Should phones be banned at the Oasis reunion tour? Average attendee to watch 12 minutes of each show on their phone, per new research
Should phones be banned at music gigs? It’s a debate with growing interest, with some arguing phone-free shows make for a better atmosphere, and others viewing such bans as an encroachment on their rights.
And after bans from the likes of Ghost and Jack White – and even global superstars like Sabrina Carpenter mulling over the idea – the conversation is really starting to pick up traction.
READ MORE: Noel Gallagher debuted a P-90-equipped Gibson Les Paul at first Oasis comeback gig – here’s everything we know
As it stands, phones are not banned at Oasis’s widely anticipated reunion tour – which kicked off last week in Cardiff – but new research suggests maybe they should be.
According to a study conducted by phone company Compare and Recycle, fans are set to collectively miss over 17 million minutes of Oasis performing across the tour as they’ll be watching the shows while recording on their smartphones.
That figure is 17.3 million minutes, to be specific – equivalent to more than 33 years of non-stop Oasis performances.
The study – which saw 1,100 UK smartphone-owning, gig-going adults surveyed between 7-11 June, 2025 – also found that, perhaps unsurprisingly, over one in four (28%) admit they never rewatch videos recorded during concerts.
Elsewhere, 41% say they have missed key parts of shows because they were too busy filming, and over a third (38%) say they find it annoying when other people film during events.
In another staggering statistic, Compare and Recycle estimates the digital documentation of Oasis Live ‘25 will consume nearly 1.7 million gigabytes of storage space – enough to fill 13,266 128GB-capacity smartphones completely.
“While it’s tempting to record moments from live music events on your smartphone, our new research highlights a growing concern amongst concert-goers about doing so,” says Antonia Hristov, Head of Marketing at Compare and Recycle.
“Not only is a huge amount of phone storage wasted on never-to-be-rewatched footage, but many fans are also missing out on the very experiences they came for. Artists like Chris Martin and Bob Dylan have already championed phone-free shows, and we may see more acts follow suit.
“Recording a clip or two of your favourite track is fine. But for the sake of your memories, and your phone’s storage, consider enjoying the rest of the night through your eyes and ears, not your screen.”
When Swedish rock band Ghost announced they’d be banning phones for Skeletour – the tour supporting their latest album Skeletá, fans online were divided.
“I don’t mind not being able to use your phone,” one fan wrote. “I’ve been to a few concerts, including Ghost, where you had to put them in a locking pouch during the show. What I really don’t care for is the fact that these pouches are rather large and won’t fit in your pocket. So now you have to carry this useless thing around with you during the whole show.
Another highlighted the logistical implications of banning phones entirely. “People rely on their phones,” they wrote. “You may be on call for your job, have childcare concerns or many reasons why you need to be contactable. Plus, don’t forget lots of people in the audience may not be fans. They are just there with their friends or kids etc.”
While Oasis certainly don’t need any extra publicity for their reunion tour – which was likely the most highly anticipated reunion tour of all time, anyway – there’s an argument against phone bans for smaller bands, in that fan-filmed clips act as a sort of UGC (user-generated content), helping promote their tours on social media.
As it stands, the phone ban debate continues. And those attending Oasis Live ‘25 will be able to film to their heart’s content.
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