People Like Me & You: The Sherlocks in ‘photo finish’ for number one spot

The Sherlocks Brandon, Kiaran, Trent, Alex. Photo Rhona Murphy

New release People Like Me and You was already hotly tipped as a top five entry and the Official Charts have tweeted:”@TheSherlocks

are less than 500 chart units away from their first Number 1 album, it's going to be a photo-finish!”

BUY HERE: Get the album People Like Me & You, plus special bundles, including signed copies, downloads, plus appearance and gig dates at thesherlocks.os.fan.

The album was given a boost when fans turned out to buy it ands meet the band for signings and photos at a pop-up shop on the steps of Sheffield City Hall on Monday, writes Richard Derbyshire.

The hard-working band moved onto Nottingham HMV, then Manchester FOPP records and Liverpool Jacaranda today, Wednesday, before two dates in London at Banquet Records Kingston, and Rough Trade East on Thursday.

Frontman Kiaran Crook, his brother and drummer Brandon, lead guitarist Alex Procter and bassist Trent Jackson are appealing to fans to download the record for £4.99 or buy records or CDs rather than streaming to boost their chances, as it takes thousands of streams to match one download or record.

“We are the underdogs, but we can do this people, thank you so much for getting behind us,” the band told followers on social media last night.

They are in a race for the top spot with nu-metal group Skindred and Irish songwriter Cian Ducrot.

The result is announced on Radio One on Friday afternoon, but purchases need to be made by Thursday to count.

A top ten album, let alone a number one, would be an achievement for a band with no record label and no music industry or national media backing.

Instead, the four-piece has been touting their new music to independent festivals and intimate venues around the country for more than three months.

Kiaran told us: “We are not just sitting on Twitter praying that people buy our album. We have been taking our sound to little pockets of the country, often where larger acts don’t often play. Everywhere has been rammed. People say we can’t believe you have come here.”

And as an independent band, Brandon says the support of fans is what counts. “We don’t have the television or radio exposure that acts on major labels do. We have grown through word of mouth, playing good tunes, and people bringing their mates along to the next gig,” he said.

It is now six years since The Sherlocks’ debut album Live for The Moment and 18 months since their third record, World I Understand, were both top ten hits.

In their 13 years as a band, as well as selling out their own headline shows, they have appeared at Glastonbury, toured in Europe with Liam Gallagher and supported Kaiser Chiefs on a UK arena tour.