FUN.
Fun. (often listed as fun. in print) has been one of the biggest surprises to emerge from the indie rock movement in years and has achieved surprising success on the charts. In 2008, the band's lead singer Nate Ruess, left his former band The Format in Arizona and teamed up with Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff, all of whom were trying to get a new start in New York City. The band quickly got to work on their first album after moving into a studio in New Jersey and paid their dues in the Big Apple club scene to gain notoriety throughout the area.
The band's first album, Aim and Ignite, wasn't a huge commercial success, but it laid the groundwork for the progressive, pop rock formula that Fun. wished to create. As a way to increase their profile and reach many new listeners, Fun. released its first single, "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)" as a free download for those who signed up for Fun.'s mailing list. The band also appealed to fans on Facebook to like their page in exchange for another free single, and when they reached 40,000, fans could download the single "Believe In Me," for free.
Clever marketing campaigns aside, Fun. couldn't have expected the groundswell of support they received for their second album in 2012, Some Nights. Featuring the chart-topping single "We Are Young," the album became a fixture on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The single has been featured frequently on television shows, commercials and movie trailers and proved to be one of the most significant rock songs of the past few years. "We Are Young" even climbed to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, the first rock/alternative band to do so since Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" in 2008. The single also holds the record for digital sales, selling an astounding 300,000+ for six straight weeks.
With the release of their new single, "Walking the Dog" and a jam-packed touring schedule, Fun. has made a major impact on the rock and alternative movement. With their soaring choruses, indie rock roots and poppy hooks, the band is one of the most exciting groups to top the charts in recent memory and has just scratched the surface of their potential.