Latest news with #EveninArcadia
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who are Sleep Token? The UK rock band with their first UK number 1
Prior to this weekend the name Sleep Token may not have meant anything to you, but now you'd be hard-pressed not to know the UK rock band sweeping the charts in surprising measures. The UK group have made history with their new album Even in Arcadia, which hit the number one spot in the UK and has topped the US Billboard Chart. Sleep Token have an air of mystery about them perpetuated by the fact they are masked at all times, even when they perform live. Here is everything that you need to know about the group and who they are. Sleep Token officially have two members known as Vessel and II, the group's leader singer and drummer, they are the only two to be given songwriting credits in the band. The group also have a series of touring members, who are also masked on stage and whose identities have remained anonymous. The touring members are known as III (bass guitar), IV (lead guitar and backing vocals), and Espera (backing vocal trio). Sleep Token debuted in 2016 with their first single Thread the Needle, which was followed by their debut album One. The group went on to release a second EP titled Two in July 2017 after they signed with record label Basick Records. The group signed with Universal's Spinefarm records in 2019, and they went on to release their debut full-length album Sundowning in November that year. They have since signed with RCA Records and released albums Take Me Back to Eden before launching Even in Arcadia in May 2025. The group have declared themselves as acolytes to an entity known as Sleep, which is why they are called Sleep Token. The band have spoken often about sharing "His message" with their fans. Sleep Token pride themselves on their anonymity, and have done very few interviews to ensure that their identities remain a mystery. The group's lead singer Vessel spoke with Metal Hammer in May 2017, one of the band's only interviews to date, where he spoke about the reason behind the group's anonymity. "Our identities are unimportant," Vessel told the publication: "Music is marketed on who is or isn't in a band; it's pushed. prodded and moulded into something it isn't. Vessel endeavours to keep the focus on His offerings.' Vessel also said: "How we got here is as irrelevant as who we are – what matters is the music and the message. We are here to serve Sleep and project His message." The publication asked Vessel if he was worried that the band being masked would be seen as a "gimmick" by music fans. To this, Vessel said: "The standard concept of gimmickry is none of our concern. We are here to deliver a message; touch people in their hearts and subconscious minds. Soon, regardless of cynicism, you will all be followers."
UPI
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Sleep Token's 'Even in Arcadia' tops U.S. album chart
Sleep Token's "Even in Arcadia" is No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week. File Photo by egodi1/ Pixabay May 24 (UPI) -- British rock band Sleep Token's Even in Arcadia is the No. 1 album in the United States this week. Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Kali Uchis' Sincerely, followed by SZA's SOS at No. 3, Morgan Wallen's One Thing at a Time at No. 4 and PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U at No. 5. Rounding out the top tier are Fuerza Regida's 111XPantia at No. 6, Kendrick Lamar's GNX at No. 7, Sabrina Carpenter's Short n'Sweet at No. 8, The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow at No. 9 and Bad Bunny's Debi Tirar Mas Fotos at No. 10.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Producer Spotlight: Carl Bown Tops Producer Charts Thanks to Breakout Sleep Token Album
Billboard's Producer Spotlight series highlights creatives currently charting on Billboard's producer rankings. Whether they are new to the industry or have been churning out hit after hit, the intention is to showcase where they are now, and their work that's having a chart impact. Longtime hard rock producer Carl Bown scores a career milestone on Billboard's latest charts (dated May 24), thanks to his work on Sleep Token's breakout album, Even in Arcadia. More from Billboard Tory Lanez Is Being Transferred to a New Prison After Being Stabbed, His Dad Says Aaron Paul Opens Up About Tracking Down Tour Managers to Get Bands to Perform in His Living Room Ye Claims He's 'Done With Antisemitism': 'Forgive Me for the Pain I've Caused' The band reaches unprecedented heights this week, as the album debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 127,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its first week, according to Luminate. Concurrently, all 10 tracks from the album land on the Billboard Hot 100, making Sleep Token the first hard rock act in history to chart as many as 10 songs simultaneously in a single week. Here's a full breakdown of Sleep Token's entries on the Hot 100: No. 56, 'Dangerous' (debut) No. 57, 'Caramel' (re-entry; peaked at No. 34) No. 58, 'Emergence' (re-entry; peaked at No. 57) No. 61, 'Even in Arcadia' (debut) No. 66, 'Look to Windward' (debut) No. 70, 'Past Self' (debut) No. 72, 'Damocles' (re-entry; peaked at No. 47) No. 75, 'Gethsemane' (debut) No. 77, 'Provider' (debut) No. 100, 'Infinite Baths' (debut) Bown is credited as the sole producer on all 10 tracks, propelling him to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Producers chart for the first time in his career. He also claims the top spot on Rock Producers, Alternative Producers, Hard Rock Producers, and Rock & Alternative Producers. Bown, a veteran of the U.K. hard rock scene, has been a go-to producer for many of the genre's biggest names. He's also worked with Bullet for My Valentine, Bring Me the Horizon, While She Sleeps, Gunship, Pendulum and Trivium, among others. Before teaming up with Sleep Token, Bown had only appeared on Billboard's song charts with four singles by Bullet for My Valentine: 'You Want a Battle? (Here's a War)': No. 37 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, No. 46 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (2015) 'Don't Need You': No. 49 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (2016) 'Knives': No. 16 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, No. 39 Mainstream Rock Airplay (2021) 'Shatter': No. 24 on Hot Hard Rock Songs (2021) Based in Manchester, U.K., Bown is also the founder and owner of Treehouse Studios in Chesterfield, a popular recording hub for many of the records he's helmed. Meanwhile, two of Sleep Token's members, Vessel I and Vessel II, also achieve a notable feat. They rank at Nos. 1 and 2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Songwriters chart, respectively. Known for their anonymity, the cloaked and masked artists have remained publicly unidentified. Vessel I is credited as a writer on all 10 of the band's Hot 100 entries, while Vessel II is credited on eight. Billboard launched its songwriters and producers charts in June 2019, including those for individual genres. The charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on their respective 'Hot' or 'Top' chart. As with Billboard's yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings). The full Songwriters and Producers charts, plus those for other genres, can be found on Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Sleep Token Makes History As Younger Fans Embrace The Band
Sleep Token's Even in Arcadia debuts at No. 1 on multiple Billboard charts and breaks the record for ... More the most-streamed hard rock album in a single week in the U.S. British heavy metal group "Sleep Token" performs on stage during the heavy metal music Festival Copenhell, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 15, 2023 (Photo by Helle Arensbak / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT (Photo by HELLE ARENSBAK/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images) Sleep Token dominates the Billboard charts this week as the band's new album Even in Arcadia launches with a huge opening figure. The hard rock group makes history in a multitude of ways with the full-length, which proved to be a true commercial smash the moment it arrived. Sales largely powered Even in Arcadia to the top spot on several rankings, but the project was also a big winner on streaming platforms. Sleep Token even managed to break an all-time record thanks to a young fanbase – one which largely streams, rather than buys – that flocked to platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and others to hear the latest from the English masked act. In its first full tracking frame in the U.S. alone, Billboard reports that Even in Arcadia racked up 68.89 million on-demand streams. The music magazine notes that this figure is now the largest streaming sum in a single week for any hard rock album in American history. Using Billboard's methodology, those nearly 69 million plays equate to 53,000 equivalent album units. That's enough to send Even in Arcadia right to No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart. Sleep Token earns its first leader on that list, which was introduced several years ago to rank the most successful full-lengths on streaming platforms in the U.S. Even in Arcadia also arrives at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 127,000 equivalent album units shifted. Album sales made up much of the remaining total that wasn't connected to streaming activity, as the project sold a little more than 73,000 copies. That proved to be enough to help it debut atop the Top Album Sales chart as well. Even in Arcadia marks Sleep Token's second appearance on the Billboard 200, which is incredible considering how massive this debut ended up becoming. The group doesn't just land its first No. 1 with the new set, but also its first top 10. With the just-dropped project, the rockers — who remain completely anonymous outside of the characters they've created for the act — have jumped from a previous peak of No. 16 to claiming the largest streaming week ever for a hard rock set.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sleep Token ‘Even in Arcadia': All 10 Songs Ranked
Behold, a new offering. More from Billboard Kendrick Lamar Shows Love to Lefty Gunplay and JasonMartin for New Album: 'Y'all Did That' Akon Claims Big Meech Feels 'Slighted' by 50 Cent In Recent Interview Ye Slammed By Jewish Human Rights Organization For 'Despicable' 'Heil Hitler' Song In the last five years, an enigmatic rock band named Sleep Token has bent metal to its will. Emerging from the pandemic shadows of 2020, the masked group quickly established itself as an amorphous entity, syncing guttural screams with pop melodies, hip-hop drums and reggaetón grooves to the growing curiosity of the masses. Sleep Token's disruption is perfectly captured in a viral reaction video from Slaughter to Prevail's Alex Terrible, who rolled his eyes at its lead singer Vessel during a listen of 2023's 'The Summoning.' 'Who the f—k is this guy?' the Russian frontman tells the camera after pausing the song, before summarizing his reaction to the song in imperfect English: 'I very like vocals, it sounds beautiful and gay, but it's okay. It's just not my cup of tea. I don't like clean vocals in heavy music.' But after he resumes play on the song, 'The Summoning' mutates into an explosive drop, with Vessel erupting a death metal gurgle over the band's hammering guitars. Terrible smirks at the camera. 'Okay,' he concedes. While any sort of genre hopping usually makes metal heads recoil, Sleep Token has accrued its own gravitational pull, collecting fans who both worship heavy giants like Knocked Loose and Lorna Shore but know how to catch a vibe to Bad Bunny and Drake. Still, those same fans grew weary after RCA announced last year it was adding Vessel and co. to their roster: Major labels and their machines have historically been known as a 'clean-up-on-aisle-three' death notice for metal bands, taking their grungy scraps and turning them into slick full-course meals. All of this means Sleep Token's Even in Arcadia will be the biggest and most divisive album of their career. The end result? A whole lot of genre mashing, full-blown pop songs, and a few sick metal riffs for good measure. Regardless of whether the project makes you wanna rage or roll your eyes, it's clear Vessel isn't through conquering the rock world. Here are all 10 songs on Sleep Token's Even in Arcadia ranked. While Sleep Token's use of trap and dubstep here is admirable, 'Dangerous' just doesn't rattle my insides the same way other songs do. Even in Arcadia is filled with moments that are truly suffocating, where the guitars are so heavy, and the screams are so dense, that it envelopes everything around me. When that's the bar, a dubby bass hit just packs less of a punch. 'Dangerous' at times feels crowded, with Vessel's voice drowned out by the mash of guitars and beats and backing vocals that perforate the song. 'Past Self' is undeniably the most divisive song on this record, and will likely thrill radio but disgust Vessel's longtime supporters. While 'Past Self' works on its face as a groovy pop track, the issue is that it feels incredibly boilerplate for a Sleep Token song: The band has always known how to fill its space, utilizing multiple genres into lengthy anthems that toss the listener around like a rag doll ('Take Me Back to Eden,' 'Ascensionism'). In that respect, 'Past Self' feels predictable, underwhelming and worst of all, calculated. This song feels designed to conquer TikTok and the charts, and critical metalheads will no doubt weaponize it to troll Sleep Token fans moving forward. 'Provider' feels almost like it was ghost-written by Usher. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Vessel coos with the lustful urgency of any R&B veteran — but the issue is that Vessel and Sleep Token have established themselves as otherworldly entities. The band was born out of their worship for 'an ancient deity crudely dubbed, 'Sleep,' since no modern tongue can properly express its name.' Fans have clocked in numerous hours dissecting Vessel's lyrics, piecing them together from project to project in hopes of further understanding this complex lore. So when Vessel cries out: 'I wanna do more than just bend the rules/ 'Cause you been hittin' my phone so hard,' it feels weird to picture the singer — clad in black body paint, shimmering armor, a sword and his white bedazzled mask — doing something as mortal as answering a late-night booty call. 'Even in Arcadia' is spellbinding. Guided by nothing more than a piano and Vessel's voice, the song serves as both a nice break from the upbeat anthems that came before it, and a haunting call to arms for Sleep Token's longtime supporters, thanking them for taking this strange journey into the mainstream eye with them. 'No matter how we feel/ We've got a taste for one another and a few good years to kill,' Vessel sings. 'No matter what is real/ It seems that even in Arcadia you walk beside me still.' Simply put, 'Damocles' is Sleep Token's 'These Are The Days of Our Lives.' Unapologetic and honest, the band ruminates on their relationship to fame and success, acknowledging that while it's knocking at their front door, it doesn't feel the way they thought. 'What if I can't get up and stand tall?/ What if the diamond days are all gone?' Vessel cries. At this point in the album, Vessel seems to also reassure his fans that he knows Even in Arcadia sounds partially constructed and mainstream. 'I know these chords are boring/ But I can't always be killing the game,' he sings. The end result is a song that helps us see the man behind the mask, and humbles us with a reminder that these are just songwriters, looking to make music that feels authentic to them. Who are we to judge how it sounds? The lead single off Even in Arcadia encompasses everything great about a Sleep Token song: There's some pianos, some thumping 808s, a huge metal drop, some soaring melodies. It's great, and caters to both newcomers and die-hard Sleep Token devotee'. 'Emergence' goes hard, next question. As shown by 'Blood Sport,' 'Missing Limbs' and of course the beloved 'Euclid,' Sleep Token always knows how to end an album. 'Infinite Baths' begins its ascension almost immediately, with Vessel's song writing and voice sweeping up to the heavens. Then, out of nowhere, the track nose dives into the gutter, shifting into Sleep Token's most punishing track ever made. Vessel snarls and growls, screaming his way to the finish line with such intensity I thought Will Ramos of Lorna Shore had stepped into the fold. This is a fantastic album-capper that reassures the band's longtime fans it still knows how to rock out. Never have I heard Sleep Token's vibe so perfectly encapsulated then with the lyric: 'Right foot on the roses/ Left foot on the landmine.' The reggaetón-inflected groove of 'Caramel' shouldn't work, and Vessel's shift from sing-rapping to snarling screams shouldn't work — but my god does it sound good. This is one the bands wildest songs, and effectively shows just how many sounds they can master unapologetically. If there's one song that will expose metal to its largest audience in decades, it will be this one. 'Look to Windward,' named in reference to T.S. Elliot's 1922 poem 'The Waste Land', which explores the laws of unintended consequences, is a transmuting whirl of an opener. Stuffed with dial-tone synths, trap drums, strings, piano chords, and suffocating guitars, the song thrashes about like ocean waves in a thunderstorm. It's a harrowing first impression that pushes back against any expectations one might have when entering Vessel's world. 'Look to Windward' is an almost-eight-minute reminder to fasten our seatbelts and stow our tray tables. 'Gethsemane' is one of the best Sleep Token songs ever made. Merging folk, funk, hip-hop and punishing metal, the end result is completely arresting. The band's superpower has always been convincing its listeners that a song is over before barreling into a second and sometimes third act. 'Gethsemane' masters that formula, swirling between genres like a strong breeze all before climaxing with trunk rattling bass and Vessel spitting some serious bars. 'And this throne didn't come with a gun, so I've got a different energy,' he raps. 'Gethsemane' is Sleep Token asserting its dominance as one of metal's most bizarre bands, adding further intrigue and existential depth to an already-fascinating group. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
