Arctic Monkeys

3,890,565 plays
1,466 SHARES
2,946 FAVS
436 fans

albums

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- Favourite Worst Nightmare
- Released 2007

- Favourite Worst Nightmare
- Released 2007

- Humbug
- Released 2009

- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not
- Released 2006

biography

By distilling the sounds of Franz Ferdinand, the Clash, the Strokes, and the Libertines into a hybrid of swaggering indie rock and danceable neo-punk, Arctic Monkeys became one of the U.K.'s biggest bands of the new millennium. Their meteoric rise began in 2005, when the teenaged bandmates fielded offers from major labels and drew a sold-out crowd to the London Astoria, using little more than a self-released EP as bait. Several months later, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not became the fastest-selling debut album in British history, entrenching Arctic Monkeys in the same circle as multi-platinum acts like Oasis and Blur.

Frontman Alex Turner and guitarist Jamie Cook began their music careers in 2001, when the friends both received guitars for Christmas. Two years later, they began performing shows around their native Sheffield with drummer Matt Helders and bassist Andy Nicholson, two fellow students at Stocksbridge High School. A series of demo recordings followed, and Arctic Monkeys' audience swelled as fans circulated those recordings via the Internet. The musicians soon found themselves at the center of a growing media circus, with such outlets as BBC Radio examining the band's music and mounting hype.

By distributing their homemade material on the Internet, Arctic Monkeys were able to build a rabid fan base without the help of a record label, effectively circumventing the usual road to superstardom. They continued to buck tradition by signing with Domino Records in 2005, eschewing a major label's help for Domino's D.I.Y. mentality and hip roster (which also included Franz Ferdinand, a touchstone for the band's sound). The smart moves paid off as Arctic Monkeys' first two singles -- "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "When the Sun Goes Down" -- both topped the U.K. charts. Critical reception was similarly favorable, but few could have predicted the whirlwind success of the band's debut album, which ousted Oasis' Definitely Maybe as the fastest-selling debut in British history (a record that was lost one year later to Leona Lewis' Spirit). Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not sold 363,735 copies during its first week alone, transforming Arctic Monkeys from underground stars into mainstream figures.

Arctic Monkeys' debut sold approximately 300,000 total copies in America -- enough to warrant more media coverage, but notably less than the album's British sales during its first week alone. Nevertheless, the band's success continued as they released a spring EP, Who the F**k Are Arctic Monkeys, and prepared for a stateside tour. Temporary bassist Nick O'Malley was brought aboard for the band's American shows, while a fatigued Nicholson stayed at home. Nicholson then announced his official departure when the band returned home in June 2006, and O'Malley remained with Arctic Monkeys as a permanent member. That fall, the musicians received the 2006 Mercury Prize and donated the accompanying money to an undisclosed charity. Additional accolades included Best British Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards and Best New Band at the NME Awards. NME also made a bold assertion by deeming the band's debut one of the Top Five British albums ever released.

Released in April 2007, Favourite Worst Nightmare updated Arctic Monkeys' sound with louder instruments and faster tempos. The bandmates had recorded the sophomore album quickly, wishing to return to the road as soon as possible, and the speedy turnaround between records only helped solidify the band's popularity at home. Favourite Worst Nightmare sold 85,000 copies during its first day of release, while all 12 tracks entered the Top 200 of the U.K. singles charts. As Alex Turner briefly turned his attention to a side project, the Last Shadow Puppets, Arctic Monkeys received another Mercury Prize nomination and took home two titles at the 2008 Brit Awards. Recording sessions for a third album commenced in early 2008 and lasted throughout the year. Meanwhile, Arctic Monkeys released a concert album entitled At the Apollo -- with accompanying video footage captured on 35mm film -- to maintain their prolific pace. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

news

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- - New Release : Cornerstone
  - - 11/5/2009
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    - 4:58 PM
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    - Rolling Stone : Arctic Monkeys
  - Artist: Arctic Monkeys

- - Photo:
  - - 10/5/2009
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    - 2:06 PM
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    - Rolling Stone : Arctic Monkeys
  - Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys performs as part of the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on October 4, 2009 in Austin Texas. &bull…

- - Photo:
  - - 10/5/2009
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    - 1:51 PM
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    - Rolling Stone : Arctic Monkeys
  - The Arctic Monkeys photographed during Austin City Limits on October 4, 2009 in Austin, Texas.

- - New Release : Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not
  - - 8/27/2009
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    - 2:10 PM
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    - Rolling Stone : Arctic Monkeys
  - Artist: Arctic Monkeys

- - New Release : Crying Lightning
  - - 8/26/2009
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    - 2:23 PM
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    - Rolling Stone : Arctic Monkeys
  - Artist: Arctic Monkeys

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comments

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- - AHHHHHH!!!!!
  - - By InToZen420
    - 9/6/2008 15:55:57
  - I love the mother fuckin band so much to the point were it scares me. I literally cant stop listening to them and it pisses me off because i know that eventually i will play them out and i just dont want it to get to that point because i fuckin love them. every single song they have is good if not amazing.
  - 1 out of 3 people
  - think this is useful

- - awesome band
  - - By NucleoVega
    - 8/2/2008 05:24:14
  - these guys are awesome. they got some bangin party tunes and some excellent slow songs. I can see these kids going very, VERY far.<br/><br/>also, John P. Jones is right. The drummer works DAMN hard. definitely adds to their sound in a big way.
  - 1 out of 1 people
  - think this is useful

- - Vocals + Drumming
  - - By John P Jones
    - 7/4/2008 00:57:54
  - I think what makes the Arctic Monkeys unique is Matt Helders beastly drumming and Alex Turner's Sheffield accent. What an exquisite mix and what a great band!
  - 4 out of 4 people
  - think this is useful

- - all around great band
  - - By Jordan89R
    - 6/22/2008 18:30:07
  - Arctic Monkeys are a really good band. Unique sound all to their own and I can only see them getting bigger and better in the future. Fuck Yeah!
  - 5 out of 5 people
  - think this is useful

- - Gonna be big here...
  - - By Grump
    - 5/10/2008 05:39:50
  - They're already HUGE in the UK, and have a growing following here in the U.S. I was lucky enough to catch them in concert in Seattle, WA. It was a small venue, and they really cranked out the sound. I was a little disappointed that they didn't do any encores, but they really rocked when they were on stage. Their tunes vary from really solid rock, to slower and moody, to almost dance music (well, rockin' dance music :P). They're a real treat to catch in concert, so grab the chance if you get it.
  - 5 out of 5 people
  - think this is useful