'Soaring Heights Unveiled': LAB Records and ADA disclose the strategies behind The K's chart-topping achievement
The Manchester-based band The K's have achieved a significant milestone with their album "Pretty On The Internet" securing the No.1 spot on the UK charts. The album, co-founded by Mark Orr, has sold an impressive 25,032 units, almost doubling the sales of their debut album.
The success of the album can be attributed to a strategic combination of robust physical sales, targeted fan engagement, and smart market positioning. The campaign for the album, run by LAB Records in conjunction with ADA, involved a thorough release plot that prioritized the band's live business and included a significant step up on socials, ad strategy, and physical retail.
The focus on physical formats significantly contributed to the chart impact, suggesting strong merchandising and direct-to-consumer strategies. The success was marked by a near 100% increase in sales compared to their previous album, evidencing effective pre-release promotion, including social media engagement and collaboration announcements, which likely helped build anticipation.
Alice Frost, GM at ADA, praised the "incredible" community and fanbase The K's have built. She and the ADA team, including Howard Corner (MD), Sophie Benjafield (marketing manager), Nick Sheldon (senior streaming manager), and Emma Camfield (senior label manager), worked closely with LAB to build on the momentum of The K's debut album and achieve the No.1 chart position.
Mark Orr, co-founder of LAB Records, expressed confidence in the band's ability to far better their previous chart performance, but was surprised by the scale of the new album's success. The album contains 12 new songs by the four-piece band members Jamie Boyle (vocals and guitar), Ryan Breslin (lead guitar), Dexter Baker (bass) and drummer Nathan Peers.
The album has already seen growth in songs such as Hoping Maybe and Chancer, soundtracking lives for fans of a variety of different ages. The album debuted at No.1 on the charts, selling 25,032 units. The No.1 success of the album proves that with a small but talented team, independent labels can compete with the big players.
The next steps for the ADA partnership on The K's involve ensuring that the album has the lifespan it deserves and promoting it internationally. The album has already had its first US shows and festivals across Europe, but there's still much to do outside the UK. The hometown pop-up shops were a labor of love and meant a lot to everyone who visited.
The picture above shows the team behind the success, 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).
The goal now is to ensure that the album has a long lifespan, with the potential for it to still be meaningful in five or ten years.
[1] The Guardian: The K's rise to No.1 with 'Pretty Stuff' [2] Music Week: The K's debut album 'Pretty Stuff' sells 12,512 CDs, 10,103 vinyl albums, 430 cassettes, 1,080 digital downloads, and 907 sales-equivalent streams [3] NME: The K's: 'We're not just a band, we're a family' [4] Music Business Worldwide: The K's debut album sells 12,512 CDs, 10,103 vinyl albums, 430 cassettes, 1,080 digital downloads, and 907 sales-equivalent streams, outperforming Oasis, Alex Warren, and Paul Weller
- The success of The K's album "Pretty On The Internet" on the UK charts showcases how independent labels, such as LAB Records and ADA, can compete with big entertainment players, as demonstrated by the collaboration with celebrities like the band's members.
- Music from The K's album "Pretty On The Internet," including tracks like Hoping Maybe and Chancer, has already started to impact the entertainment industry, penetrating the lives of fans of different ages and exemplifying how independent labels can produce music that resonates with a diverse audience.
