The Ongoing History of New Music, Episode 730: Deconstructing the Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys are one of the few truly superstar acts to emerge from the alternative scene over the last decade. They may also have been the first alt-rock band to break out as a result of the Internet, MySpace and freely giving away their music to fans–a highly counterintuitive thing at the time.

This week’s show digs deep into the Monkeys in order to learn what makes them work: their influences, their methods and this whole Internet thing which led them to having the fastest-selling debut album in the history of the UK. In the process, we’ll hear some of those non-album freebie tracks that made such a difference. After this show, you’ll never listen to one of their songs the same way ever again.

The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on the following stations:

• 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7, Monday night at 11 with archives show Tuesday and Wednesday at midnight.
• Live 88-5/Ottawa
• 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener
• FM96/London – Sunday night at 7, Monday night at 11
• The Drive/Kingston
• 98.1 The Bridge/Lethbridge – Saturday night at 6, Sunday morning at 10am
• Rock 97.7/Grand Prairie – Sunday nights at 6.
• 92X/Calgary
• Sonic 102.9/Edmonton
• The Zone/Victoria
• Live 105/Halifax

We’re still looking for more affiliates in Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, Red Deer, Regina, Saskatoon, Brandon, Windsor,  Montreal, Charlottetown, Moncton, Fredericton, and St John’s and anywhere else with a transmitter. If you’re in any of those markets and you want the show, lemme know and I’ll see what I can do.

Things are looking good for a debut in Singapore in January. And at least one US station wants to come on board. Anyone else? Love to hear from you.