Top Ten Albums of 2020 - 8. The Lottery Winners - The Lottery Winners

A series of articles counting down our best albums of 2020. At number eight, the long-awaited debut album from The Lottery Winners. 

Formed in 2008, it has been a long, long journey for The Lottery Winners, who finally dropped their self-titled debut album in March of this year.

Hailing from Leigh in Wigan, The Lottery Winners harbour scintillating guitar pop and couple it with a frenzied combination of vocals leading to fast-paced indie pop party tunes.

Through the striking cover art, bright pink with dogs on certainly catches the eye, the band argue they are mirroring their perception of themselves as an 'underdog' due to not 'look[ing] like other bands'.

However, their unique look is paralleled in their sound. This is different to the other indie albums out this year. The Lotter Winners have been working hard on their music for so long, the first single 'Elizabeth' was released back in 2013, that this is a band who know what works for them and know exactly how to put their music together.

The band have been unlucky with record label issues but maybe the drawn-out journey from their formation to their debut album is what was needed for The Lottery Winners to establish the perfect sound.

The release of their self-titled album back in March was a huge step for the northern band. The record landed at number 23 in the U.K album charts, a massive result that has been over ten years in the making.

Opening track, 'The Meaning of Life', details the monotony of everyday life whilst shining it in a positing light. The realism in lyrics in the opening track is continued throughout the album.

'That's Not Entertainment' mocks the media and television for what is deemed enjoyable by the public. Certain digs like 'just 'cause you're good looking / Shouldn't mean you're on TV' highlights an objection to the now standardised format of reality TV and is just another example of The Lottery Winners challenging the norm. 

Whilst the album falls into an indie pop/rock category, tracks like 'My Only Friend' are reminiscent of noughties pop-punk bands, demonstrating that whilst The Lotter Winners are being placed into the bracket of northern British rock bands, they have a great deal more depth.

The Lottery Winners were of course one of a number of bands that suffered due to the pandemic. Biggest headline show yet at Manchester's O2 Ritz have been postponed, yet the success of their debut album is definitely something that will keep the good vibes ticking along into 2021. 

With over a decade behind them, it's likely The Lottery Winners are ready to take it to the next level. Follow the band on Twitter and Instagram and find their website here. 

Keep up with our 2020 album countdown on Instagram and Twitter!