Mysterious UK rock act PRESIDENT have made a global chart impact with their debut album, Blood Of Your Empire (Atlantic).
The masked band, who combine heavy music with electronic influences, landed at No.5 in the UK, as well as the Top 10 in Australia and secured chart placings in multiple territories across Europe.
Blood Of Your Empire charted at No.5 in the UK with opening week consumption of 10,204 units (Official Charts Company), including 7,724 physical copies, 1,596 sales-equivalent streams and 884 downloads. With 4,518 vinyl copies moved in the first week, PRESIDENT topped the vinyl albums chart.
As they continue their extensive US headline tour – the band refer to shows as “rallies” – PRESIDENT also made a strong showing with Blood Of Your Empire debuting at No.67 on the main chart and No.9 on the Top Album Sales Chart.
Following earlier releases with Warner Music distribution service ADA, including the King Of Terrors EP, PRESIDENT signed to Atlantic earlier this year. The band released multiple singles in the run-up to their first longplayer, including Angel Wings (21,793 UK chart units), Mercy (15,010 UK chart units) and Doom Loop (16,067 UK chart units).
PRESIDENT return for UK and European dates in November. The sold-out British dates include O2 Academy Brixton (November 24). The band then head to Australia in February 2027.
The breakthrough for PRESIDENT follows the Sleep Token phenomenon, which was also overseen by manager Ryan Richards. Here, the CEO of Future History Management takes us inside the PRESIDENT campaign…
PRESIDENT signed to Atlantic earlier this year. What was it about the label that convinced you they were the right global partner?
“There was a lot of interest in the band, so we were in a good position to take our time and work out who felt right. The relationship with Warner had already started through ADA, which released the King of Terrors EP and did a fantastic job of setting everything up. That gave us the opportunity to see how the wider team worked, how committed they were to the project and how well they understood what we were trying to build.
“Atlantic understood very quickly that the band had already created the music, the visual identity and everything around it themselves. Maintaining that creative control was really important to us, and there was never any suggestion that they wanted to come in and start changing things.
“They also had the global ambition and infrastructure we were looking for. We knew the band was moving quickly and needed a partner that could keep up with that. There was a strong personal connection with the team as well, so it felt like a very natural next step from the work we had already done with ADA.”
The band secured a Top 5 placing in the UK with 10,000-plus units. What was key to this strong opening in their home market, including a good result on both physical sales and streams? Were there particular activations that worked well?
“I was really pleased with how balanced the result was. The physical sales were excellent, the album went to No.1 on vinyl and we also had a strong streaming week. It showed that there was a broad audience for the album.
“We put a lot of thought into the physical campaign. PRESIDENT fans care about the detail around the band, so every format needed to feel worth owning. The Rock Sound flexidisc and the cassette editions we produced with Kerrang! both worked brilliantly, because they gave fans genuinely exclusive products and made sense within the wider campaign.
“The streaming audience had also been growing consistently with every release. We managed to keep building that side of the band while still leaving plenty of the album for people to discover when it came out. The whole campaign was very joined up. The music, visuals, live activity, physical formats and communication all worked together, and the fans really bought into the album as a complete piece of work.”
We knew the band was moving quickly and needed a partner that could keep up with that
Ryan Richards
PRESIDENT have also entered the Billboard 200 albums chart. What has the Stateside reaction been to the band on this campaign, including their current US tour? Who have been the key tastemakers and supporters for them in the market?
“The response in the US has been brilliant. Entering the Billboard 200 with a debut album is a major achievement for any new British band, particularly within heavy music.
“The live growth probably gives the clearest indication of where things are heading. The first New York and Los Angeles shows sold out almost immediately; the Bad Omens and Beartooth tour introduced the band to a much wider audience; and the current North American headline tour sold out on its first day of on sale. These are substantial venues too, including the Brooklyn Paramount, Riviera Theatre and The Wiltern.
“The reaction at the shows has been really strong. People know the songs and are clearly invested in the band already, which is encouraging at such an early stage.
“Bad Omens and Beartooth were both hugely supportive and gave PRESIDENT an important opportunity in front of their audiences. Atlantic’s US team has also done a great job, alongside the DSPs, rock radio, the alternative press and the wider heavy music community. A lot of people backed the band early and helped turn that initial interest into something much more substantial.”
What is the international reach for the band? Where is the album finding a significant audience?
“The UK and US are currently the two biggest markets, with Canada, Germany and Australia all performing strongly as well. There is a substantial audience across Europe. Germany is a particularly important market, and the demand across the continent led us to add further dates to the European tour.
“Australia has moved quickly too. The band’s first visit at the end of last year gave us a good indication of the potential there, and the audience has continued to grow since then. The international reach has been there from the start. The first song connected across a number of markets almost immediately, and that has continued throughout the campaign.”
You have had huge global success with Sleep Token, and PRESIDENT have a similar air of mystery around them. How have you learnt to manage that level of speculation while executing a successful campaign?
“You have to accept that people are going to speculate. It comes with the territory, and there is very little value in trying to control every conversation taking place online. Our job is to protect the artists, keep private things private and stay focused on the work in front of us. The mystery can create an initial level of interest, but you still need great songs and a great live show. If those things are there, the audience will stay with you.
“We’ve also been conscious of giving PRESIDENT the time and space to establish their own identity. The comparisons with Sleep Token were always going to happen because both bands are anonymous and share management. They are very different projects, though, and that becomes increasingly clear with every release and every show.”
The mystery can create an initial level of interest, but you still need great songs and a great live show
Ryan Richards
The band return for UK dates later in the year. How strong is their live business, where do you think they can go from here in terms of touring and festivals in 2027?
“The live business in the UK is very strong. The entire UK tour sold out on its first day of on sale, and demand has moved ahead of the venues at every stage so far. We’ve tried to make sure each step is sensible and that the live show develops alongside the audience. We’re now at the point where the next move will need to be a significant one.
“I think PRESIDENT have the potential to become an arena-level act. There is still a lot of work to do, but I don’t see any reason to place a ceiling on where they can go. In 2027, I’d expect the band to move into much larger headline rooms internationally and take strong positions across the festival circuit. This year has already shown that they can connect with a large festival audience, so there is a lot to build on.”
What does the success of PRESIDENT, Sleep Token and other bands say about the strength of rock and heavy music in 2026?
“Heavy music is in a really healthy position, and the audience is clearly growing. Younger listeners have a much broader idea of what rock and metal can sound like. They’ve grown up listening to electronic music, pop, hip-hop, R&B and heavy music alongside each other, so the traditional genre boundaries are far less important to them. That has created space for ambitious artists who want to do something different. Sleep Token and PRESIDENT are very different bands, but both have shown that heavy music can reach well beyond its traditional audience.
“The loyalty within the genre is also hugely valuable. Fans stream the music, buy records, travel to shows and support artists in a very committed way. When you combine that with music capable of reaching a broader audience, there is a massive amount of potential. It feels like heavy music is expanding again, and I think there is still a long way for that growth to go.”
PHOTOS: Joshua Halling/Vice
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