With their second single topping the chart yesterday, the debut Arctic Monkeys album, out today, may be set to become the fastest selling debut in recorded history. HMV say that preorders for 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' suggest demand is higher for any debut rock LP since the release of Oasis' 'Definitely Maybe' back in 1994, and that the album could sell as many as 200,000 in its first week. Which is kind of apt, because back in October we quoted the Arctic Monkey's James Cook, saying of his ambitions for the band's debut long player: "We want it to catch ... the live aspect of us. But we don't want it to be messy, but we want it to be powerful, like 'Definitely Maybe', that kinda sound".
Regarding pre-release demand for the album, HMV's expert on such things Gennaro Castaldo said: "We might be entering the Chinese Year of the dog, but as far as the music industry is concerned 2006 is very much the 'year of the monkey'. We haven't seen this level of excitement for a new artist since the Britpop-heralding arrival of Oasis more than 10 years ago. There has been a great vibe around the Arctic Monkeys for quite a few months now, but it usually takes much longer for a band to develop mainstream appeal and the commercial success that comes with it. The Arctic Monkeys seem to have managed this in just one leap - it's amazing how much impact they have had in such a short time."