In case you’re unfamiliar with the ranking, every year, rock radio station Radio X refreshes its list of the top 100 best British songs of all time, and puts the vote out to its listeners nationwide so they can have their say in helping create its annual ‘Best of British’ round-up.
And now, for what is the second year running, the iconic Manchester band’s 1994 hit, ‘Live Forever’, has taken the number one spot.
The hugely critically-acclaimed song – which was released as the band’s third single from their debut album, Definitely Maybe, and was the first Oasis single to enter the top 10 charts in the UK – topped the radio station’s 2024 list in the countdown announced yesterday (1 April), which is nearly three decades following its release.
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Written by Noel Gallagher in 1991, even before he joined Oasis, and declared Liam Gallagher’s favourite Oasis song, as well as apparently being the best British song of all time, ‘Live Forever’ is known for featuring a basic song structure and lyrics with an optimistic outlook.
The song was said to be one to contrast with the attitude of the songs released by the several grunge bands who were popular at the time.
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“Thirty years after its release, it’s fitting to see ‘Live Forever’ retain top spot in this year’s list of the best tunes Britain has to offer,” commented Matt Deverson, who is the Managing Editor of Radio X.
The hit is one of four Oasis tracks making up the top 10 of Radio X’s 2024 ‘Best of British’ list too, alongside ‘Slide Away,’ ‘Champagne Supernova,’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, while elsewhere, the band appears to have dominated the top 100 just in general.
The Gallagher brothers and co have 14 songs featured on the list in total this year.
Not only that, but as a city famed for its musical heritage, Manchester was the most represented city on the 2024 list too, with 35 songs from 11 different bands – including tracks from other iconic bands and artists like New Order, Blossoms, The Stone Roses, Elbow, and The Smiths.
The tour announcement comes ahead of the release of her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which is pencilled for release on 17 May.
Billie Eilish and her co-writer and producer brother Finneas have earned dozens of awards for their music since she burst onto the scene with Ocean Eyes in 2016.
Among those awards are nine Grammys, three Brit Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and even a couple of Oscars (for her songs on James Bond’s No Time to Die, and then the Barbie soundtrack).
Billie announced her latest huge tour this afternoon, which includes dates across the USA, Europe, and Australia.
This is the third huge act to be announced at Co-op Live today alone, which has also added Janet Jackson and Craig David to its bill of events.
The 23,500-capacity venue is set to officially open to the public on 1 May after a few delays, with both Peter Kay and the Black Keys rescheduled to later dates.
Billie Eilish will perform at Co-op Live in Manchester on 19, 20, 22, and 23 July 2025.
Tickets will go on general sale on 3 May 2024 at 12pm through See Tickets here.
Co-op Members can have early access to tickets from midday on 30 April 2024.
Craig David announces gig at Manchester’s Co-op Live as part of UK tour in 2025
Danny Jones
UK R&B, garage and pop legend Craig David is heading back out on tour next year as has revealed the soon-to-open Co-op Live Arena as the location for his Manchester date.
The ‘7 Days’, ‘Fill Me In’ and ‘DNA’ singer has been well and truly on the comeback over the past few years and as one of the biggest British chart-toppers of the noughties, we are loving having Craig David back smashing the live music circuit.
Announcing his latest ‘Commitment’ tour in early 2025, the 42-year-old becomes the latest name to join the long list of people queuing up to play Manchester’s newest and biggest indoor venue, Co-op Live.
Craig David confirms Co-op Live Arena date for Manchester return.
Set to kick off a run of just under a dozen initial domestic shows in Leeds before heading to Manchester on Friday, 14 February and closing out the schedule at the O2 in London on 20 February, it’s sure to be a popular tour.
Better still, he’s bringing an equally nostalgic name along with him for the ride as fellow 2000s hit-maker Lemar has been confirmed as his special guest and main support act.
Lemar played a pair of 20th anniversary shows here in Manchester city centre in April 2023 and is also joining boyband JLS on their ‘Summer Hits’ tour this July – including a special gig at Barton Airport.
General admission tickets for the gig go on sale this Friday, 3 May at 10am with pre-sale available to Co-op members from the same time this Wednesday.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd April 2024 
