They formed in 2018, consisting of Sean Murphy-O'Neill (Vocals/Guitar), Sean Thomas (Drums), Joshua Cope (Guitar) and Connor McCann (bass) and quickly built a known reputation for themselves in the Liverpool music scene.
2019 brought them their first single "Not Yr Man" and several support slots with bands such as Heavy Lungs, FEET and Sports Team.
In January of 2020, they released fan-favourite single "Football". This was met with great critical reception and got them their first mainstream radio play on BBC Radio 1 and 6.
Lockdown hit and they released label-debut "David Byrne’s Badside" under Nice Swan Records.
In August, while restrictions were temporarily eased, they took to Whitewood Studios again to record "Grand National". Lead single "Popshop!" was released in November with the announcement of the EP. This took the band to a new horizon, with the addition of live guitarist/noisemaker – Josh Cope – a good friend of the band. Two remixes of the song from The Lounge Society and Home Counties were released shortly after.
In March 2021 they released the second single and title track from the EP, "Grand National". They announced their debut headline tour shortly after this release: including an upgrade of hometown headline (from Phase One to O2 Academy 2).
On April 9th, they released debut EP "Grand National" to high acclaim. The band toured extensively behind this in September 2021.
The band would then release their debut studio album "Guitar Music" the following year in 2022.
Popshop!
Courting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take the lads on tour, we'll go to Pontins
Major contract, signee enables
Content shitty, income stabled
Terms and conditions, work for exposure
Acquisitions, non-disclosures
Exclusive access, no rights to your rights
Telling you where to go, won't put you up for the night
Over, and over, and over, and over again
It's like living in a gated community, you can't tell 'em they're wrong
Making money by selling your bathwater, why can't we tag along?
And it tastes like saving money on your breakfast cereal
Alright in the short run, but nevеr the same
And I can't help feeling just a littlе bit cynical
When fame buys you money but money buys you fame
But anyway, everything here is going so well
If you stream "Shape of You", you're going to hell
And that's a promise
Over, and over, and over, and over again
Over, and over, and over, and over again
Over, and over, and over, and over again
Popshop, uh!
The lyrics to Courting's song "Popshop!" reflect on the music industry and the harsh reality of being a new signing to a major label. The first verse talks about wanting to escape, possibly through touring with his friends in Pontins, a UK chain of holiday parks. The second verse shows the desperation of unsigned artists agreeing to terrible terms and conditions for exposure or even a hopeful chance of being signed. The chorus repeats the line "over and over again" which could signify the monotony and repetitive nature of the music industry.
The bridge of the song discuss the irony of how being a famous artist does not necessarily mean having financial stability, and how money can buy fame just as easily as fame can buy money. The lyrics mention the trend of influencers selling their bathwater for profit as a symbol of how far people are willing to go for money and fame. Nevertheless, despite the cynical outlook towards the music industry, the chorus ends with a catchy "Popshop, uh!" hook.
Line by Line Meaning
Some sort of getaway is what I'm wanting
I need a break from this routine
Take the lads on tour, we'll go to Pontins
Let's go travel and perform together
Major contract, signee enables
A big contract has been signed and the artist is now enabled to create more content
Content shitty, income stabled
The quality of content might be low, but the income is consistent
Terms and conditions, work for exposure
Artists are expected to work for exposure instead of guaranteed payment
Acquisitions, non-disclosures
There are secret deals being made with acquired companies
Exclusive access, no rights to your rights
Exclusive access to content is given but the artist has no ownership or control over the rights
Telling you where to go, won't put you up for the night
They dictate where you go to perform, but don't provide accommodations
It's like living in a gated community, you can't tell 'em they're wrong
It feels like being trapped in a community where you can't speak up against authority
Making money by selling your bathwater, why can't we tag along?
Other people are making money off silly ideas, why can't we do the same?
And it tastes like saving money on your breakfast cereal
It might seem like a good idea, but it's not the same quality
Alright in the short run, but never the same
A quick fix may work for the beginning, but it won't sustain long-term growth
And I can't help feeling just a little bit cynical
The situation makes me question the motives and intentions of others
When fame buys you money but money buys you fame
The cycle of fame and money perpetuates itself
But anyway, everything here is going so well
Despite the challenges, things are still going relatively well
If you stream "Shape of You", you're going to hell
An exaggerated statement to emphasize the negative effects of certain actions
And that's a promise
It's a statement made with full conviction
Popshop, uh!
An enthusiastic emphasis on the world of Pop music
Writer(s): Courting, Sean Murphy-o'neill
Contributed by Grayson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.