The article compares the number-one single tallies of U2 and Oasis, sparked by Noel Gallagher's recent praise for U2's popularity in America, and touches on the unlikely friendship between Gallagher and Bono, whose bands are often pitted against each other despite emerging in different eras. Bono has previously spoken warmly of Oasis's "Live Forever", describing it as capturing the spirit of being in a band, underlining the mutual respect between the two acts even as fans and critics debate their relative success.

In the UK, Oasis edge ahead with eight number ones, from "Some Might Say" (1995) to "The Importance Of Being Idle" (2005), against U2's seven, spanning "Desire" (1988) to "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" (2005). In America, however, Oasis never topped the charts, with "Wonderwall" peaking at number eight in 1996, while U2 notched two US number ones from 1987's Joshua Tree ("With Or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"), giving them nine worldwide chart-toppers overall to Oasis's eight.