The View

Scotland's the View craft an energetic strain of traditionalist pop/rock defined by vocalist Kyle Falconer's impish brogue. Breakthrough success arrived through the U.K. Top Five single "Same Jeans" from their 2007 debut Hats Off to the Buskers. Although the group's sonic approach has grown more refined, they have preserved a flair for memorable anthems that propelled later releases into the U.K. Albums Chart's Top 20, including 2009's Which Bitch?, 2011's Bread and Circuses, and 2012's Cheeky for a Reason. The Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. produced their fifth album, Ropewalk, released in 2015. Emerging from a five-year hiatus, the band returned to the U.K. Top Ten with 2023's Exorcism of Youth.

Vocalist Kyle Falconer, bassist Kieran Webster, guitarist Pete Reilly, and drummer Steven Morrison formed the View as teenagers in their hometown of Dundee in 2005. They first honed their skills playing covers before shifting to original material during rehearsals in the back room of a local pub. After signing with the Dundee independent Two Thumbs, they issued a self-titled EP in March 2006. Several BBC Radio 1 and 2 presenters began airing the tracks, while a high-profile slot at the Reading and Leeds Festival expanded their following. Later that year the band joined 1965 Records, a Columbia-distributed imprint run by James Endeacott, whose prior work included the Strokes and the Libertines. Growing excitement culminated in the international release of Hats Off to the Buskers, a self-assured debut that topped the U.K. charts and generated the hit singles "Wasted Little DJ's" and "Same Jeans," the latter reaching number three.

The View's second album, Which Bitch?, arrived in February 2009 with a bolder, more refined sound. Anchored by the singles "5Rebeccas," "Shock Horror," and "Temptation Dice," it debuted at number four on the U.K. Albums Chart. Further touring followed, including a performance at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Produced by Youth (the Verve, Primal Scream), Bread and Circuses appeared in 2011 and spawned the singles "Grace" and "Sunday," the latter also featured on that year's Cutting Corners EP. The band moved quickly to deliver their fourth studio album, Cheeky for a Reason, in 2012, which included the singles "How Long," "The Clock," and "Tacky Tattoo." It again reached the U.K. Top Ten and became their third number-one album in Scotland. A 2013 compilation, Seven Year Setlist—titled because every track had become a live staple—was released that summer.

In 2015 the View returned to the studio with Albert Hammond, Jr. and Gus Oberg (producer of the Strokes' Angles) handling production. Originally slated for June, Ropewalk was delayed until September due to ongoing health issues for vocalist Falconer. Led by the single "Marriage," the album peaked at number 21 on the U.K. chart.

February 2017 marked the band's tenth anniversary with a six-night residency at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. Later that year they entered a hiatus while Falconer prepared his debut solo album. Five years elapsed before the View reconvened for 2023's Exorcism of Youth. Once again produced by Youth, the record was the first without Morrison, who chose not to return; drummer Jay Sharrock took his place. Supported by the single "Feels Like," it debuted at number six on the U.K. Albums Chart and topped the Scottish charts.