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Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

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 ... 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 teenagers 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 sizable 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 budget for Domino's D.I.Y. cred 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 broken one year later by 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, their 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 guys 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 helped maintain the band's popularity at home. Favourite Worst Nightmare sold 85,000 copies during its first day of release, and 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, with producers James Ford (who previously worked with Turner on the Last Shadow Puppets' album) and Josh Homme (frontman of Queens of the Stone Age) adding some newfound heft to the band's sound. Meanwhile, Arctic Monkeys released a concert album entitled At the Apollo -- with accompanying video footage captured on 35mm film -- before unveiling Humbug in August 2009.

Humbug went platinum in the U.K. but failed to produce a Top Ten hit, with "Crying Lightning" peaking at number 12 and "Cornerstone" topping out at 94. The band hit the road that February, kicking off a multi-leg tour that ran through the rest of the year. After playing another handful of shows in early 2010, the guys took a short hiatus before reconvening with James Ford for their fourth album. Sessions began that fall, and the resulting Suck It and See arrived in spring 2011. Meanwhile, Turner also wrote music for a Richard Ayoade film, Submarine, whose soundtrack doubled as the frontman’s first solo release.

Andrew Leahey
AllMusic.com
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Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent
A comment was added to Fluorescent Adolescent by tjsophie69.
- It’s about something like a former party girl or slut. “Fluorescent Adolescent” derives from words like “nympho” or a sexually driven young girl hence the adolescence. I feel like the song also matches up...
2 months ago

tapes
Tape	Songs	Comments	Author
El Sol de Amor The theme is simple, translated: The Sun of Love. Thus, it contains songs that bring thoughts of sunshine and/or love to mind. Hardly compre...	62	0	MaksMusic
Music Madness 2014	64	0	mike
Music to Know Indie power pop, Alternative rock, and Indie songs you know or should know...	12	1	IndieHippie
C-Sides This is for you, Corinthia Ivey Brenner. I love you. If you see this, then this is goodbye. I'm off to paint a pretty picture with the conte...	15	4	BlandLavender
2007: The Year in Review These are great songs that came out in 2007, and yes, we are getting old!	32	0	negaverse
NewWave	30	10	Injera
My Workout Mix This is the mix I use when I'm in the gym. Some fast paced, with a strong beat for cardio, and other stuff for strength/endurance training.	12	0	Nataliexo
unicorns and butterflies just some songs that make you smile, instant happiness in a few minutes. :)	22	1	tochinawithlove
Miserable Times This mixtape is about the time after breakup, when the guy wants to go back to the girl and begs her to accept him but she doesn't say anyth...	6	2	devesh1000
Nothing Special Volume 1 Just a mix of a few things both new and familiar to me.	27	5	BreakingTradition
to heather. you're no teenage icon but you're pretty rad and i like you.	174	3	vriska
Songs & Meanings List of all the songs that i wanted to know the meaning they had.	32	0	xWalabi
USA vs UK: The ultimate Smackdown! Both countries' music have influenced and changed each other. This is the smackdown between these two brilliant music nations. Who is the be...	12	1	willtted
I'm not the one Heartbreak, being dumped, longing for the one you love to come back, all that crap.	11	0	Fleah06
summer/fall 2010 Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved country music. Then she grew up and discovered rock. Now she knows what good music really...	9	0	Johannahlee
Air hockey in the basement full of endless nick nacks. When the Garage scene hit in 2000 I was 11. Man those were GOOD times. Endless days at my friends house we'd play in her basement full of id...	10	1	Defanie
Music	20	4	pacer135
Feeling Gloomy Too I created a playlist for a club night called Feeling Gloomy. So pretty much every song on here has a negative or sullen mood. Mostly 80's st...	14	4	blinkxme
Relié I want to curl up inside of you and just stay.	8	0	morikid
Anthems... Songs that are etched in me forever, for the most various reasons.	17	0	cromwell31
chippo Variety is the spice of life. Let me know your favourite song on my mixtape. There is something for everybody	30	4	chipporaider
Favorites From Favorites The songs that are my very favorites to listen to, for various reasons, from my favorite artists, who are brilliant in their craft of music.	2	0	Sunshineshine
hands this one is for the way my hands feel without you	10	0	MLIPh
decently epic soundtrack Great music. recommend to add. or just get into great music.	15	0	wagseee
On my way So, this is just a bunch of songs that really means a lot to me, and they help me get through everything... Because really, where would we b...	30	0	BlameTheCaffeine
Daddy	15	0	reuelreuel
harouis hstyles/ltomlinson innit .x	21	0	heybeth
He might never feel the same This is the mixtape I would have send to him if I had the courage to.	31	1	soul97
MixxyMixxyMixtape 1 Well, everything and nothing at all.	13	0	EccentricaG
melancholy	8	0	Eldrowski
teve you kill me	6	0	astrophic
Some Favorites Compilation of songs that I absolutely adore	14	0	SleepyIndie
Summer Mixtape for Panka songs that i'm listening to lately for my dear friend	4	0	feathercanyons
listen to this music	30	0	iforgetwhat8wasfor
bus rides and walking in the rain indie rock, artic monkeys, cure	7	0	saum4
2013	25	0	scratcher
Fave	31	0	fallforindie
Songs Analyzed Just a list of songs I commented on, giving my short interpretation of their lyrics. All of these have some of the best lyrics ever written,...	11	0	ironbison
music I want Volume 1 Music I'd buy if I had more money	14	0	blummiii
My Alternative Compilation A private alternative rock playlist.	7	1	Volodymyr
Lost Love Songs	2	0	LostH
Alternative Favorites The music to these songs is just as incredible as the lyrics.	17	0	Angaliene
Jams April 2015 Good jams	7	0	songbird48
1977 * 1996 * 2013	14	0	yukbon
Inspiration	24	0	ZebBilly
Ein's Musical Taste Hey people. I just registered on song meanings, so I want to show you what my musical taste is like. This list is something like my introduc...	13	1	Ein1
How I Feel About You I've had the biggest crush on one of my best friends for a very long time, and music has helped me through the tougher times when he would u...	8	0	outofmymind
Nick Cave	12	0	ananemone
For My Best Friend Spent 3 months making this playlist.	12	1	TheBowser
Chill Vibes	2	0	flapjacks
Spring Break 2013!	13	0	XNeverMind
Briluv	5	0	ghttoblastr
Yea, these make me feel better. songs that make a cloudy day a bit more sunnier.	34	0	sheeeeene
You're only 17!	10	0	peahen
#1 4/6/14	2	0	politedoge
AM B-sides	1	0	slirandal
Arctic Monkeys	4	0	awesome17

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