The Kooks

The Kooks (/kuːks/) are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton.^[1] The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums).

Their music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk revival of the new millennium.^[2] The Kooks have experimented in several genres including rock, Britpop, pop, reggae, ska, and more recently, funk and hip-hop, being described once as a “more energetic Thrills or a looser Sam Roberts Band, maybe even a less severe Arctic Monkeys at times”.^[3]

Signed to Virgin Records just three months after forming, the Kooks broke into the musical mainstream with their debut album Inside In/Inside Out (2006). The album was ultimately successful, achieving quadruple platinum status in the UK within a year and also overseas in the form of a platinum certification in Australia and two times platinum in Ireland. The Kooks found themselves entering into mainstream media attention, with the band winning the award for Best UK & Ireland Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 and picking up a nomination at The Brit Awards for the single “She Moves in Her Own Way“.^[4][5] With their follow-up Konk (2008) debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, it recorded first week sales of 65,000, achieving gold status in both the UK and Ireland.^[6] Their third studio album, entitled Junk of the Heart, was released on 12 September 2011. Their fourth album Listen was released on 8 September 2014. Their most recent album 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark was released on 22 July 2022 and peaked at No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart.