Unsigned band cracks British Top 40

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

BBC News Wrote:

BBC NEWS
Unsigned band make chart history
Essex rock band Koopa have made chart history by becoming the first unsigned band to land a UK top 40 hit.

Under new chart rules their download-only single Blag, Steal & Borrow debuted at number 31.

Chart rules were changed at the start of the year to allow digital single sales to count towards a chart position even if there is no CD version.

At the top of the charts, X Factor winner Leona Lewis made it four weeks at number one with A Moment Like This.

Mika, winner of the BBC's Sound of 2007 survey of new talent, has the highest new entry at three with his debut single Grace Kelly, while Eric Prydz was at number two with Proper Education.

The second highest new entry was Just Jack at four with Starz In Their Eyes, pushing Take That's Patience to number five.

Amy Winehouse climbed to the top of the album chart with her latest offering Back to Black.

James Morrison's Undiscovered rose three places to number two, Snow Patrol's Eyes Open was a non-mover at three and Take That's Beautiful World fell from the top slot to number four.

Koopa have benefited from a change in chart rules introduce on the 1 January.

Before that date an artist needed to release singles on CD or another physical format - and therefore have a record deal - to qualify for the chart.

Record deal

Singer and bassist Joe Murphy told the BBC News website it was all down to their manager and "awesome" fans.

"Without them we would not have done it," he said.

"Just four days ago nobody had heard of us, now it seems like everyone has. I can't get my head around it."

Murphy added that they had been contacted by a number of big record labels, including one who recently turned them down.

There is also talk of a US label flying them out to America for talks.

Koopa, from Colchester, have been together for seven years in various forms and have built up a fanbase on the internet and on the live circuit.

They have played almost 500 gigs in the past three years, including a headline show at the Mean Fiddler in London last summer.

Published: 2007/01/14 19:01:31 GMT

© BBC MMVII

link

alongwaltz. · **Posted:** Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:14 am

The UK music scene sounds just weird.

The only acts I heard of in that article are Snow Patrol and Amy Winehouse. And I couldn't tell you one thing about Amy aside from the fact that she's probably female.

shmoo · **Posted:** Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:34 am

According to Paul O'Brien on his blog, this isn't the first time this has happened, but sloppy reporting. See second bullet at this link: http://ifdestroyed.blogspot.com/2007/01 ... -2007.html

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

Amy Winehouse is a singer who's famous for being drunk on TV and I think has a famous parent or something. She was just on a Ghostface remix.

south pacific · **Posted:** Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:44 am

"Koopa" is a terrible band name.

Sketch · **Posted:** Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:41 am

"Take That" was the boy band where Robbie Williams got started. They are now touring and releasing stuff without him, and people over here still give a shit. Go fig.

thrillhouse · **Posted:** Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:25 pm

Sketch Wrote:

"Take That" was the boy band where Robbie Williams got started. They are now touring and releasing stuff without him, and people over here still give a shit. Go fig.

back for good is my jam

Unsigned band cracks British Top 40

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