2008 Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys are a four-piece band from Sheffield, England though they seem to have come out of nowhere. In some ways they are a surprise, but in 2005 they built up anticipation with two number one singles in the U.K., which primed them for the release of their first album in January of the next year, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not. The rock band sold nearly 120,000 copies in first day sales, more than all the Top 20 British albums put together.

The band, which played their first show in June of 2003, is comprised of Alex Turner (vocals/guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar), Matt Helders (drums) and Andy Nicholson (bass). These rockers have learned from the best, with influences like The Clash, Oasis and The Smiths, yet the band's sound is all it's own with a freshness that is displayed in the down-to-earth, and often witty, lyrics.

They signed to Domino Records in 2005 and are label-mates with Clinic and Franz Ferdinand, among others, but Arctic Monkeys have made a big splash worldwide with the help of an astonishingly loyal fan-base. The band also garnered priceless promotion through internet buzz and frantic downloading of their songs before Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not even hit the shelves.

The foursome have a killer live show that's heavy on the guitars, fusing punk and Brit-rock in a way that fans of alternative rock can appreciate just as much as shoe-gazing indie rock connoisseurs. Tickets to see Arctic Monkeys are going quick and with songs like 'When The Sun Goes Down' and 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor,' it would be a shame to miss this U.K. sensation at the start of their career.