The Kooks

The Kooks
The Kooks performing at the Hurricane Festival, Germany, in 2006: (from left) Luke Pritchard, Paul Garred and Max Rafferty.
Background information
OriginBrighton, England
Genres
Years active2004–present
LabelsVirgin, EMI
Members
  • Luke Pritchard
  • Hugh Harris
Past members
  • Alexis Nuñez
  • Peter Denton
  • Max Rafferty
  • Paul Garred
Websitethekooks.com

The Kooks (/kks/) are an English indie rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The current lineup consists of Luke Pritchard on vocals and guitar, and Hugh Harris on bass, guitar, and synthesiser.

Their music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk revival of the new millennium. 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".

After securing a deal with Virgin Records merely three months after forming, The Kooks achieved instant mainstream success following the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Inside In/Inside Out (2006). The album is certified five-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), platinum certified by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and two times platinum by Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). Further success followed, with the Kooks winning Best UK & Ireland Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 and receiving a nomination at The Brit Awards for the single "She Moves in Her Own Way".

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. Their third studio album, Junk of the Heart, was released on 12 September 2011. The bands 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.