Arctic Monkeys top UK singles chart

[Matty_UK]

The new number one single in the UK is "I bet you look good on the dancefloor" by the Arctic Monkeys-it's an alright tune, sounds a lot like The Jam-but what is significant is that it shows how the internet has become a way to fight back against corporations hand-feeding us what to listen to. The Arctic Monkeys have had no mainstream airtime, are signed to a tiny independant label rather than Sony or something and yet still have got to number one on their debut single. This is fairly historic for the singles charts, and shows how full of shit the BPI and RIAA are; the internet IS good for sales, but ONLY FOR BANDS WITH REAL FANBASES. Crap that is played constantly and promoted is becoming secondary to music that admittedly is still pop-based but it made by real artists and not by corporations. Indie pop bands have been selling a lot more recently, and this is entirely down to the internet meaning they can get the exposure they need without commercial airtime.

It's clear that the BPI isn't going to like this, but we have to champion the right to download music and boycott things like itunes where you have to pay. Pretty much all artists apart from sellouts are in favour of free downloading, and if we do not bow to the threat of being sued they cannot stop us downloading; if we keep doing this, eventually music will be released from the cold philistine grip of capitalism and talent, not commercial backing, will be the deciding factor in a bands success.

[Invader Zim]

Rubbish, bands like Feeder, The Libertines, The Smiths, Cornershop, Super Furry Animals and the Strokes have all done well on Indie record labels in both the album and the singles charts.

For the record I don't like the Arctic Monkeys that much, they are ok I can listen to them, but I heard one of their EP's a few months ago and thought they were a cheep copy of the libertines. They are just following the Neo-wave Indie rock scene which has grown up out of the success of the Strokes and the Libertines. Bands like Arctic Monkeys are leach on the revival of Indie rock, and its a real shame that truly great bands remain unsigned while not very special bands like Arctic Monkeys make it big.

As a big fan of the Indie rock sound made in the 80's by bands like the smiths, then developed in the 90's with the Brit pop wave, I am glad to see a revival. But the Arctic Monkeys are the very thing I didn't want to see happen. Don't get me wrong they aren't a bad band, but they are so very mediocre and overly successful, while more deserving bands are nothing.