18 YEARS OF ARCTIC MONKEYS FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE

On this day 18 years ago, Favourite Worst Nightmare by the Arctic Monkeys was released. Not only an album but an event in my life and that of all my friends. The Arctic Monkeys were coming off the success of their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and their second album not only met expectations but shattered them. The album soared to number one on the UK charts, delivering a string of unforgettable singles including Brianstorm, Teddy Picker, Fluorescent Adolescent, and 505. I remember counting down the days until we could get excited with the new CD in our hands. For me, this was the soundtrack to my life, the beat of the city that the Arctic Monkeys presented to the world without any apology. They depicted the city with an honest portrayal, capturing its essence and character effortlessly. This second album unequivocally established that Sheffield music can continuously rival any major city’s offerings. It wasn’t just legendary; it was transformative, a powerful reminder that true greatness consistently emerges from the streets of Sheffield.

This second album received a Mercury Prize nomination in 2007 and went on to win Best British Album at the 2008 BRIT Awards, and who could forget when the band made a memorable appearance dressed as Yorkshire farmers? Upon release, the album sold over 227,000 copies in its first week, storming to number one on the UK Albums Chart. Its opening day saw 85,000 copies sold, surpassing the combined total of the rest of the Top 20. Impressively, all 12 tracks entered the UK Singles Chart’s Top 200. By September 2022, sales had reached 1.2 million copies in the UK, securing a 4× platinum certification.

When I first heard Brianstorm I instantly thought, fuck, here we go. Pounding drums, a breakneck song based on some mysterious fella named Brian, whom the band met in Tokyo. It’s frantic and punchy and kicks the album off.

The funky Teddy Picker brings out Turner’s trademark sarcasm. Some people consider Fluorescent Adolescent to be one of their classic songs. The line “Oh, the boy’s a slag, the best you ever had” reflects a tragic realisation of growing older and missing out on the excitement of youth. However, at the time, I wasn’t ready to relate to that feeling. I was in my prime, and the song never quite struck me as a classic.

“You used to get it in your fishnets, now you only get it in your night dress.” (Fluorescent Adolescent)

I was more interested in This House Is a Circus, which painted the mad weekend days of my youth and the wild excess of my twenties. Where memories become fuzzy and social etiquette goes out the window. The lunacy of the time is painted by Alex Turner, and the emptiness this brings is indicated.

“This house is a circus, berserk as fuck.” (This House Is a Circus)

Do Me a Favour is one of the emotional ones of Favourite Worst Nightmare. It’s a break-up song and one that is cutting. The lyrics are raw and vivid and plot a scene of heartbreak, loss and the inevitable conclusion to something that at one time felt as solid as a rock. Something, I guess, that we can all relate to. With such lines as “It’s the beginning of the end,” “Hold onto your heart,” and “The Last fuck off might be too kind.” It is a true ball breaker.

“Do me a favour and stop asking questions.” (Do Me a Favour)

I saw them play their first album at Paradiso in Amsterdam: a “pinch yourself” show. I was thousands of miles away from home, and here were some lads just down the street who sounded like a bunch of naturals. It is amusing now to think back, I suppose. Alex Turner’s accent at that time had been a straight-up Sheffieldite. A couple of years later, and somehow it had made a strange detour via Los Angeles and a 1950s rockabilly-themed diner.

But in 2007, there was only raw energy, stinging lyrics and a South Yorkshire sense of humour to be decoded. Favourite Worst Nightmare was a masterclass in capturing the essence of teenage rebellion, trumpet riffs combined with yearning and wistfulness in 505 and Old Yellow Bricks gave a knowing nod to drudgery that we all wanted to escape.

“I crumble completely when you cry, it seems like once again you’ve had to greet me with goodbye.” (505)

Growing up in Rotherham but spending much of my childhood with relatives just down the way in Sheffield made the connection personal. The Arctic Monkeys were not some international phenomenon, they were ours. The songs reflected night-outs, drinking, break-ups, and the manic brilliance of being young and single. Favourite Worst Nightmare at 25 was like an album that someone had written just for me and my mates, relating to all the ups and downs. It sang the soundtrack to our relationships, it made the highs that much more explosive, it accompanied the nights that ran into mornings, cemented memories from the friendships that last a lifetime. Even today, that record occupies a place in my heart that no accent switch by Alex Turner can penetrate. It is not just an album but a time capsule to a city, a group, and an era.

And with the Arctic Monkeys becoming international superstars, it wasn’t just that the sound became more mature, but a demonstration that our dreams could be reached. The progression from the streets of Sheffield to the world’s biggest stages was like a validation that there is greatness to be found even where we were least expecting it. No matter how refined their sound or the accent of Alex Turner changed over the years, they will always be the lads who made us believe that absolutely anything was achievable.