Alphabeat
is a Danish pop band from Silkeborg, signed to Polydor label. Their single, "Fascination", was a major hit in Denmark during the summer of 2007 and a significant hit in the UK in 2008. The next single, "10.000 Nights of Thunder" (or just "10,000 Nights" in the UK) saw equal success, and their eponymous debut album went platinum in Denmark, and in the UK, the album has gone gold. It has sold over 100,000 copies, and their 3 top 20 singles have sold in the region of 400,000 all together. [1]
|
ALPHABEAT TICKETS
|
History
2006-2008: This Is Alphabeat
The band is made up of six members, Anders SG, Stine Bramsen, Anders B, Rasmus Nagel, Anders Reinholdt and Troels Hansen. Its sound is mainly retro 80s melodic pop, taking inspiration, amongst others, from British bands
Deacon Blue and
Prefab Sprout, with distinctive overlay of male and female harmonies.
The band was previously named Sodastar but this was changed to avoid confusion with a
German band.
[2]
The band's native success attracted the attention of several major labels from larger markets abroad, and Alphabeat was eventually signed to
EMI's
Charisma Records label in the
United Kingdom. Its British debut single, "Fantastic 6", was released on
26 November 2007.
Alphabeat received several positive reviews in major British publications such as
NME
,
The Observer Music Monthly
[3],
Digital Spy
[4] and
Popjustice.
[5]
On 20 December 2008, it was announced via press release that the band had been dropped by its UK label Charisma Records, despite a Top 10 album and 3 Top 20 singles. In a statement from the band on 19 January 2009, it was confirmed that it had chosen to leave the label after being given the opportunity, and was signing with a new label in the UK for the release of its as yet unrecorded second album. It also stated that it was hoping to release said album in 2009.
2009-Present: The Spell
It was announced on
6 March 2009 that Alphabeat had signed a new record deal with the label
Polydor. The band's manager said "We are thrilled to be signing to one of the UK's most successful record companies and looking forward to achieving even more success with the band and Polydor in the coming years."
[6]
In August 2009,
Pop Justice premiered their new single "The Spell" which is set for a release of October and their second album
This Is Still Alphabeat
to be released shortly after.
[7] The title of the second album was subsequently changed to
The Spell
, set for release on 19 October 2009 in the UK.
[8]
Discography
Studio albums
Year
| Album details
| Chart positions
| Certifications (sales thresholds)
|
UK [9]
| DK
| IRL [10]
|
2007
| This Is Alphabeat
- Released: 5 March 2007
- Label: Charisma (#1786979)
- Formats: CD, digital download
| 10
| 2
| 54
|
|
2009
| The Spell
- Released: 19 October 2009
- Label: Polydor (#1786979)
- Formats: CD, digital download
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
|
|
Singles
Year
| Single
| Chart positions
| Album
|
DK
| UK
| NL
| BEL
| IRE
| SWE
| GER
|
2008
| "Fascination"
| 4
| 6
| 4
| 2
| 23
| 38
| 48
| This Is Alphabeat
|
"10,000 Nights"
| 16
| 16
| 24
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
"Boyfriend"
| 11
| 15
| 12
| —
| 49
| —
| —
|
"Go-Go"
| 14
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
"What Is Happening"
| —
| 110
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
2009
| "The Spell"
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
| The Spell
|
Touring
The band was offered to play as a warm-up for the
Spice Girls during their reunion world tour 2007-8, but declined the offer, feeling that it would be "too weird" to suddenly play in front of a very large audience unfamiliar with the band's music.
[12] [13]
It has often been associated with the
Wonky Pop movement - having played the Wonky Pop Tour and DJ'd various Wonky Pop events. It is currently penned to play the
Wonky Pop Xmas party in London.
Alphabeat performed at
T in the Park 2008 on "Camper's Friday"
[14] and were announced in the line-up for the 2008
Roskilde Festival.
[15] It also performed at
T4 on the beach, and at the "Summerfestival" in Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, in early August 2008
[16], and also in October 2008, along with many other bands at the NEC in Birmingham for hundreds of young girlguides.
[17]
During late 2008, Alphabeat began a 22 gig tour of the UK and Holland, with many shows sold out.
In 2008, the band was planning to play select shows with American singer
Katy Perry on her 2008 world tour. However, in March 2009, Alphabeat cancelled its appearances in support of her US tour. Its management has stated that it is instead working on its second album and will be touring the USA later in the year.
References
- http://allscandinavian.com/349/alphabeat-receives-uk-gold-record-tour/
- http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=115&csid2=804&fid1=30123 Alph
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/may/30/popandrock.shopping1
- Alphabeat: Fantastic Six - Nick Levine, Digital Spy
- Popjustice - Alphabeat - 'Fantastic Six'
- http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a148789/alphabeat-sign-new-record-deal.html
- http://www.facebook.com/Alphabeat#/note.php?note_id=150328215672&ref=mf
- Alphabeat to release second album
- "Chart Stats: The Saturdays". ChartStats.com. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
- "Discography The Saturdays". Irish-Charts.com. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
- http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx
- » Spice Girls snubbed by Danish band Alphabeat - Thaindian News
- Alphabeat: Supporting Spice Girls would have been weird
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/tinthepark/2008/artist/alphabeat/
- http://www.roskilde-festival.dk/2008/frontpage/system/bands/singleband/alphabeat/
- http://www.summarfestivalur.fo/english/?id=2&uid=106
- http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/xq/asp/sID.567/aID.3416/qx/biggig/article.asp