Oasis — Definitely Maybe

Oasis's Definitely Maybe is the fastest-selling debut album in British history, shifting over 800,000 copies in its first week of release in 1994 and ultimately selling 2.6 million copies in the UK alone. This swaggering statement of intent launched Britpop into the mainstream, with anthems like 'Live Forever' and 'Supersonic' defining a generation through the Gallagher brothers' raw energy and Noel's soaring melodies. Produced for just over £90,000, it outperformed slower-selling debuts like Blur's Leisure by a massive margin—outselling it 13 times over in U.K. sales—while its single 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' became a declaration of working-class hedonism. Compared to #9 Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, Definitely Maybe achieved a commercial velocity that remains unmatched among British debuts, 50% faster initial sales than the runner-up, with its bold confidence and sheer hook density making it a cultural touchstone that ranks as one of the best-selling UK debuts ever.