A Stadium-Sized Grudge
System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian turned a July 2023 performance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into a public takedown of Oasis. Leading the massive crowd in a disparaging chant, Malakian solidified a long-standing public disdain between the two acts, a rivalry rooted in early 2000s comments from Noel Gallagher regarding the metal band’s musical quality.
Roots of a Decades-Old Rivalry
The bad blood traces back to the aftermath of System of a Down’s breakout record, Toxicity. In a radio interview from that era, Noel Gallagher weighed in on the Armenian-American band with characteristic bluntness, labeling them the “shittiest band of all time” after hearing their music.
Escalation in Chicago and London
The verbal sparring has moved from radio waves to live stages as both bands maintained high-profile touring schedules. By September 2023, the conflict reached Soldier Field in Chicago. Malakian took to Instagram, posting a photo of himself next to a venue sign he had digitally altered to read “Fuck Oasis.” He captioned the image, “Wow!!! I kept ending up at the right place at the right time in Chicago!!!!!”
The friction hit a fever pitch at the London show in July. Introducing the song “Needles,” Malakian addressed the audience: “We have a song about a tapeworm. Just for fun today, I’m going to name the tapeworm ‘Oasis’.” He then goaded the stadium into a rhythmic chant: “Pull Oasis out of your ass.”
Stadium Rock’s New Guard
Despite the public barbs, System of a Down continues to dominate stadium circuits. A five-star NME review of the Tottenham Hotspur show noted that while the crowd intensity mirrored the fervor of Oasis at their peak, the band offers a distinct evolution of stadium rock. The publication pointed to the band’s reliance on high-energy circle pits and Malakian’s knack for turning live clips into viral moments.
The concert also featured Queens of the Stone Age as the opening act. Frontman Josh Homme led a set that included “Sick, Sick, Sick” and “No One Knows,” earning praise for the band’s closing performance.
The Industry’s History of Hostility
This public fallout is far from an isolated incident in the music industry.
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