Who Are Arctic Monkeys? The Band From Sheffield
Some bands get famous through the radio. Arctic Monkeys got famous because their fans would not stop sharing their songs. Here's a short guide to the band from Sheffield, for new fans and old ones.
Where did Arctic Monkeys start?
Arctic Monkeys formed in Sheffield, England, in 2002 and played their first gig at The Grapes pub on 13 June 2003. Today the band is Alex Turner on vocals and guitar, Jamie Cook on guitar, Matt Helders on drums and Nick O'Malley on bass. O'Malley joined in 2006, after the founding bassist Andy Nicholson left.
How did they get noticed?
The band burned their demos onto CDs and gave them away at gigs. Fans shared the songs online and even made the band's MySpace page for them. In June 2005 they signed to Domino, and their first single, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", went straight to No. 1 in the UK.
Which albums should I know?
- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006): the fastest-selling debut album in British history, and winner of the Mercury Prize.
- Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009) and Suck It and See (2011): three records that kept changing the sound.
- AM (2013): "Do I Wanna Know?", "R U Mine?" and the waveform cover.
- Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2018): written on piano, smooth and lounge-like.
- The Car (2022): cinematic, with a cover photo taken by Matt Helders.
Their first six albums all went to No. 1 in the UK, and the band has headlined Glastonbury three times, in 2007, 2013 and 2023.
Why do fans love them?
Sharp lyrics, a sound that never stands still, and a story that started with fans passing songs around. If you've ever burned a CD for a friend, you get it.
Want to wear a piece of that story? Shop the Arctic Monkeys collection.