The seventh studio album by The Kooks, ‘Never/Know’ has landed at number 5 in the official UK music charts - making it the highest charting release by the band since their second album, ‘Konk’, in 2008.
In a video message, frontman Luke Pritchard thanked fans, stating,
“I just want to say a massive thank you to anyone who bought our record, streamed it and came to any of our shows up and down the country. We are just completely blown away. It feels great, so let’s keep it in the top 5 and we’ll see you all soon.”
WATCH THE VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE KOOKS HERE
The Kooks, who broke through with their landmark debut ‘Inside In/Inside Out’ in 2006, have connected with a new generation of fans through streaming platforms and social media. Now, they're playing some of the biggest shows to date and will embark on a UK arena tour this autumn which includes their largest-ever UK headline performance at the O2 Arena.
On Sunday, the band were presented their Brit Billion Award live on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. The award recognises a staggering one billion streams in the UK.
‘Never/Know’, self-produced by frontman Luke Pritchard*, was born out of a mission to reconnect with The Kooks’ original creative drive. Speaking about the album’s impetus, Pritchard said “It’s not about going back to the first album’s sound, but to the roots of our influences and asking, ‘What is the identity of this band?’
“The whole thing was to just forget that the past had happened,” he says. But to truly move forward, they had to reflect: “What kind of music do we want to make, and how do we make it feel natural?”
‘Never/Know’ was announced in January, when the band kicked the campaign off in style with a throwback Indie Club Night at Notting Hill Arts Club. Fans who packed out the London venue were treated to an intimate set of material from the album (SEE HERE). The album’s first single ‘Never Know’ was selected as Radio X’s ‘Record of the Week’. The track also received rotation on BBC Radio 1, 6Music, and Jo Whiley’s show on BBC Radio 2.
NME referred to the single welcoming in “The new era of The Kooks”.
1883 said, “The Kooks have cemented themselves as a key part of the UK musical landscape”.
Following on, the infectious, springtime banger, ‘Sunny Baby’ garnered support from The Times, who included the single in their ‘Best new songs’ round up, referring to the track as “Hook perfect”.
‘Never/Know’ is out today via Virgin Music Group. Purchase the album HERE.
Tickets and info for The Kooks arena tour can be found at thekooks.com
Full tracklist for Never/Know
1. Never Know
2. Sunny Baby
3. All Over The World
4. If They Could Only Know
5. China Town
6. Compass Will Fracture
7. Tough At The Top
8. Arrow Through Me
9. Echo Chamber
10. Let You Go
11. Talk About It
*All tracks produced by Luke Pritchard except track 9 which was produced by J Lloyd.
The Kooks, whose 2006 debut sold over 2 million copies, have unexpectedly found themselves beloved by a new generation. While their original fans remain, they’ve layered on a fervent Gen Z following, headlining festivals and selling out shows worldwide. Social media has made them a generations’ new favourite band again, introducing their unmistakable Brit-pop joy to fresh ears. Their debut was a defining moment for indie music in the 2000s, their first releases set the sound of a moment in time. There are few songs as defining of the 2000s as ‘Naïve’, but the band were never a one-hit wonder - their follow-up record, Konk, hit number one as one of four top 10 albums. The Kooks never stopped evolving, transitioning from indie rock to synthpop and krautrock influences. Over time, they’ve integrated wide-ranging inspirations—Harris' love of soul and opera, alongside Pritchard’s classic influences like Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones.
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