IDLES

Capturing an angst and disillusioned fury provoked by years of recession and austerity, the Bristol punk-rock act Idles introduced itself as a fireball of snarling, agitated, post-punk rage with the quintet's debut album, Brutalism, in 2017. Frontman Joe Talbot and bass player Adam Devonshire met at the University of the West of England and formed the band in 2012, having become fed up with the wave of indie acts plaguing the UK music scene at the time. With drummer Jon Beavis and guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan completing the lineup, Idles released the early EPs Meat and Meta in 2015. Brutalism followed in 2017, and although it failed to chart, the record's combination of unhinged rants, scuzzy, wired riffs, and explosive intensity earned critical acclaim. The band toured with The Maccabees and Foo Fighters before releasing a second album, Joy As an Act of Resistance. The album peaked at Number 5 in the UK and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Idles earned its first Number 1 record in 2020, when Ultra Mono found the group continuing to challenge societal injustices through riffy, amped-up musical catharsis. Crawler followed in 2021 and peaked at Number 6 in the UK, showcasing an ever-evolving sound that built upon the band's punk roots.

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