Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys formed in Sheffield in 2002, Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Andy Nicholson, and Matt Helders developing a sound that was rooted in post-punk and indie rock but had a lyrical specificity that was entirely Turner's own. They built a following by distributing demo CDs at gigs before signing to Domino Records. The anticipation for their debut was extraordinary.

'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' (2006) became the fastest-selling debut album in British history. 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor', 'R U Mine?', 'Fake Tales of San Francisco' — the songs were angular, melodic, and possessed of a lyrical wit that was unlike anything else in British music. Turner's observations of Sheffield nightlife were simultaneously hyperlocal and universal.

The albums that followed — 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' (2007), 'Humbug' (2009), 'Suck It and See' (2011), 'AM' (2013), 'Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino' (2018), 'The Car' (2022) — each represented a significant departure from what came before. Turner's songwriting has developed into something genuinely extraordinary — one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. Arctic Monkeys are the most important British band of the 21st century.