Oasis’s classic 1994 debut, Definitely Maybe, had synthesized different strains of rock and roll made by British outcasts, from the mods to the Pistols to The Smiths, delivered in a defiant sneer for the ages. The result, in the UK, was a huge pop hit, and Oasis were no longer in the underclass. With a new, more technically proficient drummer, a year later, they followed it up with (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, one of the best-selling albums in British history. The point of Oasis was finding shared humanity in raw, sometimes unflattering honesty, and that’s the thread that connects both records.

However, Oasis greatly expands its sound here, replacing the sneering with the contemplative on “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and using its signature guitar roar to more sophisticated ends on the winding “Hey Now.” The deservedly huge “Wonderwall” conveys a sense of fundamental, eternal longing in a few notes of Liam Gallagher’s voice, while “Hello” and “Roll With It” begin the record by sounding like glam and folk-rock, respectively, played by an entire guitar factory. 

(What’s the Story) was the second winner for Oasis in a row, but one of the biggest surprises (for American fans, at least) came decades later when the twentieth anniversary deluxe edition featured UK B-sides like “The Masterplan” and “Acquiesce,” which were of such quality it only underscored the strength of the era-defining original album.