fun.

A genre-bending pop trio from New York City, Fun. infuse their literate indie rock songwriting sensibility with such varied influences as vintage '50s pop music, '80s adult contemporary, and hip-hop. Born out of three different bands, Fun. feature the talents of former <a href="spotify:artist:3ZJC8cLts8Q8s8JbNJKsLf">the Format</a> lead vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:1qUjOF5fzrpoNycD36b2jZ">Nate Ruess</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:21GlDdSK6L1AvnMSbKh4Ut">Steel Train</a> guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Jack Antonoff</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5h2ZcX7ugfgNzFwupNxwxn">Anathallo</a> keyboardist <a href="spotify:artist:3wy0XBEGO0Q7YEF7GuRrnh">Andrew Dost</a>. Fun. broke big in 2012 with their sophomore album, Some Nights, which topped the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Billboard%22">Billboard</a> Hot 100 chart for over six weeks and earned them two Grammy Awards.

Following <a href="spotify:artist:3ZJC8cLts8Q8s8JbNJKsLf">the Format</a>'s breakup in 2008, <a href="spotify:artist:1qUjOF5fzrpoNycD36b2jZ">Ruess</a> took his songwriting skills to <a href="spotify:artist:21GlDdSK6L1AvnMSbKh4Ut">Steel Train</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Antonoff</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5h2ZcX7ugfgNzFwupNxwxn">Anathallo</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:3wy0XBEGO0Q7YEF7GuRrnh">Dost</a>, both of whom shared a similar affinity for vintage pop music and quirky, melodic hooks. The trio began a series of collaborations in <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Antonoff</a>'s parents' living room and soon enlisted the help of producer Steven McDonald, who recorded their work and handled bass duties. After enlisting the help of former <a href="spotify:artist:10flBVEy5MiUXOJWTaFsyL">Jellyfish</a> keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., who arranged several tracks, the bandmates completed work on their first record. Dubbing themselves Fun., the group introduced their <a href="spotify:artist:1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d">Queen</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7jefIIksOi1EazgRTfW2Pk">ELO</a>-influenced big pop sound in 2009 with the debut album Aim and Ignite.

In 2012, Fun. returned with their sophomore effort, Some Nights. The album was produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5phOCTS0ZqbZGVXdpG6rLu">Jeff Bhasker</a>, who worked on <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The album drew much inspiration from hip-hop, and <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">West</a> in particular, while staying true to their roots and blowing their sound up to impressively large proportions. The record's first single, "We Are Young," featured vocals by <a href="spotify:artist:6ueGR6SWhUJfvEhqkvMsVs">Janelle Monáe</a> and reached number one on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Billboard%22">Billboard</a> Hot 100. The album's second single and title track fared similarly well, eventually landing at number three on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Billboard%22">Billboard</a> Hot 100. In 2013, Fun.'s rising reputation as both commercial and critical darlings reached a peak when they received four Grammy nominations, and ultimately took home awards for Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "We Are Young." ~ Andrew Leahey