The Who close the London 2012 Olympics Games

The Who officially brought the London Olympics to a close with “My Generation”.

Ray Davies, Madness and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason were among the other artists who performed at the Olympics closing ceremony.

Beady Eye played Oasis’ ‘Wonderall’ during the ‘A Symphony of British Music’ segment. Backed by a string orchestra, Liam Gallagher was joined by the athletes and the thousands in attendance in singing the 90’s Britpop hit. It is the first time Liam has sang the track live since Oasis split up in 2009.

Muse performed the official song for the London 2012 Olympics, “Survival”, with the help of a huge choir.

Earlier, the three-hour show was opened by Emeli Sande who sang “Read All About It” – the Professor Green track on which she features – on a stage covered in newspapers.

Shortly after the British national anthem, a re-enactment of the Batman and Robin scene from Only Fools And Horses was played out before Madness performed “Our House” on the back of a lorry while hundreds of extras held street parties.

Pet Shop Boys played “West End Girls”, which segued into a performance by One Direction, who mimed along to their hit “What Makes You Beautiful” before The Kinks’ Ray Davies sang “Waterloo Sunset”, his ode to the British capital and the River Thames. Emeli Sande closed the opening section of the closing ceremony by reprising “Read All About It” during a montage of emotional moments from the past 16 days of competition.

George Michael kicked off the ‘A Symphony of British Music’ segment by playing “Freedom” followed by new track “White Light”. Kaiser Chiefs, who arrived on the back of Union Jack emblazoned scooters, performed The Who’s “Pinball Wizard”.

Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran sang “Wish You Were Here” with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, Genesis’ Mike Rutherford and The Feeling’s Richard Jones while a tight-rope walker strolled precariously across a high line above the stadium.

Russell Brand then sang “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and mimed along to a pre-recorded version of The Beatles‘ “I Am The Walrus” until Fatboy Slim played a selection of his hits from inside a giant, neon, inflatable Octopus.

Jessie J performed “Price Tag” on the back of a white Rolls Royce before being joined by Tinie Tempah for “Written In The Stars” and later Taio Cruz for the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing”.

Then, as their leaked rehearsal photo suggested, The Spice Girls arrived in London taxi cabs made up to mimic their spice characters, and sang their debut hit “Wannabe” and “Spice Up Your Life” in front of an enthusiastic crowd who whooped and cheered.

During a comedy segment celebrating British eccentricity, Monty Python’s Eric Idle took part in a humorous failed human cannonball launch. Idle then ran through “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life”, the track taken from the Python movie Life Of Brian, while nuns rollerbladed.

A giant screen with footage of the late Freddie Mercury warmed the crowd up with trademark Mercury call-and-respond shouts, before Jessie J joined Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor to sing “We Will Rock You”.

Take That then performed “Rule The World” as the Olympic flame was extinguished before The Who brought London 2012 to a close with a trio of hits from their back catalogue, including “Baba O’Riley”, “See Me, Feel Me’ and “My Generation”.

‘A Symphony of British Music: Music For The Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games’, an album containing music performed tonight, is now available digitally via iTunes.