Oxfam shops propel new Arctic Monkeys single to success

Following the phenomenal success of ‘Crying Lightning’ and ‘Cornerstone’, the 7” and 10” of which were available exclusively through Oxfam shops, Arctic Monkeys are once again teaming up with the charity for the follow-up single ‘My Propeller’.

The single marks the first time a charity has distributed a series of releases by a major artist, and reflects the changing face of music distribution over the last few years.

The limited-edition ‘My Propeller’ 10” goes on sale exclusively in 148 Oxfam shops across the UK on Monday 22 March. The record is the third single from the recent number one album Humbug, and features new track ‘Joining The Dots’ as well as exclusive B-sides ‘The Afternoon’s Hat’ and ‘Don’t Forget Whose Legs You’re On’.

The ‘Crying Lightning’ 7” sold approximately 10,000 copies in just a few weeks, making it one of the biggest-selling vinyl singles so far this century. Sales of ‘Crying Lightning’ bucked the industry trend for 7” sales, which have more than halved since 2007, and currently command just a 0.4% market share¹.

‘Cornerstone’ sold out in Oxfam shops and online in just a couple of weeks.

The ‘My Propeller’ 10” costs £4.99, and each single comes with a download code allowing fans to get an MP3 version of the songs for free.

Domino and Arctic Monkeys are also calling on music fans to bring any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop to help Oxfam keep turning yesterday’s hits into vital funds for years to come.

David McCullough, Oxfam’s director of trading, said: “The partnership with Domino and Arctic Monkeys has broken new ground for us, and we’re delighted to be continuing it.

“But ‘My Propeller’ isn’t the only music exclusive in Oxfam shops – every shop has its own unique stock of music. As everyone from DJs to vinyl aficionados knows, our shops are one of the best places on the high street to pick up hidden treasures.”

More than 600 Oxfam shops across the country sell second-hand music. The charity sells approximately £6 million of music every year, enough to fund its entire programme in Indonesia for a year, buy 187,000 emergency shelters, or provide safe water for eight million people.

Oxfam sells around 1.8 million CDs and records every year, all donated by the British public. The largest single donation was of 4,000 vinyl albums to an Oxfam shop in Devon in 2008.

The charity’s Oxjam festival has raised more than £1 million through 3,000 events featuring more than 36,000 musicians, including Jarvis Cocker, Fatboy Slim, and Hot Chip.

To find your nearest Oxfam shop stocking ‘My Propeller’, or to order a copy online, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/arcticmonkeys