Whenever they did a gig the Sheffield-based band would give out a limited number of CDs full of demos of their music. Fans passed them around and put the songs on the Internet where others could download them.

Internet forums, discussion boards and blogs were soon buzzing about this new band and their demo songs were in major demand on the peer to peer file exchange sites.

And far from being harmed by the proliferation of their music on the Internet, the Arctic Monkeys became overnight sensations as the result of it. They sold out the London Astoria before they even signed to a record label and their success was guaranteed.

The first single went straight to number one and their first album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' has already gone into the record books as the best selling British debut album ever. It has also been voted as the fifth best British album ever by readers of NME, and the band has been scooping plaudits and awards ever since.

The lesson to be learned from their success is simple: whatever business you are in, make good stuff and get people to talk about it.