"Supersonic" is the debut single by Oasis, released on 11 April 1994 (UK) and 5 April 1994 (Ireland). It later appeared as track 6 on their landmark debut album Definitely Maybe (August 1994). Written by Noel Gallagher, it features Liam Gallagher on lead vocals and is widely regarded as the song that announced Oasis to the world, kicking off the Britpop explosion with its raw energy, swagger, and unmistakable Manchester attitude.
The song was written and recorded in a single day — 19 December 1993 — at the Pink Museum Studio (now the Motor Museum) in Liverpool. The band was originally trying to record another track ("Bring It On Down"), but things weren't clicking. During a dinner break (Chinese takeaway or fish and chips, depending on the telling), the rest of the band stepped out. Noel stayed behind in the back room with his guitar and wrote "Supersonic" in roughly half an hour (some accounts say the time it took the others to eat). He came back, played it for the band, and they nailed it that same night — including mixing. Liam recorded his vocals in one take.
The production was handled by the band themselves along with live sound engineer Mark Coyle (with Owen Morris later involved in mastering for the album). It was cheap and fast — reportedly costing around £100. The loose, lazy drumbeat (Tony McCarroll), swaggering guitars (Noel on lead, Bonehead on rhythm), and driving bass (Guigsy) captured their live energy perfectly. This session also helped cement their long-term working relationship with producer Owen Morris.
It debuted at number 31 on the UK singles chart, spending 60 weeks in total. In the US, it hit number 11 on the alternative airplay and number 38 on the mainstream rock charts.