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Arctic Monkeys

Top new UK band Arctic Monkeys

One of the biggest new bands in the UK at the moment is Arctic Monkeys. Their first two singles went straight to number one in the charts and their debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ has become a record-breaking album. It’s the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history.

Arctic Monkeys are not only high-profile because of their massive success. They achieved their success thanks to the Internet. Usually a new band signs to a record company and it is through marketing and promotion that people then buy singles. The single sales then get the band into the charts and they become popular that way.

However, Arctic Monkeys became well-known in a slightly different way. Back in 2003 when the band first started, they handed out CDs at their gigs. Certain fans liked the music so much that they put the music up on the web. The general public gained access to this music because it was on the Internet and, because people liked the music, the band’s popularity increased.

The band’s popularity was starting to get noticed by major radio stations in the UK. When the band appeared at two major UK music festivals in the summer of 2005, they were quite low down in the billing. However, an unusually large crowd turned up because music fans knew the band’s music from the Internet.

Arctic Monkeys released their first single in October 2005. Previous to that, their music had only been available to download on the Internet. When they did finally release a single and an album, they both shot to the top of the charts.

Music fans welcome the use of the Internet this way - Arctic Monkeys became popular simply because people liked their music when they heard it. There was no hype and no marketing campaign. Many people are saying this is a taste of things to come. As music downloads continue to increase in popularity, we can expect to see more and more bands make it big in this way.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

straight to number one直跃榜首
debut首张专辑
high-profile知名度高的
handed out
赠送；散发
up on the web挂到网上
gained access接触到
low down in the billing名次低下
download下载
hype广告宣传
a taste of things to come品味新事物
charts流行乐排行榜
record-breaking破纪录的
signs to a record company与唱片公司签约
gigs音乐演奏会
general public公众
to get noticed引起…注意
turned up出现
shot to the top of the charts跃升榜首
campaign宣传活动
make it big使--成名