Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys are one of the biggest and most interesting acts to hail from the United Kingdom in recent years. With a catchy and upbeat indie sound, do-it-yourself work ethic, and a pronounced too-cool-to-be-cool hipster attitude, the Arctic Monkeys have managed to rock their way to the top of the airwaves in a very short time. Though internet file-sharing is likened by many artists and producers to a cancer killing the record industry, the internet played a crucial role in the Arctic Monkeys' left-field success.

What began as a group of high-school students messing around after school quickly became a serious thing after the group's first big performance at a regional music festival in 2003 was widely hailed by the audience. The band began burning their own demo CD's and distributing them free at concerts. Though they produced a relatively small number of these CD's, fans began uploading them onto the internet and even went as far as to create a MySpace page for the band. Becoming something of an internet sensation, the band's popularity exploded.

The band initially refused to sign to a record label, citing the desire for creative control over their music. Despite many lucrative offers, the band instead opted to produce their own records independently and embarked on a sold-out tour across England throughout 2004 and 2005. After turning down multiple deals from labels like Epic and EMI, the band finally accepted a contract with Domino Records, a London-based independent label representing such diverse artists as Bonde Do Role and Franz Ferdinand. The Arctic Monkeys' first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was released on Domino in early 2006 to critical acclaim, with singles "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "Fake Tales of San Francisco" receiving massive airplay worldwide.

In 2007, after releasing a number of singles and LP's, the band released their sophomore record Favourite Worst Nightmare. Featuring a faster, louder, and more ambitious sound with heavy dance and funk influences, the album received overwhelming praise by critics and fans alike and reached the #1 sales spot in seven countries. Featuring hit singles "Fluorescent Adolescent" (about a group of clowns fighting old people) and "Brianstorm", the album went on to sell 85,000 copies in its first day alone. Currently, the group claims to be busy recording their third album but has given no concrete release date.

From Discogs:

Formed : Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom Members : Alex Turner (guitar, vocals), James Cook (guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass), Matt Helders (drums) Former Member : Andy Nicholson (bass)

From Lastfm:

Arctic Monkeys are an indie rock band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England in 2002 after meeting at Stocksbridge High School. The band consists of Alex Turner (vocals, guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass) and Matt Helders (drums, vocals). Founding bassist Andy Nicholson left in 2006. The band has released four studio albums, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" (2006), "Favourite Worst Nightmare" (2007), "Humbug" (2009) and "Suck It and See" (2011), all of which debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.

Read more about Arctic Monkeys on Last.fm.

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From Wikipedia:

Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, lead/rhythm guitar), Jamie Cook (rhythm/lead guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Matt Helders (drums, backing vocals). Former members include Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Glyn Jones (lead vocals, rhythm guitar).

The band have released four studio albums: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006), Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009) and Suck It and See (2011), as well as one live album At the Apollo (2008). The band's debut album became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history, surpassing Elastica's self-titled album and remains the fastest-selling debut album by a group in the UK. The band have won five Brit Awards-winning Best British Group twice, and have twice been nominated for Grammy Awards.

Arctic Monkeys were heralded as one of the first group of acts to come to the public attention via the Internet (fan-based sites rather than from the band), with commentators suggesting they represented the possibility of a change in the way in which new bands are promoted and marketed. The band are also regarded as one of the most prominent bands to be part of the post-punk revival in the UK, after achieving commercial success and spawning two number one singles with their debut album.