So it’s definitely not a maybe. Oasis are reuniting for a UK and Ireland tour that could be one of their most lucrative ever, with tickets being touted as the “hottest of the decade”.

But one question people ask themselves is why? The most obvious motivation is money.

Although the Gallagher brothers have gone on to build successful solo careers since their split in 2009, nothing they’ve accomplished has come close to the figures they could potentially put up during the 14-date reunion shows, including a four-show run at Wembley Stadium.

Birmingham City University estimates the first 14 concerts could generate £400 million from ticket sales and other perks, with Liam and Noel both earning £50 million.

Dr Matt Grimes, course director of the BA music business at Birmingham City University, said the brothers could double their net worth in a matter of weeks. “They are also considering going to Europe, so they could make even more,” he said.

Ticket prices have not yet been announced before they go on sale this Friday, but they are likely to be ten times more expensive than they were in 1995, when tickets for the UK tour cost £14.

Despite splitting up 15 years ago, Oasis never really went away as an entity. The Gallagher brothers’ private lives have kept them in the tabloid press, while anniversary releases have ensured their music continues to have a second life on streaming services.

The 2016 documentary Supersonic rekindled interest in the group, both among older fans who had experienced the original Oasis period and among younger audiences who were introduced to Gallagher’s Manchester-born insouciance, humour and self-aggrandizement.

Eamonn Forde, business writer and author, says Oasis holds a unique place in British culture.

“They were always present in the culture,” Forde says. “You could almost compare them to Abba or the Beatles, there was always something going on to bring in new listeners and remind them.”

“They’ve never monetized that nostalgia on this scale,” he added. “They’ll probably make more money from these shows than they did in the entire ’90s.”

Oasis are following in the footsteps of several Brit Pop colleagues by reuniting, but it hasn’t always worked out well. Pulp have had several breakups over the years, while Blur reunited in 2009 and 2015 for their 2023 summer shows.

Blur’s comeback shows at Wembley last year were a success, selling out in minutes and impressing critics. But the reunion was fraught with tensions within the band, a behind-the-scenes documentary, To the End, shows.

A cautionary tale comes in the form of the Stone Roses, another Manchester band who paved the way for Oasis’ brand of boy-friendly indie. When they reunited in 2013, lifelong fan and filmmaker Shane Meadows was on hand to document the reunion, which soured soon after it began and resulted in members leaving mid-tour.

Despite the fallout, Meadows’ documentary captures—perhaps better than any other film about music fandom—why bands like the Stone Roses resonate with so many. “You can’t write it down, can you?” says one fan Meadows speaks to. “There’s a reason I never wear a tie, there’s a reason I still listen to that (debut) album once a week. It still gives me a tingle.”

Oasis have an even greater emotional appeal and cultural significance: their single Wonderwall has been streamed over a billion times and after the Manchester Arena bombing a grieving crowd erupted in a performance of Don’t Look Back in Anger.

But like the Stone Roses, the group’s personal dynamics are unpredictable. The Gallagher brothers didn’t speak to each other for years after their 2009 split, and have since been criticised in the press, with bookmakers offering 4/1 on Oasis breaking up before the end of the tour.

Forde believes that known frictions may have led to watertight contracts with clauses that would make it financially ruinous for one of the brothers to walk away, or to incredibly high insurance premiums for all parties involved in the event of a split. But there are ways to ease tensions when so much money is at stake.

“You hear about all these acts that hated each other, whether it was The Eagles or Simon and Garfunkel, and they just didn’t see each other until they were on stage,” Forde said.

Another question that lingers after the announcement is what the line-up will be. Original guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs toured with Liam Gallagher this summer, while Noel’s group – the High Flying Birds – includes former Oasis member Gem Archer, who also played with Liam’s Beady Eye.

Whoever takes the stage, they’ll be part of one of the most anticipated – and potentially explosive – comebacks ever.