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Mumford and Sons are thebiggest UK band since Coldplay

Fri 11th Mar, 2011 in International News

Mumford and Sons have become the first British band to sell a million copies of one album in both the UK and US since Coldplay achieved the feat in 2009 with their album Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends.

The folk quartet’s Sigh No More album currently sits at number three on the US charts behind two other English albums – Adele’s 21 and former Floetry member Marsha Ambrosius’ debut solo album Late Night And Early Mornings. This is the first time in 25 years that three British acts have held the Top 3 positions on the US album chart.

The last time UK acts had even the top two slots on the US chart was back in June 1997 when The Spice Girls’ Spice and Paul McCartney’s Flaming Pie occupied the top two places on the list.

To celebrate their success, Mumford and Sons are set to tour America on The Railroad Revival tour in April with support from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. The tour will be filmed for a documentary and all three bands will travel to shows in California, Texas and Louisiana on 15 vintage railcars from the ’50s and ’60s.

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lukey26

lukey26 said on the 11th Mar, 2011

:D I can't wait for them to return to Australia.

Phen

Phen said on the 11th Mar, 2011

Not convinced that yank-ocentric stat makes them the biggest UK band since Coldplay?

humanracin

humanracin said on the 11th Mar, 2011

the headline of this article makes me dislike this band more than before.
I didn't mind the singles (before they were played to death) but the album was really boring, very over-rated band.

n1ck

n1ck said on the 11th Mar, 2011

i was a little skeptical about them until i saw them play at oxford arts a year or so back and they were great live and really genuine guys

Andeh said on the 11th Mar, 2011

jesus fucking christ, why is 90% of the music out of the uk so fucking terrible.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 11th Mar, 2011

Metal fan. Just got to be - can't get that kind of pure ignorance out of any other kind of music fan.

shazie

shazie said on the 12th Mar, 2011

That show they played at oxford arts (the 1st, as in the first show that went on sale but was the night after the "2nd show", Feb 3rd I think) was one of my favourite gigs I've ever been to. The band, the atmoshpere, the crowd and the banter made it such a memorable night that will never be repeated (unfortunately). When I saw them them play the enmore next time they were here, they still played great but a lot of the crowd was talking during the set (one of my biggest pet peeves at concerts).

lanesra23

lanesra23 said on the 12th Mar, 2011

They were extremely boring at both Laneway and Splendour. They were a tigh live act, but it'll probably be another 4-5 albums before they have a full set of interesting songs.

humanracin

humanracin said on the 12th Mar, 2011

...I think you may be confused, perhaps you meant this comment to refer to Australian hip-hop?

Daft Punks Lip Sweat

Daft Punks Lip Sweat said on the 12th Mar, 2011

I don't go much on them but I feel when they put out another album no one is really going to care unless there is a little lion man v2.

lanesra23

lanesra23 said on the 12th Mar, 2011

^^Triple J loves a mediocre follow-up album. They'll be all over anything they release.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 12th Mar, 2011

Fighting ignorance with more ignorance?
Is that how we're playing this one?

gumbuoy

gumbuoy said on the 12th Mar, 2011

Just like nobodoy paid any attention to Coldplay albums because they didnt have anything like Yellow on them?

lukey26

lukey26 said on the 12th Mar, 2011

I think deep down, everybody likes Coldplay. I think they are great. And I'm really looking forward to what Mumford and Sons come up with for album number 2.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 12th Mar, 2011

http://movies.maxupdates.tv/wp-contents/uploads/2010/01/Dumb-and-Dumber.jpg

gumbuoy

gumbuoy said on the 12th Mar, 2011

Okay, just before we keep going here, is that ACTUALLY what you think? You weren't being sarcastic or anything?

Everybody likes Coldplay, thats your position?

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 12th Mar, 2011

Everybody Loves Coldplay: A new CBS comedy starring Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts and Brad Garrett!

crob

crob said on the 13th Mar, 2011

but the first 2 Coldplay albums were good... and Mumford and Sons first album sucks... 2 drunk to continue on the rant that i'm thinking of

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 13th Mar, 2011

On one side, I'm actually surprised at how well these guys have been taken up by the indie crowd when Sigh No More was universally panned.

On the other, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone profited off finding the perfect midpoint between Lady Antebellum and Fleet Foxes.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 13th Mar, 2011

8/10 review in Clash and Popmatters, 7/10 in NME, 4/5 in MusicOMH, generally favourable reviews on Metacritic... the only ones who really didn't seem to like it are your jay-hip brethren over at P4k.

mondo22

mondo22 said on the 13th Mar, 2011

nothing shits me off more.
who are these people that go to concerts, get up the front and talk about shit and don't even watch the show?

I've really enjoyed all 4 albums. Each has something different that I really enjoy

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 13th Mar, 2011

Mixed reviews from the Guardian, Drowned in Sound, Uncut and the independent and getting a 68 on Metacritic is hardly a sign of acclaim.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 13th Mar, 2011

But it doesn't mean it was "universally panned," either. Choose your words more careful and shit.

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 13th Mar, 2011

Choose your grammar more careful and shit

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 13th Mar, 2011

You're kidding, right?

Are you actually trying to do that, even when it's quite clear that the grammar in that sentence was a joke? You're running with that, lock it in Eddie, 100%? Just makin sure.

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 13th Mar, 2011

You're kidding, right?

Are you actually trying to do that, even when it's quite clear that the argument in that sentence was a joke? You're running with that, lock it in Eddie, 100%? Just makin sure.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 13th Mar, 2011

Might want to test out your material on me elsewhere before using it here. Would ease up a lot of the confusion.

CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen said on the 13th Mar, 2011

i hooked up with a babe from the uk. i did coke off her tits. winning.

Andeh said on the 13th Mar, 2011

nme also gave arctic monkeys a perfect 10 (i believe), and thus, have no opinion on anything. ever.

HelloSailor

HelloSailor said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

NME did give their first album a 10. Considering it was their favourite album of the year (and scored very highly on most end of year polls), I think that score was fine.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

I'd say that most people probably liked Coldplay's first two albums.

After that though, I think a lot of people stopped caring.

The longer it goes on, the less I like them.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Personally, I was a bit the opposite. Viva La Vida is my favourite Coldplay album.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

But that's because you're a 16 year old girl.

In all seriousness though, Parachutes came out in 2000. You were 10 or 11 then I think. You've got a different perspective on it given that you either listened to it several years later or weren't old enough to appreciate it when it was current.

I think there is a big difference in the excitement music can create when it is new versus listening to it further down the track when you have the benefit of hindsight.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Yeah, I see what you mean. I loved "Yellow" and "Don't Panic" when they came out, though; didn't get the actual album until about 03 or 04 when I went through a bit of an obsession with Coldplay. I got Rush of Blood the day it came out, as well as the live DVD. I even [URL="http://clubs.asua.arizona.edu/~fairtrad/index/bytes_files/image001.jpg"]wrote Make Trade Fair on my hands on mufti days, even though I didn't really know what it meant, hahaha.

X and Y was a massive letdown, even though I tried to convince myself otherwise after buying all the singles (yep, physical singles!) coming up to its release. I think that's why I liked Viva so much - it wasn't more of the same and they actually challenged the sound that had made them popular. I really love that album.

Lorraine

Lorraine said on the 14th Mar, 2011

You thought they were boring at Splendour? I though that was one of the most amazing live sets - everyone was totally engaged, the entire ampitheatre was dancing and singing along.

They were so effing lovely as well, all that banter about Australia holding a special place in their hearts (that actually seemed sincere).

hearsz

hearsz said on the 14th Mar, 2011

i was fortunate enough to be able to listen to "parachutes" a week before it was officially released (wonders of the internet!) and knew immediately it was a great album, one that i would play over & over. "shiver" was the one that nailed it for me. i probably didn't get into "rush of blood.." as much as the several million others around the world did & still don't believe it's as a complete an album as their debut. ("daylight" & "a whisper" could have been dropped imo). i do agree that "x & y" was a let down however, "the hardest part" is one of the best tracks they've ever recorded. and i love viva la vida for the same reasons that morningafterboy mentioned, the different sounds to each track gives it a uniqueness to the other three albums. "strawberry swing" & "lovers in japan" are my faves from this one..

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Probably because their album went 3x Platinum here. The only other place it did that was in the UK.

batdan

batdan said on the 14th Mar, 2011

the reason I hate Coldplay so much is because their music is used in every slo-mo montage you see on the telly. Little Lion Man was the worst song to win the Hottest 100 since Pretty Fly for A White Guy. The only other Mumford song I have heard is The Cave and that did nothing for me either.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 14th Mar, 2011

So, if you didn't watch TV, you'd like them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYlyghmTSIU

Ahem.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lpiDRDaH-mU/SMU9GQzTYGI/AAAAAAAAHRQ/fyS6t5VByWE/s400/giantdouchevsturdsandwich7om.jpg

Ahem.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Sorry, Dad, but I refuse to accept that Little Lion Man is a worse song than that snorefest.

batdan

batdan said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Well actually no, but my reason still stands. When i see cute puppies, sports people hugging, war torn countries, fire, floods, earthquakes I don't want to hear FUCKING COLDPLAY.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

I wasn't saying it was worse. Just comparable.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Would you prefer "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol or "I'll Stand By You" by The Pretenders? They're the norm on these things, from my understanding.

batdan

batdan said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Don't get me started on Snow Patrol.

berlinchair101

berlinchair101 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

There guys always seemed kind of benign to me.

lanesra23

lanesra23 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

You thought they were boring at Splendour? I though that was one of the most amazing live sets - everyone was totally engaged, the entire ampitheatre was dancing and singing along.

They were so effing lovely as well, all that banter about Australia holding a special place in their hearts (that actually seemed sincere).

It's always lost on me when bands say they love this country the most, etc. It adds absolutely nothing to my experience.

I was basically sober for their set, and from memory the crowd was only fully engaged for the two songs everyone knew. The crowd was rowdy, but most of the time that seemed to be a result of other activities that were taking place (inflatable objects, etc).

Lorraine

Lorraine said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Yeh I get that, it becomes meaningless to me too usually because it sounds so standard 'we say this to everyone' script. Something about old mate Marcus just seemed really genuine.

I was pretty sober during this as well. Agree to disagree I guess.

Although, inflatable objects etc weren't enough to stop the massive exodus during other sets that festival - like The Pixies. THat was so awkward.

lanesra23

lanesra23 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

Awkward for the people who left and missed the Pixies.

ThatDude123

ThatDude123 said on the 14th Mar, 2011

I feel for the poor dudes or dudettes who left the Pixies halfway through to catch the end of Richard Ashcorft.

shazie

shazie said on the 15th Mar, 2011

R.E.M. - everybody hurts (maybe not for the puppies though). God help me they must have a button soley to put it in footage..

But when I see cute puppies on TV, I want to hear this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytoOaTunFzs

MelonHCST

MelonHCST said on the 16th Mar, 2011

fuck this band is terribly shit

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 16th Mar, 2011

Yet you're going to see Jimmy Eat World.

MorningAfterboy

MorningAfterboy said on the 16th Mar, 2011

Boo-urn'd!

oh wait...

grattan

grattan said on the 7th Apr, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7RQ6tvikf8

oldgregg

oldgregg said on the 7th Apr, 2011

>< i dont know what to make of this.

lukey26

lukey26 said on the 7th Apr, 2011

Actually a really good cover.