After two decades Arctic Monkeys remain a concert to see

It all happened organically when the Arctic Monkeys blew up in the United Kingdom shortly after the release of the British band’s debut album, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not,” in 2006.

There was a bit of buzz surrounding the album before it dropped due to MP3s floating about the Internet. However, no one anticipated Arctic Monkeys exploding through the stratosphere in England as the band became the hottest act in the U.K. since Oasis ruled in 1994. During the first week of the album’s release, listeners in the U.K. snapped up 118,000 copies. More than 1 million copies of “Whatever” were eventually purchased.

It wasn’t just a commercial success. The Arctic Monkeys’ debut was a critical smash, too. It was considered the best debut album since The Strokes’ first release, “Is This It” landed in 2001. Raw guitar rock with memorable angular riffs and tales of hookups on the dance floor lifted the four lads from obscurity to stardom in the U.K.

The Arctic Monkeys had some success in the United States and were the buzz band at Austin’s South by Southwest music conference in March 2006. The four members of the band looked like British Bill Belichick’s as they were clad in hoodies and had little connection to the SRO crowd as they mesmerized with a 16-song set at the cozy La Zona Rosa which featured such visceral tracks as “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” “A View from the Afternoon” and “Fake Tales of San Francisco.”

The album failed to elevate the band to star status in the U.S., despite selling a respectable 600,000 copies there. However, the Arctic Monkeys finally knocked the door down with its fifth album, “AM.” More than 1.3 million copies sold courtesy of catchy singles such as “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High,” “R U Mine?” and “Do I Wanna Know?”

The combination of Brit pop and hard rock appealed to an American audience and it helped that frontman Alex Turner became an engaging live entertainer. “AM” is a solid album with songs that remain staples in the Arctic Monkeys set. Subsequent albums haven’t sold as well but that’s the nature of the music industry.

The demand for Arctic Monkey tickets is huge. The band sells out shows quickly and tickets often go for much more than cost on the secondary market. That wouldn’t be so without “AM,” which still gets considerable play on alternative radio stations.

It all changed a decade ago for the Arctic Monkeys, which is still comprised of Turner, guitarist Jamie Cook and drummer Matt Helders, who formed the band in 2002. Bassist Nick O’Malley joined in 2006.

The Arctic Monkeys, which continues to impress with their latest, “The Car,” remains a band to experience.