Oasis Hit With Photo Agency Boycott Over Strict Image Rights Policy

A significant disagreement over image usage rights has prompted several prominent photo agencies and news organizations to announce a widespread boycott of the remaining dates on Oasis‘s highly anticipated reunion tour. This includes their much-publicized homecoming concert in Manchester held this past Friday, July 11, 2025.

At the heart of the conflict are stringent new policies set by Oasis‘s management concerning concert photography. These terms, a stark departure from industry norms, dictate that photographers and media outlets will only retain usage rights to their images for a single year. After this 12-month period, all rights revert back to the band. Standard practice within the industry typically allows photo agencies and independent photographers to maintain perpetual rights, enabling media to utilize historical concert imagery for retrospective pieces, tributes, or future news coverage of artists.

The News Media Coalition (NMC), an organization representing major UK media entities such as Guardian News & Media, The Telegraph, News UK (publishers of The Sun and The Times), and Reach (The Mirror, Express), voiced formal objections prior to the tour’s initial performance in Cardiff. Leading global photo agencies, including Getty Images, Reuters, AFP, PA Media, Shutterstock, and Spain’s EFE, are also part of this coalition.

Andrew Moger, the chief executive of the NMC, underscored the crucial role of long-term image access. “All news publishers, now and back in time, have created news photographs for use on the day and to illustrate future news,” Moger stated. He further emphasized the logistical impact, explaining, “News agencies want to cover the tour from Cardiff to Brazil, but not having the freedom to share news into the future is a big factor in editorial planning.”

While media outlets initially agreed to the restrictive conditions for the first two Cardiff shows, subsequent negotiations with Oasis‘s management failed to yield acceptable terms. This breakdown has led to the collective decision to withdraw coverage for the remaining 39 concerts, including all international stops. It has come to light that the band’s initial proposal was an even tighter one-month usage window before it was extended to a year—still deemed insufficient by the industry. The NMC has condemned these new restrictions as “highly unusual,” warning of severe consequences for independent photo agencies and publishers who depend on editorial images for both immediate news and archival content.

Moger also pointed out a seeming contradiction in Oasis‘s stance. He noted that the concerts themselves commence with a video montage featuring headlines and images previously published by news organizations, celebrating the band’s storied rise to fame. “As the band prepares for its UK and overseas legs, this is not a time for the band to tell news organisations they want to be invisible,” he commented.

This emerging controversy adds to the ongoing complexities surrounding the Oasis reunion tour, which marks the first time Liam and Noel Gallagher have performed together in 16 years.

Oasis 2025 Tour Dates:

• Jul 12 – Manchester, England – Heaton Park
• Jul 16 – Manchester, England – Heaton Park
• Jul 19 – Manchester, England – Heaton Park
• Jul 20 – Manchester, England – Heaton Park
• Jul 25 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Jul 26 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Jul 30 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Aug 02 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Aug 03 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Aug 08 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
• Aug 09 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
• Aug 12 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
• Aug 16 – Dublin, Ireland – Croke Park
• Aug 17 – Dublin, Ireland – Croke Park
• Aug 24 – Toronto, Canada – Rogers Stadium
• Aug 25 – Toronto, Canada – Rogers Stadium
• Aug 28 – Chicago, USA – Soldier Field
• Aug 31 – East Rutherford, USA – MetLife Stadium
• Sep 01 – East Rutherford, USA – MetLife Stadium
• Sep 06 – Los Angeles, USA – Rose Bowl
• Sep 07 – Los Angeles, USA – Rose Bowl
• Sep 12 – Mexico City, Mexico – Estadio GNP Seguro
• Sep 13 – Mexico City, Mexico – Estadio GNP Seguro
• Sep 27 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Sep 28 – London, England – Wembley Stadium
• Oct 21 – Seoul, South Korea – Goyang Stadium
• Oct 25 – Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome
• Oct 26 – Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome
• Oct 31 – Melbourne, Australia – Marvel Stadium
• Nov 01 – Melbourne, Australia – Marvel Stadium
• Nov 04 – Melbourne, Australia – Marvel Stadium
• Nov 07 – Sydney, Australia – Accor Stadium
• Nov 08 – Sydney, Australia – Accor Stadium
• Nov 15 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Estadio River Plate
• Nov 16 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Estadio River Plate
• Nov 19 – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Nacional
• Nov 22 – São Paulo, Brazil – Estadio MorumBIS
• Nov 23 – São Paulo, Brazil – Estadio MorumBIS