TOKYO - When Oasis took to the stage on Oct 25 for their first concert in Japan in 16 years, the roar that filled Tokyo Dome was not only from fans who had followed the English rock band since the 1990s.

Among the 50,000-strong crowd were also thousands of younger listeners who had discovered the Britpop legends after their 2009 split and not through record stores or radio, but music streaming services.

The sold-out gig marked a symbolic moment for both generations.

It showed how, in the subscription era, music from decades past can circulate as freely as the latest hits, bridging the gap between those who once bought Oasis albums on CD and those who stream them on digital platforms such as Spotify.

“I discovered Oasis through Alexandros, a Japanese band I was a fan of,” a 23-year-old apparel store clerk from Chiba Prefecture said. “I thought this might be my first and last chance to see them.”

As Oasis members Noel and Liam Gallagher appeared on the stage with their hands held aloft – a moment of unity from the Mancunian brothers after years of feuding – the Dome erupted.

The swagger was still there: Liam, hands clasped behind his back, stared down the crowd as he growled through classics like Some Might Say (1995) and Wonderwall (1995), with fans of all ages joining in.

“(Back in the day) they looked so effortlessly cool...Their sibling rivalry was thrilling too,” said Ms Miho Hayashi, a company employee from Toyama who has been an Oasis fan since high school.

The 48-year-old attended the concert with her teenage daughter, who grew up hearing the band’s songs “like lullabies”.

The cross-generational enthusiasm extended far beyond the concert venue.

In the days leading up to the show, Miyashita Park in Shibuya was transformed into an Oasis-themed hub, with digital billboards looping music videos and a pop-up shop selling T-shirts and posters as well as Japan-exclusive me...