How the media works, parts 1-3

1995: Oasis release (What's the Story) Morning Glory; Blur release The Great Escape. The music weeklies decide to pin their 5-star reviews on Blur and denounce Oasis as the 'singing electricians'. The Blur album bombs, the Oasis album is retrospectively declared a masterpiece

1997: Oasis release Be Here Now. It's patently their worst album to date, but the press, having burned their own fingers last time round, are terrified of not securing much-needed, circulation-boosting interviews with the band, and so declare it a masterpiece.

2005: Coldplay release X&Y. It's patently their dullest album to date, but the press are terrified of not securing much-needed, circulation-boosting interviews with the band, and so declare it a masterpiece.

Postscript:
NME's X&Y review: 'So it is that this has become the most anticipated third album since Oasis’ ‘Be Here Now’. [But] Oasis' third album was an overblown opus to the excesses of cocaine and the good life. This is a great, great record that has just raised the bar for everyone.' Rating: 9'

NME's Be Here Now Review (oddly missing from their online archive): 'Mammoth... each song already resonates with the vast, communal spirit that has propelled them thus far... here are yet another 11 songs the slightly sozzled world will be bursting to sing.' Rating: 10