76. Art Brut – Formed a Band

If ever something was very clever at being very stupid, it’s this. Formed a Band’s targets may be easy – hipster bands desperate for attention, people who buy albums from Tesco – but its cheap shots are still hilarious, and when Eddie Argos turns his attention to his own group, his self-mocking bluster – world peace, universal appeal and Top of the Pops – is a lovably far cry from the brainless bragging of some of his peers. As a debut single, it was a bit like the indie equivalent of Eminem’s debut My Name Is, so gleefully dumb as to be virtually unanswerable. Indeed, considered in the context of other great first records, Formed a Band must be one of the finest statements of intent ever released.