A

British pop punk band A apply their infectious energy to pop songwriting, infusing it with the directness and social commentary of punk. Although they started out as a prog band, they switched lanes after finding inspiration from likes of Blink 182, the Offspring, and Beastie Boys. However, their leanings towards alternative rock saw them join a wave of British artists including Feeder and Ash. They peaked commercially after releasing their third album, 2002's Hi-Fi Serious, which featured the U.K. charting singles "Nothing" and "Starbucks."
Formed in 1988 by three brothers -- Jason, Adam, and Giles Perry -- hailing from Suffolk, U.K., they were joined by guitarist Mark Chapman and bassist Steven Swindon to perform prog-rock under the name Grand Designs (named after the Rush song). After five years, they did a complete U-turn, abandoning their overwrought prog beginnings in favor of a more direct, punk-influenced sound. It was at this time that they changed their name to A, in part so that they would appear at the top of alphabetical music listings. Within three more years, they had signed to London Records, who helped them to release their debut album, 1997's How Ace Are Buildings.
Soon after, Swindon departed, replaced by future BBC Radio 1 DJ Daniel P. Carter. Their second album, 1999's A vs Monkey Kong, put them on the map, gaining a huge spike in popularity in Europe, particularly in Germany. With some serious momentum behind them, they released their seminal record, 2002's Hi-Fi Serious. It featured their biggest hits, including "Nothing," which went to number nine in the U.K., and the endlessly catchy "Starbucks," which also breached the U.K. Top 20.
The years that followed were tumultuous, with London Records being absorbed by Warner Bros and the band's fourth album, 2005's Teen Dance Ordinance, performing poorly -- they were ultimately dropped by their label. This devastating double whammy led to the band's hiatus, and aside from a brief reunion show in 2008, they remained dormant for almost two decades. All might have seemed lost, but an appearance at Download Festival in 2021 signaled that the fans still had some interest. In their time away, Daniel P. Carter had become a name in his own right, understandably stepping away from the group. With the addition of bassist Richard Trigg, they re-entered the studio to write and record new material. The results materialized in 2026, upon the release of their fifth studio album, Prang, on Cooking Vinyl. ~ Liam Martin