THE BLACK KEYS FACTS:
Members: Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney
Genre: Rock
Hometown: Akron, Ohio, US
Albums: The Big Come Up (2002); Thickfreakness (2003); Rubber Factory (2004); Magic Potion (2006); Attack & Release (2008); Brothers (2010)
Awards: 4 Grammy Nominations
Hits: "Tighten Up"
Other: Released a hip hop collaboration album named Blackroc.
The Black Keys have been among the most popular acts in the niche of blues and garage rock for nearly a decade, but it was not until 2008 that the duo consisting of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney entered the mainstream. With a wildly successful album earning them a wide following, the future looks bright for the boys from Ohio.
The band was formed in 2001, at which point the pair began performing in the underground scene throughout Akron, Ohio. However it was not long before they released their debut album, The Big Come Up, in 2002. The record received generally positive reviews, but it failed to gain traction in the mainstream and the band continued to perform in relative obscurity.
With a moderate taste of success, Auerbach and Carney's follow up, 2003's Thickfreakness, was even more popular. The album featured several singles that were well-liked outside the indie circle, and the song "Set You Free" was featured in the Jack Black comedy School of Rock.
The Black Keys continued their steady rise through the ranks with their third album, Rubber Factory, in 2004. Thanks to a number of popular singles, including "10 A.M. Automatic" and "When the Lights Go Out," the album managed to crack the Billboard 200, and laid the groundwork for an impressive next five years.
After another moderately successful release in 2006, the band's fifth album, Attack and Release, hit shelves in 2008 and brought with it a newfound level of popularity. The record debuted at number 14 on the Billboard charts, and many critics pegged the single "I Got Mine" as one of the best songs of that year.
Though Attack and Release was a new high point for the band, 2010's Brothers would be even more so. The album debuted anumber three on the charts and the single "Tighten Up," was well received by a wide variety of music fans. The album enjoyed large critical success as well, earning a nomination at the 2011 Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album. "Tighten Up" also received a pair of nominations including one for Best Rock Song.
With a unique sound unlike few other acts around today, the Black Keys have managed to carve out an increasingly large following of fans over the last decade. With a consistently strong product and with each album being more popular than last, its safe to say the music world has not seen the last of The Black Keys.