Only the Poets
{{Short description|British Band}}
{{Sources exist|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image =
| origin = Reading, England
| genre = {{Flatlist|
}}
| label = Virgin EMI
| years_active = 2017–present
| current_members =
- Tommy Longhurst
- Andrew "Andy/Roo" Burge
- Clem Cherry
- Marcus Yates
| past_members = Jarred Philips
| website = {{URL|https://onlythepoetsofficial.com/}}
}}
Only the Poets are an English band from Reading, formed in 2017 and currently consisting of members Tommy Longhurst, Andrew "Andy/Roo" Burge, Clem Cherry, and Marcus Yates.
Members
Lead vocalist and guitarist Tommy Longhurst, from Woodley,{{Cite journal|url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/23625291.reading-festival-announces-poets-appear-line-up/|title=Reading Festival and BBC announces Only The Poets to appear on line-up|journal=Reading Chronicle|first=Nicole|last=McBride|date=1 July 2023|accessdate=14 August 2023}} was a solo artist prior to Only the Poets, and became inspired by bands he saw at Reading and Leeds Festivals to start a band of his own. Andrew "Andy/Roo" Burge was a bassist for another band whom Longhurst linked up with upon its dissolution.
Longhurst and Burge worked with multiple guitarists and drummers until finding Marcus Yates and Jarred Philips{{Cite web|url=https://www.themediaeye.com/News/92090f5c-dcad-452f-a1ae-af42008716b3|title=Rising Stars: Only The Poets|website=The Media Eye|date=11 March 2022|accessdate=14 August 2023}} of the band Pixel Fix through their mutual manager Sam Jackson. Philips later left, and his role was taken over by Clem Cherry, another former Pixel Fix member.
Career
Only the Poets released their debut single titled "Ceasefire" on 20 February 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wherethemusicmeets.com/2017/02/21/only-the-poets-ceasefire/|title=New Secret: Only the Poets - Ceasefire|date=2017|accessdate=14 August 2023}} followed by further singles such as "Emotional", "Dead Young", and "Stolen Bikes". They had their first live gigs as a band in 2018. They also supported Coasts. In 2021, Only the Poets released their debut EP Speak Out, through which they promoted mental health awareness.
Only the Poets supported singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson on the UK and Europe leg of his self-titled world tour in 2022, a position they had secured in 2020, before embarking on their own headline tour that summer and autumn.{{Cite web |last=McFarland |first=Kelly |date=2020-02-28 |title=Only The Poets to support Louis Tomlinson on UK and Europe tour dates |url=https://celebmix.com/only-the-poets-to-support-louis-tomlinson-on-uk-and-europe-tour-dates/ |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=CelebMix |language=en-GB}} They made a point of making tickets affordable for lower income individuals. They also released their second EP Our Time.{{Cite web|url=https://tbhonest.co.uk/2022/08/22/only-the-poets-to-release-a-new-ep-our-time/|title=Only the Poets to release new EP, Our Time|website=TBHonest|first=Kelly|last=McFarland|date=22 August 2022|accessdate=14 August 2023}}
Only the Poets continued their Feels Like Home headline tour the next year, opening for Lewis Capaldi and Bastille, and performing at festivals such as Lollapalooza Paris and Reading Festival. Also in 2023, Only the Poets signed with Virgin EMI Records.{{Cite web|url=https://rdg.today/readings-only-the-poets-signs-to-emi-records-were-more-than-ready-for-the-ride/|title=Reading's Only the Poets signs to EMI Records: 'We're more than ready for the ride'|website=Reading Today|first=Jake|last=Clothier|date=30 January 2023|accessdate=14 August 2023}} Their first single with EMI was "Even Hell", which Longhurst described as "our love letter to music".{{Cite journal|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/only-the-poets-even-hell/|title=Only the Poets release emotional new single 'Even Hell'|journal=Far Out|first=John|last=Weightman|date=17 February 2023|accessdate=14 August 2023}} Only the Poets promoted the next single "Jump!" with a surprise gig.
Artistry
In 2020, Longhurst stated Only the Poets were sonically inspired by 90s Britpop bands like Blur, Oasis, and The Cure.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.urbanvinylmag.com/discover/onlythepoets|title=IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Only The Poets|journal=Urban Vinyl|first=Sophie|last=Hsu|date=9 July 2020|accessdate=14 August 2023}} Their music has drawn comparisons to Villagers, The Script,{{Cite web|url=https://neonmusic.co.uk/only-the-poets-releases-indie-pop-anthem-stolen-bikes/|title=Only The Poets releases indie-pop anthem 'Stolen Bikes'|website=Neon Music|first=Ty|last=Bennett|date=15 February 2019|accessdate=14 August 2023}} The 1975,{{Cite web|url=https://whenthehornblows.com/content//2018/04/single-review-only-poets-dead-young.html|title=Single Review: Only the Poets - 'Dead Young'|website=When the Horn Blows|first=Shana|last=Jagger|date=4 April 2018|accessdate=14 August 2023}} Bruce Springsteen, and Sam Fender.{{Cite web|url=https://www.babystepmagazine.com/single-post/only-the-poets-release-new-single-share-video-for-crash|title=Only The Poets release new single & share video for 'Crash'|website=BabyStep Magazine|date=9 June 2023 |accessdate=14 August 2023}}
Discography
=Live albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| BEL (FL) {{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl///album/80ab8/Only-The-Poets-Live-On-The-Feels-Like-Home-Tour|title=Only the Poets – Live on the Feels Like Home Tour|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=9 June 2024}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| NLD |
|---|
| scope="row"| Live on the Feels Like Home Tour
| | 6 || 91 || 35 |
=Demo albums=
- Demos (2021)
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="6"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| UK {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/63522/only-the-poets/|title=Only the Poets songs and albums {{!}} full Official Chart history|website=Official Charts Company|access-date=13 June 2024}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| AUT ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| BEL ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| NLD ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| SCO |
|---|
| scope="row"| Speak Out
|
| — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Our Time
|
| — || — || — || — || — || 22 |
| scope="row"| 2023
|
| — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| One More Night
|
| 48 || 4 || 3 || 18 || 4 || 18 |
| scope="row"| Better On The Internet
|
| — || — || — || — || — || — |
=Singles=
- "Ceasefire" (2017)
- "Emotional" (2017)
- "Dead Young" (2018)
- "Even hell" (2018)
- "Looking at you" (2019)
- "Stolen Bikes" (2019)
- "You Can Do Magic" (2019)
- "Waking In The Dark" (2020)
- "No more lonely" (2021)
- "Every Song I Ever Wrote" (2022)
- "Forget Your Name" (2022)
- "Hold Me" (2022)
- "Nana’s House" (2022)
- "Even Hell" (2023)
- "Jump!" (2023)
- "Crash" (2023)
- "Over & Over" (2023)
- "Looking At You" (2023)
- "Every God I Pray To" (2023)
- "One More Night" (2024)
- "Gone By Now" (2024)
- "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend" (2024)
- "All This Time" (2024)
- "Mindset" (2024)
- "Miserable" (2024)
- "Everything You Know" (2024)
- "Indigo" (2024)
- "Already There" (2024)
- "I Keep On Messing It Up" (2025)
- “You Hate That I’m In Love” (2025)
- "Emotionally Hungover" (2025)