'Soaring Heights Revealed': LAB Records and ADA unveil the secrets behind The K's chart-topping success
In a remarkable achievement, indie band The K's have claimed the top spot on the charts with their latest album, "Pretty On The Internet". The success of the album, produced by Grammy Award winner Jim Lowe, marks the first No.1 album for both the band and LAB Records, their 18-year-old Manchester-based label.
The team behind The K's, including the band members, their direct team, ADA/LAB folks, PR, publisher, lawyer, and product manager, have celebrated career first No.1s this week. Alice Frost, GM at ADA, praised the band's community and fanbase, and paid tribute to her colleagues for their hard work on the album. Mark Orr, co-founder of LAB Records, attributed the success to the band's tireless work on the road to grow their fanbase over the past 15 months.
The campaign for "Pretty On The Internet" has seen significant growth in digital and physical retail, social ads, OOH, and a focus on cultivating the band's unique fanbase. The album sold 25,032 units in its first week, doubling the sales of their debut album. The sales figure comprised 12,512 CDs, 10,103 vinyl albums, 430 cassettes, 1,080 digital downloads, and 907 sales-equivalent streams.
The key elements of their approach included diverse physical formats, digital and streaming momentum, high-quality production, live performances and bundles. The first-week sales heavily relied on a large volume of physical units, demonstrating a robust collectible and audiophile appeal that boosted overall sales. They complemented physical sales with digital downloads and sales-equivalent streams, sustained by an effective social media presence and streaming service use to build hype around the album.
The album, containing 12 new songs by the four-piece - Jamie Boyle (vocals and guitar), Ryan Breslin (lead guitar), Dexter Baker (bass), and drummer Nathan Peers - has been produced by Jim Lowe, with mixing by Pete Hutchings, which elevated the album's sound and marketability, contributing to broader appeal and positioning the album for stadium-level exposure.
The band's extensive touring - including album shows and festival main stages - created engagement and excitement, aided by attractive album and ticket bundles priced affordably that incentivized purchase. The hometown pop-up shops have been a labor of love and have amplified the impact of traditional retail.
Mark Orr believes that the band's social media strategy played a significant role in their success. He also credited the success of the campaign to the confidence gained from the band's previous campaign for their debut album. The No.1 album proves that with a small but talented team, independent labels can compete with anyone.
The goal now is to ensure that "Pretty On The Internet" has the lifespan it deserves, with the potential for the album to still be meaningful in five or ten years. The K's, co-founded by Mark Orr, have secured their first No.1 album with "Pretty On The Internet". The team, including Sophie Benjafield (ADA), Lindsey Johnson (LAMA Management), Charly Beedell-Tuck (Solo), Ryan Breslin (The K's), Nick Sheldon (ADA), Dexter Baker (The K's), Jamie Boyle (The K's), David Cameron-Pryde (LAMA Management), Nathan Peers (The K's), Mark Orr (LAB Records), and Steph Whitehead (Halestorm PR), are pictured above. The streaming growth on the project year on year is a point of pride for the team.
The band, The K's, have had their first US shows and festivals across Europe, with plans to expand their reach outside the UK. The sales figure of "Pretty On The Internet" beat Oasis, Alex Warren, and Paul Weller to secure the top spot. With this success, The K's and LAB Records have demonstrated that with the right strategy and team, independent artists can achieve great heights.
The success of indie band The K's, with their album "Pretty On The Internet," has shown that independent labels like LAB Records can compete effectively in the entertainment industry, even claiming top spot on the charts. This achievement, marked by the album's No.1 position, also highlights the importance of social media strategy and diverse physical formats in promoting music by celebrities.
