April 22, 2008 17:30

327,000 fans check out Portishead early album stream

Huge numbers of fans flock to hear the band's new album

Fans have been flocking to listen to an exclusive streaming of Portishead's new album this week.

The long-awaited collection 'Third' went live on last.fm yesterday (April 21), and will be streamed for one week only, ahead of its release on Monday (April 28).

In just under 24 hours, last.fm have recorded 327,000 listens to the album, and estimate that a quarter of a million people have visited the site expressly to listen to the Portishead tracks.

The streaming has special significance, since Portishead were the first act to be uploaded to the on-demand internet radio service on its launch.

Co-founder Martin Stiksel said: "We're enormously proud to be able to host the premiere of an album that caps a trilogy of modern classics from Portishead, one of the most innovative and influential bands the UK's ever produced.

"It means a lot to us, as Portishead was the first artist we ever uploaded to last.fm and 'Cowboys' from their second album was the first track ever played when we went live in 2002. So it's hugely appropriate that we kick off what aims to be an ongoing series of exclusive album previews with the band that helped us kick off last.fm."