Gorillaz is a British pop band created in 1998 in London, England, as the creative brainchild of musician Damon Albarn and graphic artist Jamie Hewlett. The band consists entirely of fictional members, with Albarn and various guests creating the band’s music.
The fictional band members are Murdoc Niccals, 2-D, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. They are represented in music videos and concerts in cartoons illustrated by Hewlett.
Gorillaz is a pop band with a distinctive sound. Its musical style combines synth-pop, alternative rock, hip-hop, electronic, trip-hop, and dark pop. Albarn credits various and diverse artists as significant influences. Some of the better-known influences include Massive Attack, Public Image Ltd, Tom Tom Club, Fun Boy Three, and Unkle. Influences for the animated band members include Glitch Techs, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Gorillaz is known for collaborating with many prominent artists such as Elton John, Georgia, Popcaan, and Mavis Staples. This one-of-a-kind group has influenced a bevy of artists since it burst onto the music scene, including 5 Seconds of Summer, AWOLNATION, Paramore, Grimes, and Kesha.
Gorillaz has grossed over 27 million records worldwide and won a Grammy as well as multiple MTV Video Music Awards. The group has also been nominated for 11 Brit Awards and won Best British Group at the 2018 Brit Awards. Gorillaz also holds the distinction of being the Most Successful Virtual Band in the Guinness World Records.
From 1998 to 2000, Albarn worked on the band’s self-titled first album, Gorillaz, which dropped in 2001. The first song release was “Tomorrow Comes Today,” and the music video for the song marked the world’s introduction to the virtual band members. Overall, the album was a smash, both commercially and critically.
The aforementioned second album, Demon Days, followed in 2005. The album marked a shift in the band’s sound into the darker approach to pop that made it famous. Demon Days was its most successful studio effort to date. It went double platinum in the U.S. and contained the ubiquitous and widely popular single “Feel Good Inc.”
In 2006, the band penned an “autobiographical” book titled Rise of the Ogre that expanded on the universe and backstories of the fictional band members.
Gorillaz’s third album, Plastic Beach, hit the market in 2010. The environmentally themed album featured a new synth-pop sound and a lineup of featured guest artists.
The Fall, the band’s fourth album, also released in 2010. The album was largely recorded while Alban was traveling during the band’s Escape to Plastic Beach Tour.
The band’s fifth studio effort, Humanz, dropped in April 2017 after a lengthy hiatus. The album debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from fans and critics.
The sixth album, The Now Now, was released in 2018 and presented a more stripped-down version of the band’s signature sound, concentrating on Albarn’s original music instead of guest artists.
Gorillaz’ launched a new web series project titled Song Machine. The series of episodes featured music videos of the band with musical singles. After the series concluded, the band compiled each song to create its seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, in 2020.
Throughout 2022, Gorillaz was on tour in South America, Europe, Australia, and North America. Throughout the Gorillaz tour, the band released new music promoting its upcoming eighth album, Cracker Island, scheduled for release in 2023.
Charlie Puth
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