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The history books via Hillsborough, please: 7 Sheffield landmarks Arctic Monkeys reference on their debut album
Look through the record collection of anyone who grew up in the indie boom, and chances are you’ll see the iconic front cover of the Arctic Monkeys’ debut slotted somewhere.
The nameless man smoking a cigarette is an image which has been intrinsically plastered into the psyche of lovers of indie music all over the world. The songs which reside behind that image still beat in the hearts of those who have heard them, as Arctic Monkeys released what is commonly considered one of the greatest debut records of all time.
From the opening aggression of ‘View From The Afternoon’ to the serene close of ‘A Certain Romance’, each and every song on this LP put the common plights and pleasures of the northern working class into a sparkling spotlight. Never before has a night on the piss in the Steel City sounded so beautiful, and they’re words which continue to resonate, 20 years after the record was originally released.
At the heart of everything is the band’s hometown of Sheffield, a city which formed the foundation for such poetry, with landmarks that are referenced throughout the delightful disc. On the anniversary of such a massive album, we pay homage to the place that helped spark such a creative piece of work, as these are seven iconic places in the South Yorkshire sanctuary that Arctic Monkeys reference.
