The Sheffield four-peice shot to fame in 2005 with their debut single "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor". They are the most talked-about new band since Oasis were formed back in the mid 90's. Their new album - "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not", is now the fastest selling debut album since British records began.
On its first day of release, 118,000 copies of the album flew off the shelves. Music store HMV have said that they have not had an album sell as well as this one in the history of the store. The album is currently selling more than the rest of the Top 20 combined. They have sold more than 363,000 in the first week. The album has sold more than 700,000 copies in less than a month
Oasis' debut album, Definately Maybe, sold 55,000 copies in its first week of release, The Kaiser Chiefs moved 75,000 and Coldplay 70,000.
The group is made up of three 19 year old and and a 20 year old. Guitarist Jamie Cook is the eldest. He is joined by drummer Matt Helders, bassist Andy Nicholson and singer/song writer Alex Turner.
They hail from High Green and Hillsborough. Alex and Matt have been friends since they were at primary school and knew Jamie as a neighbour. Andy joined the latter two at secondary school. Turner and Cook both recieved a guitar for Christmas in 2001. Seeing other Sheffield friends forming bands, the pair got together with Helders and Nicholson.
Their influences include Queens Of The Stone Age, The Smiths and Oasis along with fellow Sheffielders The Human League, Pulp, Joe Cocker and Def Leppard.
The band's name was suggested by Matt's father who once played in a band called the Arctik Monkeez.
The group sing about what they observe in everyday situations and their experiences as teenagers - disputes with bouncers, talking to girls, and incidents with the police.
The band's rise to fame has come about because of the internet. They are the first "blog band" to build a huge fan base before the record industry had realised what was happening. Previously, new groups had been obliged to build a fanbase before a record company would sign them.
Their first gig was in the summer of 2003 at a Sheffield pub. The band started out by posting a couple of their songs on their official site and gave away 20 demo CD's at each gig they played. Unknown to them, fans uploaded the songs to myspace.com, the "launchpad" for many unsigned bands. Word about the band spread quickly. This was evident when they played the Sheffield Forum and the fans knew the words to unrecorded songs better than the lead singer who had not learned them fully.
After they first single went to number 1 the attention the band received was phenomenal. The band refused to play on Top Of The Pops saying it didn't feel right but did play live with Jools Holland.
London recording agents took notice and all and sundry tried to sign the band but they decided to go with an indepenedent label - Domino.
On the strength of their hit single they tourned Japan, The US, Spain and Italy and will be on tour again soon.
Their first single beat off competition from well known artists such as the Sugababes, Robbie Williams and McFly to reach the number 1 slot on its week of release.
They have become the first South Yorkshire group to achieve sucessive number 1's.
The band have received 4 NME nominations for Best British Band, Best New Band, Best Live Band and Best Track. The group picked up 3 NME awards out of the 4 they were nominated for. They won Best British Band, beating Oasis, The Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand, Best New Band and Best Track for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.
The band have won the Mercury Music Prize for their album "Whatever People Say I Am, That What I'm Not". The Mercury Music Prize was voted for by a panel of industry experts, journalists and artists, and is said to reward originality and creativity rather than sales success. The judges described the Arctic Monkey's album as "great songs, astonishingly performed. Essential". More than 200 albums were considered for the 2006 prize, which is awarded for the best album of the year by a British or Irish act. Arctic Monkeys were up against nominees including Muse, The Editors, Thom Yorke, Richard Hawley, The Guillemots and Hot Chip.
They have picked up 2 Brit Awards (Feb '07). They won Best Album and Best British Group and also a "Best Album" award at the NME's.
The awards just keep on coming for the Monkeys. They have been named Best Act In The World at the Q Awards (Oct '07).
At the Brit Award (Feb '08) thye were awarded Best British Album for Favourite Worst Nightmare and Best British Group.

Arctic Monkeys Merchandise -

Official "Arctic Monkeys" Calendar