Noel Gallagher has addressed the controversy around his BRIT Award for Songwriter of the Year, calling on critics to “meet me there”.
Last week, the Oasis guitarist was announced as this year’s recipient of the prize, which recognises “exceptional songwriting” and has previously been awarded to the likes of Ed Sheeran, Kid Harpoon, RAYE and Charli XCX.
The BRITs organisers said they had selected him as he had “permeated the fabric of British culture for over 30 years” with songs that “continue to resonate with audiences around the world like no other”, but some have pointed to the fact that Gallagher has in fact not released any new songs over the past 12 months.
Now, Noel has addressed the backlash during an appearance on talkSPORT, in which he admitted: “I haven’t written a song for two years. I’m not sure how I’ve got away with that one but I’ll take it.”
When asked by host Andy Goldstein about those questioning whether he deserves the award, Gallagher said: “Well, I think the Brits is all based on record sales, and I’m not sure there was another single songwriter that sold… I mean, we sold a million records last year. Didn’t even get off the couch and I’m not sure there’s a songwriter that can match that.”
“But you know, if anybody’s got a problem with it, meet me there,” he continued. “We’ll have it out on the red carpet. If any of those wet wipes songwriting teams, all 11 of them, want to write a song between the lot of them, want to have it out on the red carpet, I’m there.”
The BRITs are taking place in Gallagher’s hometown on Manchester on February 28, the first time they have been held outside of London in their near-50-year history. Noel will be on hand to accept his award, although he said he has not spoken to his brother Liam about whether he will join him.
“If I’m being honest right, I just think they were desperate to get somebody from Oasis up there because it’s from Manchester… that’s what I think,” Noel added.
Recently, Noel reflected on Oasis‘ historic reunion run and fuelled rumours of new music with the admission that he was “back at work”.
The band’s 41-date tour began in Cardiff on July 4 last year and saw them take in five homecoming shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park, seven at Wembley Stadium in London, and gigs across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
Speaking on Radio 5’s Football Daily last month, he was asked about his break post-gigs, prompting Noel to reply: “The holiday was good. But, yeah, back at work on Monday. So it’s all good, mate. It’s all been going great.” As for his busy and successful 2025 with Oasis, he said: “It went rather well, didn’t it?”
Rumours of more tour dates this year, as well as potential new music, have been rife in recent months. Liam has teased more shows on X, writing, “I know things you don’t know” to a fan who asked him if he was sad the tour would be ending soon.
And, at the last Wembley show of their comeback run in September, he told fans “See you next year” before playfully slapping himself on the wrist. Then in October, a British peer seemed to accidentally reveal that Oasis would be playing Knebworth this summer – in what would mark 30 years since the band’s famous shows at the Hertfordshire stately home – before backtracking on her claims.
What has been confirmed, however, is that a new film documenting Oasis’ return and comeback tour is also on the way, and is being produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
The rest of this year’s BRIT nominees have been announced and you can see them all here. It has also been confirmed that Harry Styles, Wolf Alice, and Olivia Dean will be among those performing at the event.