if they do recognize a song here or there, it's unlikely that they would know of Liam and Noel's stormy relationship that gave them so much fame in England.

Oasis was huge in America between the tail end of 1995 and all of 1996. Loads of anticipation for Be Here Now in the summer of 1997 but they failed to make a lasting impression on that album cycle for a variety of reasons (change in trends, bloated album/singles, negative press). It seemed all the good karma from 1996 was lost by fall 1997. By the time SOTSOG came around in February 2000, their commercial footing in America was gone forever. Sure later albums peaked in the top 10 and 5 but they disappeared quickly. No hit singles or albums.

All in all, I would say they broke America between 1994 and 1997. Three platinum albums and Wonderwall was literally everywhere in 1996.

But you dont get the point

its not a song for beginners at all

The strumming is not very easy to teach at all

surely you get that much?

For two solid years they broke it. They had platinum albums. Had videos all over MTV, played MTV Unplugged and VMAs. Wonderwall and Supernova were massive radio hits. People all over America knew who they were. I think that says a lot. Even today Americans still know Oasis well. Sadly it's all their negative bullshit but they are embedded in pop culture. You could say the Verve never truly broke America despite a hit single and platinum selling album. They came and went fast partly due to breaking up.

The sales figures no doubt aren't going to be robust compared to other at the same point in time. Things were much different back then. Going platinum was still a big deal. Being a British band a lot was working against them initially. It had been a long time since a British band properly broke America. They became a hold house name, had hit selling albums and are a brand in America to this very day. Plenty of other UK bands never got that far despite the hype or critical reviews (Ocean Colour Scene, Manic Street Preachers, Pulp, Suede, Travis, Gomez, Cornershop, Supergrass, etc).

Don't forget the Smashing Pumpkins. They were alternative kings in America from 1993 to 1998.

I don't think so. Americana had MASSIVE hits, and received a lot of radio and mtv play back in the day. It's their best selling album for a reason. I do believe the magic got lost with conspiracy of one, tho. 

That long progressive punk track at the end of the album was superb.

Wtsmg 4m+ albums sold. Thirteenth best selling album of the year. Three albums in the top five. I think the only foreign bands from 95 to now to have more success are Radiohead, U2, and Coldplay.

I was about to comment back and say how I wonder how the hell they got so popular, but then you mentioned the soccer moms and it all made sense. They, by far, have got the worst tastes in music, which is basically whatever comes on the radio and nothing more.

To all the women on this forum, please, for the love of God & all his Holiness, do not end up being one of them. Be MadFerIt fer life. 

eva's a soccer mom.

God bless.