Don't Look Back in Anger

"Don't Look Back in Anger" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was released in 1996 as the fourth single from their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. The song was written by the band's former guitarist and main songwriter, Noel Gallagher. The song became the band's second single to reach #1 in the UK Singles Chart. It also went platinum.^[2] "Don't Look Back in Anger" was also the first Oasis single to feature Noel on lead vocals instead of his brother, Liam Gallagher.

"Don't Look Back in Anger"
Single by Oasis
from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
B-side	"Step Out" "Underneath the Sky" "Cum On Feel the Noize"
Released	19 February 1996 (1996-02-19)
Recorded	May 1995
Studio	Rockfield (Monmouth, Wales)
Genre	Britpop rock[1]
Length	4:48
Label	Creation
Songwriter(s)	Noel Gallagher
Producer(s)	Noel Gallagher Owen Morris
Oasis singles chronology
"Wonderwall" (1995) "Don't Look Back in Anger" (1996) "Champagne Supernova" (1996)
Music video
"Don't Look Back in Anger" on YouTube
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? track listing
12 tracks "Hello" "Roll with It" "Wonderwall" "Don't Look Back in Anger" "Hey Now!" Untitled "Some Might Say" "Cast No Shadow" "She's Electric" "Morning Glory" Untitled "Champagne Supernova"

Release

The single cover is showing respects to the incident where Ringo Starr briefly left The Beatles during the recording of The White Album.

The B-side "Step Out" was originally intended for the (What's the Story) Morning Glory? album but was taken off after Stevie Wonder requested 10% of the royalties as the chorus like his hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)". Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy received credit for writing the song along with Noel.

Reception

Don't Look Back in Anger was met with high critical praise and it became a commercial hit.

• Billboard said "Noel Gallagher reveals a deft sense of timing and craft that turn his improprieties into masterful pop gems."^[3]

• "Don't Look Back in Anger" is Oasis's sixth biggest Billboard hit in the US, reaching the number 10 spot on the US Modern Rock Chart for the week of June 22, 1996. ^[4]

• It was the 10th biggest selling single of 1996 in the UK.

• In a 2006 readers' poll conducted by Q magazine, "Don't Look Back in Anger" was chosen as the 20th best song of all time.^[5]

• In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Don't Look Back in Anger" at number 14 in its list of the "50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever".^[6]

Track listing

All songs were written by Noel Gallagher except where noted.

UK CD and cassette single (CRESCD 221; CRECS 221)[7][8] "Don't Look Back in Anger" "Step Out" (Gallagher, Wonder, Cosby, Moy) "Underneath the Sky" "Cum On Feel the Noize" (Holder, Lea) UK 7-inch single (CRE 221)[9] A. "Don't Look Back in Anger" B. "Step Out" (Gallagher, Wonder, Cosby, Moy)

UK 12-inch single (CRE 221T)[10] A1. "Don't Look Back in Anger" B1. "Step Out" (Gallagher, Wonder, Cosby, Moy) B2. "Underneath the Sky" US CD and cassette single (34K 78356; 34T 78356)[11][12] "Don't Look Back in Anger" "Cum On Feel the Noize" (Holder, Lea)

Personnel

Oasis

• Noel Gallagher – lead vocals, lead and acoustic guitars, Mellotron, EBow
• Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs – piano, rhythm guitar, Hammond organ^[13]
• Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan – bass guitar
• Alan White – drums, shaker, tambourine^[14]

Additional personnel

• Owen Morris – Kurzweil strings^[15]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[16] 19 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] 35 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 24 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[19] 2 Czech Republic (IFPI CR)[20] 8 Denmark (IFPI)[21] 8 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] 8 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 3 France (SNEP)[24] 24 Germany (Official German Charts)[25] 57 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[26] 4 Ireland (IRMA)[27] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 33 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 30 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 20 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 19 Scotland (OCC)[32] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[33] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 27 UK Singles (OCC)[35] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[36] 55 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[37] 10 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[38] 33 US Cash Box Top 100[39] 33 Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[40] 8 Chart (2013) Peak position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[41] 29

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[42] 39 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[43] 54 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[44] 44 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 83 UK Singles (OCC)[46] 11 US Modern Rock (Billboard)[47] 58

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[48]	Gold	30,000
Italy (FIMI)[49]	2× Platinum	200,000
Japan (RIAJ)[50] Digital single	Platinum	250,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[51]	Gold	30,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[52]	5× Platinum	3,000,000
*sales figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
United Kingdom	19 February 1996	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	Creation	[53][54]
Japan	22 February 1996	CD	Epic	[55]
United Kingdom	26 February 1996	12-inch vinyl	Creation	[56]
United States	23 July 1996	Contemporary hit radio	Epic	[57]