Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Simple Nice!

The 2000s really were a beautiful time for rock music. That decade and the 70s were really the most defining time periods for modern rock music as we know it. And the 2000s really was a time for resurgence. You had the roots of heavy and garage rock coming back with angst and style with the garage rock revival movement, pushed by bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes. But the former was also helping modernize post-punk along with bands like Interpol. And post-punk was also being evolved upon even further with groups like LCD Soundsystem and Franz Ferdinand making dance-punk the next hip thing. And although it was still sort of stuck in the wormhole of gangster culture, rap was facing new creativity like never before because of people like Kanye West and MF DOOM. It’s really wild that all of these things were happening at the same time. And today’s band, Arctic Monkeys, feels like it resides in all of these places at once. Except for the rap part. I’m really not much of a fan of anything they’ve put out recently. But I’m willing to admit that this is a pretty awesome debut. They just come out swinging, and way harder than I expected. They really put the punk feeling in dance-punk. The drumming in particular on this record is so blazing fast, with great fills. There are a few songs that feel like they lean more into the indie rock sound that the band would explore further on albums like AM, and I’m just not about that. I want cool and flashy Arctic Monkeys. Not slow love song Arctic Monkeys. I also wasn’t sure how I initially felt about Alex Turner. Listen, the man can sing for sure. But something about him gives me the impression that he thinks very highly of himself. It’s the same dilemma I have with Morrissey. But it doesn’t take away from the music by any considerable amount. Me enjoying this album as much as I did has only helped to strengthen my opinions on dance-punk and really this era of rock music in general. Because there are just far too many amazing bands and albums that came out for me to not love it. Rating: 8/10

Okay but not my cup of tea.

Middling early 2000s alt rock with a very boring B side.

3.5

Solid debut.

Underrated in their discog I feel

Like if QOTSA were annoying instead if cool.

Not a huge fan

3.5

Strong rock album with interesting song structures and lyrics. Some songs are somewhat one-dimensional though

Blev väldigt taggad då jag tänkt lyssna på arctic monkeys eftersom jag fått för mig att jag skulle gilla dem!! Början av albumet var inte dåligt men tyvärr inte alls min grej dock. Andra halvan var mycket mysigare!! Tror When The Sun Goes Down är en favorit

Naaaah Bästa låt var I bet you look good on the dance floor

Bra album, fastnade inte direkt Bästa låt: Riot van

Was so focused on finishing my homework could not distinguish one song for another even though i must have heard it like 5 times. oh well

The fun guitar riffs, bass lines, and indie disco rhythms make it the album that it is, and they’ve pretty much mastered it here anyway. But maybe it gets a bit formulaic by the end?

One of the best albums of the 2000s. Up there with The Strokes - Is this it

This albums has vibes of The Strokes, The Hives, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with punk esque vibes, so if you are into that, you will enjoy.

first time listen. fantastic.

The raw energy of this album is simply unmatched by anything. It's so fun and playful, but also has so much genuinely great social commentary on life in Sheffield and all the affairs that go on in that kind of setting. I have never quite heard anything that manages to be so fun yet with such great commentary all at the same time. The pacing is nothing short of amazing, I love the way that Riot Van changes the tone to something more slow and soft just as you start to think that this all sounds the same.

It's a solid album. Not 100% my style but it's good for a listen every once in a while. Will I listen to again: 60%

Pretty good, but I still don't gel with it in the same way I do with the Reytons

The Arctic Monkeys wish they were The Libertines. But pretty cool though anyway. 3.75

A lot of incoherent British rambling. They’re trying to be high energy while not being exciting or danceable. The best parts of the album are the couple slower parts where you can actually understand what’s going on.

Great garage rock album. Just a fun listen and a very good to play in clubs and bars. Artic Monkeys debut is also their peak, and they only decline from here. 4/5

GOOD BRITISH TUNES an absolute all timer 4.7/5

Best album so far

6. An instant classic

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor Riot Van When the Sun Goes Down

I’ve listened to this album so much and most of their work 10/10.

Amazing album. The lyrics/songwriting are really tight and funny and do a great job of capturing how getting into bars and trying to talk to girls feels like the most important and dramatic thing ever when you’re in your late teens and early 20s, as well as how ridiculous all the drama seems once you’re a little bit removed from it, whether it’s the next morning or a few years down the line. The instrumentals are incredible. Really high energy drumming and guitars grabs you from the first track and doesn’t really let you go until “Riot Van.” I’d list some of my favorite tracks from this part but I‘d just be listing the first six tracks in order. After the halfway point the album switches between more introspective, slower tracks like “Mardy Bum” or “A Certain Romance” and higher energy tracks that match the first half of the album like “From the Ritz to the Rubble.” The album never gets boring. I was obsessed with it in highschool 10+ years ago and it’s still just as good of a listen. Easily the best Arctic Monkeys album and one of the best rock albums of this century so far. Everyone should be issued a copy when they turn 16.

Love this album, got a big smile on my face when I saw it pop up. Mardy Bum all time GOAT track. Don't care that these are basic takes. If you're reading this and this is the first time hearing this album (likely not if you know me personally), I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! This was the first album I learned to play through on the guitar. Sweet debut album from some teens, main singer's accent is so heavily British it actually becomes endearing. I think this is like a 10-streak of albums out of the UK now.

Although it's not my cup of tea, this album (and band) is pretty good! But my feelings are towards the 3.5/5

good yeh. stop the world is still the best 2.65

3.5. I enjoyed this.

Dunno how times I've said in here that Arctic Monkeys and bands of their ilk from the 00s never really landed with me, but it's probably a lot, so Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is far less for me than most of you. I know the hits, I didn't really know the rest, and there are some good tracks on there for sure. Fake Tales of San Francisco and Dancing Shoes are a strong pairing early in the album, Still Take You Home has a similar energy and From The Ritz...is decent towards the end. The bass work is stellar throughout, that deserves calling out, but yeah, I can respect the authenticity of it and understand that it really resonates with a demographic of people who felt it captured an era of their youth or early 20s, I was the same age as that audience but not the same sort of person so that combined with not being a great fan of the indie rock sound means I'll probably give this a 3. Plus Alex Turner really annoys me for some reason, dunno why, it's probably misplaced.

Remember when this first came out, and there was so much hype about it. I was a smidge too young to be living the life that they talk about, so it maybe didn't resonate with me quite as well then as it did for some of you. It's aged pretty well though (even though I'm now far too old to be living that lifestyle), it's been a while since I listened to the full album but Fake Tales Of San Francisco, When The Sun Goes Down and A Certain Romance are still regulars on my playlists. Unlike the rest of you, I quite like Riot Van, don't think it's the weakest track on the album by a decent whack. Really good album, not quite a 5 but not far off. 

I tend to listen to these new albums on Apple Music whilst working and, when they finish, a playlist generates of similar music from a similar time. I always find it interesting to see how good the album in focus is compared to its perrs that follows. And this holds up very well. AM have morphed into something far more sophisticated in recent years and rightly so. But here we have a sharp, punchy debut by a bunch of gobby kids with arrogance and talent. They get better. But don't all great bands?

Ok

Arctic Monkey’s Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is a banger of an album. The entire way through you feel grabbed and dialed into the music. My favorites, Still Take You Home and Riot Van, are so mellow but poppy, its honestly just amazing. Really cool alum concept as well, not exactly delving into the deep end of Indie or Rock, but keeping a nice mixture in between. I’ll definitely be listening to more AM. All in all, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is a great album. Best Song: Riot Van Worst Song: Dancing Shoes

Arctic monkeys are a prime example of a band I’ve decided I can’t stand based entirely on their popularity and fan demographic! Nothing to do with the music. I definitely don’t get the whole buzz around that tosspot. The main bloke. Alex The Twat or whatever he’s called. Heralded as a generational song writer and lyricist - don’t get me wrong, it’s catchy and great but just because he can write a song about taking a taxi in Sheffield doesn’t mean he should be considered ‘relatable’ and categorised with some of the best song writers ever. Anyway, back to this album. I remember it coming out, all the buzz by the radio 1 listeners who think they are alternative so a band with actual instruments is cool. Didnt it sell in like a record time? I remember loving it. So I’ve gone in open minded without arctic monkey prejudice! It’s actually brilliant. Hard hitting, relentless. I really love it. Frustrates me in a way that I know it pretty much word for word and that I can’t help but sing along to it! I don’t know who I am anymore 4.5

Maybe I don't hate this band as much as I thought. This was a good one, they sound like they're having more fun than some of their later stuff.

Great album to listen while exercising (cardio) A lot of hits, but when you listen entire album, you dont see much difference between musics.

Oy. I don’t know about this. Comparing them to Oasis is not a compliment. I’d say this is like a louder, more annoying Oasis on speed. Just cause it’s loud and fast doesn’t mean it’s good. I really don’t like this and need to stop on the second song, which happens to be their big hit. This sucks donkey balls.

I am impressed. I have no experience with the band. This is the type of album I was looking to find in this project. I don’t know how to describe it, but it is not you “let’s make 1 or 2 good songs and then grind out some filler. The instrument sting has some great grooves. I can’t say I fell in live with any particular song, but the album as a whole is good. I can just imagine what their fans say of this album. This is not going in my rotation, but if the mood strikes me, I will listen again and may check out more of their catalog.

On paper, the Artic Monkeys are a band I should like. Unfortunately, I have found they never quite do it for me. I can respect the musicality as well as the interesting lyrics, but something about their "style" never quite engages me...maybe I just hate the British?

Good raw sound in a post-punk way. Simple but lots of energy

Turn it up

It's good overall, hard to believe this is their debut record. I've never got around to listening to it until now.

A band that were hugely popular who I didn’t like the sound of initially and avoided. I’m sure over time I didn’t mind them that much without being able to name particular songs- one is on the album after this and there were about 3/4 I knew on this that still hold up - it’s a good album from its era and I had a feeling it would be. The last song was probably the highlight - a certain romance 4/5

This is a good album, but you kind of need to be in the mood for some hard-driving rock with some frenetic energy. For something more mellow, I highly encourage you to check out The Last Shadow Puppets which is an Alex Turner side project.

Though this song has my favorite arctic song on it “from ritz to rubble”. I think that there are not complete albums by them that should have maybe made the list (and maybe they will)

Album molto bello, alcune tracce devastanti, altre un po' ripetitive

4.5

every song on this album sounds like the same song and it's not even a good one

I don’t remember much from my grad-school days but I remember this album. It is filled with now classic bops. At the time it was compared to the Beatles, which I don’t know if that’s accurate but I do know this album is fun! Key tracks Mardy Bum and Perhaps Vampires. This is a definite listen to again and often!

I still remember all the fuss when this one came out. Mick Jagger endorsed! Ok, so "I Bet You Good on the Dancefloor" is an exceptional song. Did Arctic Monkeys live up to the hype? Probably not but they are pretty damn fun. This isn't their best album (AM is) but this is a pretty dang good first album. Still a good listen too.

I liked this one as it was really fresh sound to me. kind of a 2000 ish Punk sound which I liked

Was not prepared for the Arctic Monkeys this morning but I love it! Honestly don't know if I have listened to anything past 'I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor' and 'Marty Bum.' I forgot just how punk the Arctic Monkeys were in their early days. All in all a very solid album, good to mix it up on this Tuesday!

Such tasty drumming!!!

Genial

Don't love his voice

Replaceable mid-aughts pop rock.

Backseat of the school bus, heading to college.

4 really good modern classic

Oooo bby

A lot of absolute classics on here. Favorites are Fake Tales of San Francisco, Mardy Bum, From the Ritz to the Rubble, A Certain Romance. I like the style so much that I wanted to give it 5 stars, but several of the songs sound pretty similar and are fairly skippable in my opinion.

I always did think the arctic monkeys were overrated. That being said, I guess it was after the got oomper famous after that later album. That being said, I guess when this album came out they were a diamond in the rough. That being said, I still don’t think they’re that great after this album. Now with that being said, I did listen to this album while on a road trip and was talking the whole time. Now with that being said, there still wasn’t a song that made me say hey, stop talking I need to listen to this song. Now with alllllll that being said, I give it a three.

Unexpectedly awesome album. Great change of pace and fun to listen to. High 4!

One hell of a debut album. The pacing makes this album fly by and then you won’t realize that it’s over. It leaves you wanting more, which isn’t bad because this is one most everyone will want to return to eventually. There are some bangers on the album, like I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, but Mardy Bum is my personal favorite. I think I could give this a five and feel alright about it, but a strong four will do.

I always thought that I was not an Arctic Monkeys fan because I was so annoyed with "Do I Want to Know" on the radio all the time... I really liked this album! I liked it so much that I listened to it back to back. After listening to this album twice, I decided to listen to their biggest album AM..... which I hated. I don't know why I dislike Arctic Monkeys, but I like this album so much. Maybe it's because I didn't know any of the songs on here, or maybe I'm just a sucker for debut albums. On a 10 point scale I would rank this as a 9. I'm going to round up here and make it a 5 out of 5.

This is fine for super-generic indie rock. It sounds like something that would be background tracks for TV shows like Royal Pains. Unlike that TV show though, this is completely forgettable. This is a 2.5, so it gets a 3. I have no intent to ever listen to this again, nor explore anything else from this artist, but it was enjoyable enough that I don't feel like my time was wasted.

I liked it more than I thought I would. I have a vague memory of checking out early Arctic Monkeys stuff and not liking it much, but this was decent.

This album didn't connect with me m

It's fine.

Never been a huge fan

I enjoyed the energy of the drums and would probably dig this live. But I mostly found this pedestrian. On an unrelated side note, this 'random' generator has given me 6 albums in a row and 17 out of the last 21 by British artists.

3/5

decent downloaded 4,6,8,9

My preconceptions about this band, as another bland band in the Franz Ferdinand/The Strokes/The Black Keys-vein were heavily put to shame. This album is more fun, more rocking, a lot more good. That is, until Riot Van rears its ugly head and falls into the brit-garage-ballad-trap. The album never truly recovers after that song, with the honorable exception of When the Sun Goes Down and From the Ritz to the Rubble. In all fairness it’s a 6/10- album, but I feel it’s a bit harsh to rate it only 3 stars.

I like this band.... Sometimes. Not this time

Great 1st album. Love AM

Amazing album, a classic in every way.

Classic indie rock

My 5 stars for this is partly nostalgia for being 19 and going to nightclubs, I have to admit, but it is clearly a great album. Full of great songs, catchy hooks, cracking indie riffs and wry observational lyrics. Beyond that it's fair to say British rock music was given a kick up the arse around this time.. I like bands like Coldplay and Travis, but mid-00s was a lot more fun when the likes of AMs, Franz Ferdinand and The Libertines hit the big time. This album really captures that moment as well.

Not a good as I remembered, with more weak tunes than their later albums.

This is such a fun album to listen to. The bass riff on Dancing Shoes is so gripping. I have this one on vinyl, and it is in the very regular rotation for me. Great album from a great band. Favorite track: Dancing Shoes

My gut instinct is that this is a 5* album, but that's probably got a lot to do with me listening to this record to death in my formulative years. Then I thought it was a 3* album simply steeped in nostalgia, but that didn't feel fair too. Admittedly this album is lightning in a bottle - considering that it's a /debut/ album made by a bunch of 20 year olds, AND they pioneered viral online marketing - a 3* would be very harsh. It's a good album. The perfect length, good mix of upbeat and downtempo songs. The singles are raucous and the 'filler' is still pretty good. Have your 4* and be happy with it Alex.

awesome great garage sound. a bit british but that's okay. Favorite tracks: When the Sun Goes down, I bet you look good on the dancefloor, a certain romance

Rating: 10/10 A classic, one of the greatest debut albums of all time. The band mixes indie rock, garage rock, and punk rock with masterful proficiency. The energy on here is absolutely infectious which makes it so fun to listen to from start to finish. The interplay of the instruments is stellar, the guitars and bass oftentimes are not playing the same thing but the synergy between them is fantastic. Lyrically this album is great too, very observational, witty, and humorous while also being relatable. This sounds like a band that spent years perfecting their sound rather than a debut which makes it all the more impressive. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights...

Slammming

Kind of torn between this being legitimately good, energetic rock and it being kind of derivative and boring. I think it's pretty decent but it also doesn't really stand out much in a way that makes me want to listen to it again.

First time I've ever listened to Arctic monkeys. I dig it though.

I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor is a longtime fave and got this review an extra star

The lyrics are pretty clever, and it took me a second listen to appreciate the music. I feel like I want to start speaking with a British accent or at least go watch a Ted Lasso episode.

I've loved this album since I was a teenager, and it's only grown on me since then.

OK, but probably won't revisit

perfect album. no notes.

It's just fun indie rock with a very very strong Midlands accent

I just absolutely love the Arctic Monkeys. They get 5 stars always.

I really disliked the Arctic Monkeys when they came onto the scene. I found the vocals very grating, mainly because of the heavy accent. And I say that as somebody with basically the same accent. I don’t mind some of the tracks nowadays, but I’ve certainly never heard this album in full. Songs I already knew: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Fake Tales of San Francisco, Mardy Bum, When The Sun Goes Down Favourites: Mardy Bum, Riot Van I liked this more than I expected to, but I’m still not the biggest fan of Dancefloor. The guitar is too twangy in the verse. Otherwise, this was a pretty good rock album, and I do concede that I perhaps should have given it more of a chance in the early days. I still wouldn’t say I like the vocals, but they don’t annoy me quite as much as they used to.

Class cheers Alex Would've been a 3 but the three last tracks did something to me

Arctic Punkies more like. Good album. Love the raw energy and youthful rock bangers in this one. Listening to this I can almost smell the Carling and WKD in the air, and feel the bottom of my shoes sticking to the club floor. I wouldn't want it any other way. Best Song: A Certain Romance Worst Song: You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me Score: 8/10

Still cool and well 'ard, etc., but sags in the middle more than I remember.

The bassline on "A Certain Romance" floored me in 2006, and still does in 2024... Oh, in five years time, will it be "Who the fuck's Arctic Monkeys?".

I had never heard it before, and I like it. This list is Brit rock heavy, but this is the best kind IMO. The best iteration of the rhythmic danceable rock of the early 2000s. I can't do it all the time, but when I'm in the right mood, it hits.

I love it when future soft boys make an album when they’re really young and haven’t embraced their softness yet. Future soft boys make albums that are energetic and fun and loud and fast and lusty because the band is the hardest they’ll ever be because they’re 19 or whatever, but the albums are also melodic and poppy and catchy because the band are soft boys at heart. An album like that really hits the sweet spot for me and this is a perfect example of one. I don’t know what the fuck the Arctic Monkeys have been doing for the last decade or so, lounge singers on Mars or some shit, but their first two albums were great and very deserving of being on this list. And to all you future soft boys who know you are soft at heart but are super angry and cynical and wild right now and for the next year and a half or so, pick up electric guitars for God’s sake! We need more albums like this.

Makkelijke keuze.

I think I prefer this era of Arctic Monkeys as just a young and scrappy Sheffield kids who made a album together, and the end product being not so bad all put together. They have a serious knack of writing pretty memorable and enjoyable songs to listen and dance and groove too.

I’ve had a few weeks of really mediocre albums and I was not super excited when I got this yesterday morning but it ended up being really fun. It might not actually be 4 stars but it’s definitely 4 stars in my current journey through this list!

Smashing debut album - I think these four likely lads might do okay for themselves

I had remembered the Arctic Monkeys somewhat differently. I've probably heard newer stuff from them. The album was fun. However, I won't be listening to it again any time soon. But it motivates me to listen to other things by the Arctic Monkeys again. 3/5

Hektischer punkiger Rock. Nix für mich.

guys voice is too english not the best from arctic monkeys

Slaps. There's not significant lowlight to the entire album, and neither does any song stand out above the rest for me. A really great album, but one that I think misses out on being like a top 50ish. Still well deserved on this list, and I really enjoyed listening to it.

In the same bucket with Strokes, Hives, etc. Good mid 2000s guitar rock.

Much to my surprise, this was actually listenable. The arrangements and the vocals were good, and I wasn't paying that much attention to the lyrics but from what I heard of them, they're above average for a rock band. I probably wouldn't listen again though.

I’m probably biased because Arctic Monkeys are in my top 3 favorite bands ever, but I think this is very easily one of the best debuts of the 2000s.

Tracks are fun and energetic all throughout, but it still feels same-y by the end of it. It’s good but not the best.

This one hell of a debut album.

College with a capital C. Still thrashes.

1. the afternoon - 0 2. dancefloor - 0 3. zan francizco - 0 4. dancing - 1 5. lightz - 0 6. home - 1 7. riot van - 1 8. red light - 0 9. mardy bum - 0 10. vampirez - 1.5 11. the zun - 0 12. rubble - 0 13. romance - 0

Don't believe the hype/

Up beat - don’t have to skip any tracks.

I always seemed to mix up arctic monkeys with other bands such as Cage the Elephant which I heard in the opener here, and the Black Keys for a song on a later album. As this album progresses it seems the singer gets more and more British. It's kind of humorous as the accent comes and goes, and maybe it's me, but it seems the more British it sounds, the more cheeky the lyrics get. Coming yo a peak at "Mardy Bum". There is a lot to like here, but something is keeping it from going to a full 5. It could be something as silly as the obnoxiously long song titles, but it is what it is today. Favorite track "The view from the afternoon" 3.8/5

Arctic Monkeys are the aughts' most successful British punk/pop band. Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm not, their debut, set the record for the fastest selling debut in British history. Driven by a few hits, like "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," and a very early command of social media propelled, the Arctic Monkeys to global stardom very quickly. Their music is an energetic, skillfully played post-punk. The band's consistent lyrical focus created a (perhaps intentional) concept album: this is a snapshot of a young, club-hopping British man.

The Arctic Monkeys struck gold with this one, probably the only album of theirs I actually go back to and appreciate every song.

Kinda boring?

I thoroughly enjoyed this album from Arctic Monkeys front to back. Somehow I missed the boat on this band. I have heard some of the hits on some old sports games but never explored their catalogue. The vocals are smooth. The pacing is high without being in your face. Loved it.

Generic basic white girl rock

I don't have any use for the ten thousand bands that sounded like this music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Remembered this one quite fondly, less into it this time around. I suppose it’s quite a bit better than a lot of the rest of this wave of brit rock, and it’s interesting to know that these guys went on to become a pretty big and (I think) sonically diverse band.

sharp, energetic, chock full of brit wit. the lyrics were a highlight, and those could get 5 stars on their own. musically, it doesn’t do much for me, not particularly melodic, and the melodies that are there tend to hang around the blues scale. overall a well put together collection of songs and a hell of a debut that demonstrates AM’s potential as a fall out boy of the UK (and eventually more).

Not my favorite album of them, but certainly has some great and beautiful numbers on it.

Not a bad track on here

I think of Arctic Monkeys as an indie band, but listening to this album. It has a lot more of a punk sound or influence then I picked up on with just the radio singles. I like the driving beat of the drums, and the overall loose, but tidy way they play. I’m on the fence about the lead singer’s voice. Sometimes I think I like it, and other times I think it’s too much. 3.5

Meh. Lad rock. Not my thing. 2.7

Boring

One of the best albums in the history of music

I liked this album. I thought that the music was really solid and very much 2000's rock. What really made this album though was the lead singer. His voice and style of singing was unique and the band knew how to musically bring the most out of it. I plan to explore this band more.

Love the youthful energy. The opening few tracks to this album are really good, it takes a little bit of a dip in the middle and finishes strong. I think the singer really knows how to dance between a more rhythmic and talking style into some singing. He's got a really distinct voice that is a bit unrefined, but it adds to the style of the album. I love how the guitars go from a bit of chaos into more grooving rhythmic section. They get stuck in my head all the time. One of those albums I've played a lot over the years and will continue to do so. I wish their newer stuff came back to this style a bit.

This album has so many bangers: The View From The Afternoon; I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor; Dancing Shoes; Still Take You Home; Mardy Bum; Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But...; When The Sun Goes Down; From The Ritz To The Rubble; A Certain Romance

dope

Decent band, but do not understand the rating system unless it's a sub-sub-sub-sub genre. Nothing special about these guys.

decent, kinda mixes up together after a while

Teenage Nostalgia

This one was kind of underwhelming. I’ve heard much better. 6/10 Top 3: 1. A Certain Romance 2. Riot Van 3. Perhaps Vampire Is A Bit Strong But…

Social media pushed success. Intelligent and powerful alternative rock.

i've listened to arctic monkeys most recent-ish albums, this album from earlier in their discography is a lot more uptempo and louder than those. very great example of fresh punk that has inspirations from the rebellious and sometimes rockabilly aspects of the past while also bringing something new to the table. alex turner. what a voice

Ouais pas mal

Yay

Standout songs: Fake tales of San Francisco Still take you home Mardy Bum

I was the target demographic for this album. I was third year varsity. At this stage I was deep into the garage rock scene. The Killers were huge and The Kings of Leon were making their presence known. My mate had just come back from the UK and brought a copy of The Streets' A Grand Don't Come For Free. What I mean is I was primed for this album. Even so, when WPSIATWIN was just something else entirely. There was nobody making music that sounded like this, or at least that reached us at the southern end of Africa. It was a revelation. We could identify with the rabble-rousing, drinking and partying on display. As the Arctic Monkeys have matured so have I. I guess what I'm saying is this album is both a significant point in the cultural zeitgeist and a deep dive into nostalgia for me.

Love the Arctic Monkeys.

I like arctic monkeys! They’re such a staple of tumblr time when I was growing up. I had always wished I had gone to their concert. This album was great.

Very hype, makes you bang your head (lightly). I wasn't expecting much based on the two songs I knew from them but this was great. Stand-out: Mardy Bum

Meh. Dancing Shoes was on heavy rotation for me when this came out but I could never get into it as much as some people did.

Wow! I really liked this! I'm not sure how I missed this band. I bet they would have been fun live before they started playing at huge venues. Great musicians, great lyrics and I love the singer's accent.

YESAEAAHHHHHHHH yeah boi don't mind if i DEWWW

This is it. This is the most enjoyable album of the 2000's The clever and funny lyrics, the incredible speed and hooks, youthful rock&roll and not a song to be skipped. Songs about being denied entry to the club, underage drinking, tarted up girls, boredom and fake tales. These are the incredibly relatable and lived stories of your late teens and twenties. 41 minutes of unpretentious clever fun.

Genial!! Un poco demasiado duro para mí gusto pero son los Artic Monkeys con su inigualable cantante y sus solos de guitarra.

Another puzzler. What's with this writer and British rock bands? There seems to be a bias in favor of British indie rock groups for some inexplicable reason. I don't see the big deal.

Meh

2006 was a rich year for rock music and I'm not sure this was one of the huge highlights. But then again, save for a handful of songs I never really got into Arctic Monkeys. Especially this album, it's fine but it's not a favorite. A lot of the songs have the same relentless rah rah rah energy, so it feels like when you hear one you've heard them all (nearly). Thankfully you get a little more rhythm in the stretch from Riot Car to Mardy Bum (plus A Certain Romance, which is a great ender), so that's where this record is at its best. Everything else sorta blends into one another.

solid, unique, but grows stale as it goes on

one of my favs has serious bangers o there

Never heard of them. Lyrics are interesting.

i really liked this

I did like this

This was amazing! I knew it was about British youth nightlife but the development of the thematic concept blew me away. The lyricism is fantastic and being a British 16-year-old male I related to all of this incredibly. I never find myself fully able to connect to their music though: the only other album I’ve heard is Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino and didn’t find it fantastic either. There’s just something slightly off. 9/10.

This came out when I worked at Music World and other employees played it plenty. It grew on me a bit but not really, this kind of aughts rock from strokes to jet to white stripes never did much for me, it was everywhere.

Despite British Indie of the 00’s as my preteen/teenage jam, I never really enjoyed the Arctic Monkeys that much compared to their contemporaries.

Have heard some of these before, but not the whole album. Dude on the cover always looks like Adam Sandler to me. Great energy in this album. Highlights: mardy bum.

Listened to it a million times

It's amazing how something as simple as moving to a cold climate can so radically change the sound of a band. Here I thought this band was so old, and some had even died, that they could sound so much different than they did back when they had a warm weather based TV show in the 1970s. I mean look how much younger Mike Nesmith looks on the cover. That Arctic climate seems like a frozen fountain of youth. Great album.

Really good. Not one song feels like a hit, but everything was good start to finish.

Don't get the accolades.

4.5! Kick ass rock album

One of the best debut albums! Fast and portrays a picture of the environment in which the band was around.

Better than I though

One of the best debut albums ever 🙏

Alex Turner's Ma was my Spanish teacher. Yes this is a review

I lived in Sheffield (the UK hometown of both AM and Pulp) for six months, so it's a fun coincidence I got each band's representative album back to back. With that context, it amazes me to see Pulp trying to shove their South Yorkshire heritage under the rug and pretend to be something they're not – 'Desperate Class' fails as an album because it feels so forced, so desperate to claim some sort of high-class appeal (writ large and subtle as sandpaper in 'Common People'). Perhaps that's why 'Whatever People Say I Am' is such a breath of fresh air - Alex Turner and co. aren't afraid of their upbringing in a steel mill town with the worst team in the Premier League. It's their willingness to lean into the grit, the grime, the mundane day-to-day grind of middle-class living in the early 2000s that makes this LP feel so fresh and genuine two decades on. The same gnashing guitar tone throughout, solid rock drum beats for days, and Turner's now trademark nasal vox filled with don't-give-a-shit attitude make this a ripper front to back, with some well-executed balladry to add some tonal flavor. That's all that's needed to make this a winner, so it doesn't hurt that the songwriting feels genuine, alive, and real as if these are events/emotions that actually happened. No pageantry, no playing pretend, just life as it is in a mid-size British city with its best days behind it. Sure, Turner may be crooning over spacy art-rock to much larger crowds nowadays, but he and the band have damn well earned it and I doubt Jarvis Cocker could say much of the same.

Meh

A quality taste of what's to come with Arctic Monkeys. Youthful and energetic on every track, with strong mixing to compliment - AM here feels like Britain's answer to the garage and alt sounds of White Stripes & the Strokes, and strongly contrasts with some of the sloppy Britpop that preceded it. That said, not every composition works perfectly, and some of the lyrical colour later AM records would have is missing here. Still a solid showing.

I kind of like Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured

Get on your dancing shoes, you sexy little swine

a bit repetitive, not as a commercialised sound as their later tracks, hate the vocals and the vibe YNN

Great, leading to greater things.

Love it love it love it

gooooood preferred the other one layla told me to listen to very rocky 🤘 would listen to again 👍🏻👍🏻

"I can't see through your fake tan" is diabolical knew more than I thought , probably from hearing it through my wall. good car songs

the only album ever.

Oh, goody, another British rock band. Maybe this one will sound different than the previous five. Nope.

Ofc GAOAT

Garage rock. Un megahit. Venga, vinilo.

To me this is one of the greatest debut albums of all time. Practically every song on here is a plain banger. I may not be a massive fan of where the Arctic Monkeys went or a lot of the culture that surrounds them, especially in this era but boy this is slaps.

Man borde lyssna mer på Arctic Monkeys. Inser att det är många låtar här som jag aldrig har hört. Jag har inte så jättemycket att säga. Bra musik helt enkelt. 5 / 5

• Ändå ett nästan klassiskt omslag vid det här laget, inte för jag tycker om det jättemycket. Hade kunnat vara tredje medlemmen i Sleaford Mods • På tal om att vilja få ett bra album för en gång skull • Albumnamn som man aldrig kommer ihåg 100% korrekt • The View From The Afternoon - Bra låt • I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Bra låt • Det är så mycket ös på allt • Fake Tales Of San Fransisco - Bra låt • Dancing Shoes - Bra låt • You Probably Couldn’t See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me - Lite skum, långt namn, fortfarande rätt bra? • Still Take You Home - Bra låt • Riot van - Först långsamma låten, lite av en interlude, mysig, vill ändå säga bra låt • Red Lights Indicates Doors Are Secured - Bra låt • Mardy Bum - Bra låt, aldrig varit min favorit dock • Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But… - Långt solo, men bra fart, bra låt • When The Sun Goes Down - Bra låt, introt har aldrig vart min favorit, resten dock • From The Ritz To The Rubble - Den bästa låten, coolt namn med • A Certain Romance - Bra låt Betyg: Saken med Arctic Monkeys är att de tidiga albumen är bra, mellanalbumen är bra och de senaste är bra => 5/5

Hade nästan satt 5 på alla arctic album

Probably my favorite of Artic Monkeys' discog. Their later stuff sounds like they're trying to hard to be weird in an intellectual way. They catchy hooks and bouncy musical energy of this album is what made people dig AM to begin with. The "volume wars" era mixing and mastering is apparent on this album and it's not particularly well done beyond that. The songs themselves get my foot tapping and my ears engaged. It's just a fun listen, but nothing mind-blowing.

Fantastic album! I love arctic monkeys already!

God damn I'm still bitter my uni days coincided with this lazy shite British indie rock nonsense. Ruled out 90% of songs played in clubs. Boyband pop for teenagers who think liking guitar music is cool. Only of my biggest regrets is waiting hours at the mainstage to watch these headline Glastonbury. Should have just left my mates for a few hours and actually had a good time elsewhere.

It was fine. None of the songs I knew. 3/5

This album is the pure, distilled essence of mid-2000s indie rock. Sharp, fresh, crisp, cool, iconic. Not a single song that flops, but banger after banger that hits you at high speed. I have been looking for something to criticize, but I have nothing.

ahhhhh 2006. what a vibe.

yuh

not entirely my thing, but the British accent made up for some of it

throwback classic for me, love head banging to this album

I don’t get this album at all! Not very good in my humble opinion

Guay.

Excellent 1st album. Lots of quirkiness, political and social jabs everywhere. Remarkably easy to listen to. And Alex Turners vocal and intonation are so laden with sarcasm and side eye stuff, it's great. I understand what all of the fuss is about.

Great.

Pretty decent, I enjoyed it despite feeling like it had only one overall emotion throughout. Its not exactly my vibe but I can see the value.

Hell yes. One of my personal favorite bands. It's not Favourite Worst Nightmares which is one of my all time most listened to albums but man do I love the earlier Arctic Monkey's stuff. It's just solid, fun, well written rock music.

Oh yes. 5 stars.

Not as good aa I remembered.

Loved it. Already one of my favourite bands so a good start!

Not my favorite era of the arctic monkeys. But must give the credit it deserves. This album exploded these kids on to the scene when they were nearly still in diapers.

I’m vibing tbh

classic punk rock

it was fine.

Pending subject passed! I liked them a lot!

Glad I got this from the generator. I have heard of them but haven't listened to them at all closely. This kind of sneaks up on you from being a chavvy cross between The White Stripes and Franz Ferdinand, but toward the end of the album it seems to find its own voice. Listening to the whole thing beginning to end is sort of like riding along with these fellas as they experience a night out, stuff can go right(\"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor\") and then things can go wrong (\"From the Ritz to the Rubble\"). Separating this from other post 9/11 post-punk revivalists (like Franz Ferdinand in fact)are that they make these compelling little stories, and the lofi affectations that have a ton of burning young-man energy. Actual songs that don'task me to invest too much effort (I'm looking at you Arcade Fire). Fun tunes, fun album, a great listen from beginning to end! At 41 minutes (the perfect album length) it's a throwback to when the Album was a \"unit of art\" to quote someone who I forgot.

Not my type

A stone cold classic and the perfect entry into this list. This album is hugely of it's time and that is a good thing. It washed away the so called "landfill indie" that proceeded it in the UK. It's birth at the start of file sharing and new ways to disseminate and consume music felt new and genuinely exciting. I moved to Sheffield in 2000 and was firmly ensconced in the music scene when these guys exploded. I didn't get to see them at the Boardwalk, but to have 18 year old boys playing music that spoke of our time and place makes it something personal to me. If you ignore the personal and cultural history and look at the music they generated it would still warrant it's place because the quality of the album speaks for itself. The consistency from track one to the closer is incredible. The lyrics are witty and warm with an excellent injection of snarl. The guitars and driving rhythm section elevate this further. Add a liberal sprinkling of pop hooks and sing along choruses and it demonstrates what the best music can be: the alchemy of putting quality ingredients together to produce something more than the sum of its parts that speaks to people and brings joy. Put this on loud and sing every word and you'll be a better person afterwards.

just rock solid, no filler. a modern classic which played a huge role in my love for the band.

Decent album

Upbeat but repetitive

Average

One of the best albums of the 2000s. Just bangers after bangers on here, not a single bad spot. And for a debut too, unreal

I mean, it was pretty good mid 2000s rock. I don't have a super strong opinion on it though.

Decent mid 2000s alt-rock. I gave it another listen over the weekend and it grew on me.

own

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is the debut album by Arctic Monkeys, a four-piece indie rock band from Sheffield, England. Released in 2006, the album became the fastest-selling debut in British history, and received critical acclaim for its energetic and witty portrayal of working-class youth culture. The album’s title is a reference to a quote from the 1960 film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, which depicts the life of a rebellious factory worker in Nottingham. The film’s influence can be seen in the album’s lyrical themes, which revolve around nightlife, romance, and social commentary from the perspective of young Northerners. The album’s lyrics are full of vivid details, slang, and humor, creating a realistic and relatable portrait of the band’s experiences and observations. The album’s music is influenced by various genres, such as indie rock, garage rock, post-punk revival, punk rock, and alternative rock. The band’s sound is characterized by fast tempos, catchy riffs, and raw vocals. The album’s production, handled by Jim Abbiss and Alan Smyth, is crisp and clear, but also retains a sense of urgency and spontaneity. The album features re-recorded versions of the band’s earlier songs, such as “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” and “When the Sun Goes Down”, which were previously released as singles and became UK number-ones. The album’s highlights include the opening track “The View from the Afternoon”, which sets the tone for the album with its explosive drums and guitar hooks; the anthemic “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”, which showcases the band’s charisma and confidence; the sarcastic “Fake Tales of San Francisco”, which mocks the pretentiousness of some bands and scenesters; the groovy “Dancing Shoes”, which describes the awkwardness and excitement of flirting at a club; the tender “Mardy Bum”, which reveals a softer side of the band’s relationship troubles; the dark and gritty “When the Sun Goes Down”, which exposes the reality of prostitution and violence in the streets; the frantic “From the Ritz to the Rubble”, which narrates a chaotic night out that ends in a brawl; and the closing track “A Certain Romance”, which sums up the album’s attitude and sentiment with its nostalgic and defiant chorus. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is a brilliant debut album that captures the essence of a generation and a culture. It is a testament to the band’s talent, originality, and relevance, and a milestone for British indie music.

Some pretty good tracks.

Irriterande

I’ve been surprised by the number of debut albums that have made it into this book. It makes me wonder a few things. Did the authors think that these artists peaked immediately? Are they so good that their debut AND at least one other album made it? Why pick debuts when there’s probably an album that better encapsulates the artist in their more mature, refined stage of their career? I just find it strange. That being said, this was a great listen. High energy on every track. Frantic, manic, bursting at the seams. It felt like a Raconteurs album crossed with the Fratellis’ debut album “Costello Music.” But man, a lot of the songs sound the same. Yes, the riffs are different. Yes, the melodies are different. But the frantic vocals, the lyrics about stories of being out late with friends and getting into shenanigans and getting drunk, the guitar distortion. It’s all consistent throughout most of the album. And that’s why I wish that a different album from Arctic Monkeys made it here. Because I have to believe that they took this raw energy and talent and refined it further into something great. Maybe I’ll find that out for myself at some point. For now, this was good but I can see them being better. Three stars. Standout tracks: The View from the Afternoon, I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Dancing Shoes, Perhaps Vampire is a Bit Strong But…, A Certain Romance

acoustic is kewl vocal is not so kewl

Not for me. I find the delivery to be grating on my nerves.

YeeeSSESSSSssssSSAZsszsbsjdjdjdjhwjajajahahahahaaaaaaa love love love eternal love a certain romance ded ded ded I bet that you look good on the dance floor! When the sun goes down! Fake tales of San Francisco!! Marry bum!!! And I didn’t even look at the track list yet lollllllllll AGAGAGAFAFAGGAGZAGABBbyaaaaaaasss

4,3

Mmm

Mostly straightforward, fresh and high-energy and likably cheeky, if not especially innovative. One likes how they close out songs, the guitar chime on opener and the smoothly fading chords on “Fake Tales,” as if if life goes on, and the sharply truncated ending on”Red Light.” Key lyric: “I am talking gibberish.” There are ample good moments and grace notes, like the doo-wop chorus on “Still Take You Home.” “Riot Van” is good melancholy fun and a bit reminiscent of Replacements’ “Nightclub Jitters.” “Mardy Bum” is quite good too — AMs can clearly do highly competent pop hooks – and might have had a bright future as a different sort of band. The end the album crisply, too, with something sounds like they have a good shot to mature in a bit more serious vein. Like so many records of this ear, one or two fewer cuts might have strengthened the overall quality. Maybe they were once overhyped, but their above-average career means that Green Day might the American Arctic Monkeys (rather than vice-versa).

Woof. Noisy.

I got tired of it halfway through but it was decent

To me this album sounded like funk rock and I’m here for it!

Love the band, and a few songs off the album. But not their best.

I know I've listened to an Arctic Monkeys album before, but I don't remember if it was this one or AM. Either way, I remember not really caring for it, and I was not super enthused to listen to this today. After listening to this though, I can understand why it's so highly regarded and why it's on this list. When I think of rock music in the aughts, I think of the myriad of stuff that was getting tons of airplay on Clear Channel alternative rock stations: Three Days Grace, Nickelback, Godsmack, Buckcherry, etc. I don't speak for everyone, but for me, I think that stuff mostly sucked, so to hear this album is pretty refreshing. Arctic Monkeys showcase some serious guitar rock skills on this album. Nearly every song is a solid jam, full of driving rhythms, tight drum playing, and some funky bass lines. The slower songs work really well too, and give the album some added depth and versatility. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals, but the lyrics bring the English club and pub scene to life with great detail and tone. This was a fun album to listen to, and while it's not the type of album that I'd typically gravitate to, I think it's really solid, and it definitely belongs on this list. On my tastes alone, I'd probably give this a solid three stars, but on it's own merits and influence, I think it deserves four stars.

never really got into the Arctic Monkeys before but WOW, this is really good! it’s kind of like a slightly pop-y Post-Punk, so like almost new wave but with a lot more freeform ambitious aggression fantastic album - easy 10/10 for me

Positivt överraskad, aldrig riktigt lyssnat på dem innan

As punchy and refreshing now as when it came out.

Not a fan, too jumbled for my taste

Pretty good album. I love this band and they always slay.

A debut release that makes a statement about the music, the band, the songwriting that will endure as Arctic Monkeys' sound.

Modern day Clash. Good stuff, great for a walk/run

4.5/5. An amazing start to one of the more dynamic rock bands of the 2000s-2010s. They are a little rough around the edges, but songs like Mardy Bum and I bet you look good on the dance floor are fantastic.

Great confident hard sound. Rocked out to this one. “When the Sun Goes Down” was a late-album highlight, and “A Certain Romance” is a hell of a closer.

No, I dont need to listen to Arctic Monkeys before I die.

Solid rock album with a few stand out catchy tunes.

Yesss, but ...

It is good enough. I like it.

Amazing. Love this album

The Arctic Monkeys have always been on the outskirts of my musicals taste. I like some of their songs, but this left me a little wanting as all of the songs kind of bleed together.

Sounds a little repetitive, and I have heard some of the songs on this album a million times. But still a great album to recommend to others or listen all the way through every couple of years. 7/10

It's a great first album, but listening to it now, I felt the same as when I listened to it when it first came out. There's a bit of filler, there's some high points, there's some dull parts, it's not perfect, but there's loads of energy. I can imagine seeing this band play live in a small venue and the atmosphere would be superb. Listening to a studio recording, some of that raw energy is distilled away a little. Not worthy of 5 stars, but a strong 4 stars.

Its pretty okay not amazing by any means. Might need to give a relisten at some point soon. I understand the appeal but it defiantly fizzles out near the end.

Good old Arctic Monkeys

Good album, drives hard, sort of washes out after a while.

Fun and expressive rock

Phenomenal ... you can clearly hear the inspiration from acts of the past as well as the uniqueness that combines to make this album so captivating

Classic

Fun and raucous. This would have been a riot to dance to when it first came out. The lead singer embeds a lot of character and emotion into his voice. A little too "punky" for me to fully love, but I appreciate it all the same. All shorty songs, longest (by almost a full minute) is 4.5 minutes.

Ok but not really my jam

Classic alternative rock, I see why they're so popular. Pretty angsty, kind of punky, very English.

So hard to separate this album from the feeling I had towards it at the time. They were the cover of every magazine before they had even released a song. I think the actual content is decent enough, mardy bum and sun goes down are both great, but id be hard pushed to give it more than a high 3

I am familiar with their album “AM”, but not this one. Overall I liked it quite a bit and think it would be on near equal footing of AM which I really enjoy.

The View From The Afternoon: 3/5 I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: 4/5 Fake Tales Of San Francisco: 4/5 Dancing Shoes: 4/5 You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights But You Were Staring Straight at Me: 3/5 Still Take You Home: 3/5 Riot Van: 4/5 Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured: 3/5 Mardy Bum: 4/5 Perhaps Vampire Is a Bit Strong But...: 4/5 When The Sun Goes Down: 4/5 From The Ritz To The Rubble: 4/5 A Certain Romance: 4/5

8.4

BANGER

3/4

Well after my regular music listening. Didn’t hate it. But it sounds very generic “rock” 3ish

Overall, an annoying sounding band with one catchy song per album

A very solid album with a lot of very well made garage rock songs. I enjoyed almost every track, but after listening every thing is kind of sounds the same and not much stands out. Probably closer to a 4, but I am feeling generous

Bangers. Liked this a lot more than their output from the last ten years.

Some great tracks but they all sound pretty similar. Luckily that similar sound is good.

Fun album to listen to. The riff in the first song made me expect hard rock but it got a lot softer. They have a unique sound that is different from most English bands although I can’t say what it is. 7/10

I liked this for the most part but there wasn't too much that stood out at me. I'd be interested to hear more of their stuff after this but I won't revisit the album too much. Still a great listen and enjoyable for the time I played it though. 7/10

Realized I have always liked a couple Artic Monkeys songs but never sought out more from them. I should have? Really enjoyed this front to back. 9/10

This was a game changing album. Great hits and solid set list.

Bland and boring. Every song sounds the same, there may be a few ones that are a bit different and unique. It's not bad but it just gets repetitive, therefore, I got quite bored after the first songs. I don't think it's a bad record but I don't really get the hype.

Are the Arctic Monkeys one of the last successful rock artists? I only have listened to and own one Arctic Monkeys record. Which is the AM record and I really enjoyed it. This record was alright. I thought I'd like it more than I do. I listened to it twice, as I feel like it deserved it. Some issues that I have is the over indulgence of the staccato guitar. I appreciate the bass guitar taking the melody lead but the guitar can be a bit abrasive as t times. And it kind of has a shrillness that I don't care for. I prefer the more rockin' guitar parts then the former. The lead singer has a great voice. At times, I get a White Stripes feel from this record. I can definitely see an overlap of fans. This record didn't really have anything that stood out from the rest of the album. Not that it all blended together. But it was average at best. Kind of disappointed that I didn't like it more because I really wanted to. Maybe I set the bar too high? I won't count them out though because I know they have great music: AM.

It’s fun.

I love Arctic Monkeys but I have never listened to their debut before. Standout track is Mardy Bum and A certain Romance

Didn't really impress me but it wasn't terrible either.

Didn't care for it.

Favourite Song: Mardy Bum (and I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor as a default) My first 5/5 and admittedly, comes from a place of nostalgia. Fun, energetic and loud, this album embodies Indies rock and every song is a hit.

Very nice vibe

secondo la mia modestissima opinione, è un album banale e non troppo interessante

I really like Arctic Monkeys, and while this is a really solid album it doesn't hit the heights of Favourite Worst Nightmare and AM for me. It has the foundational sound and style that will make those later albums great, but just doesn't quite get there. Standout tracks for me are I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, Red Light Indicates Doors are Secure, Mardy Bum, From the Ritz to the Rabble, and A Certain Romance.