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Kings of Convenience

Data updated on 2024-12-13 10:00:21 UTC
An indie pop duo from Bergen, Norway, Kings of Convenience's gentle, harmony-rich songs recall the bittersweet comfort of forerunners like Simon & Garfunkel and Belle and Sebastian. After debuting in 2000 with the acoustic Kings of Convenience album, they topped the Norwegian album chart with the next year's Quiet Is the New Loud. The pair experimented with more-expansive arrangements over time while retaining a hushed demeanor on albums like 2004's Riot on an Empty Street, a Norwegian number two hit that cracked the Billboard Independent Albums chart in the U.S. After making their Billboard 200 debut with 2009's Declaration of Dependence, they took an extended publishing hiatus before returning in 2021 with Peace or Love.

Kings of Convenience teams singer/guitarists Erik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye. After first earning notice through a series of acclaimed European festival appearances in mid-1999, the one-time schoolmates signed to American label Kindercore to issue their eponymous debut the following year. Quiet Is the New Loud followed in early 2001 on Astralwerks and went all the way to the top of Norway's album chart. It featured many of the same songs from the Kindercore release, but they were re-recorded, reordered, and a few were swapped out for newer songs. The remix album Versus followed later in the year featuring artists as diverse as Ladytron, David Whitaker, and Four Tet.

After a three-year layoff during which Øye recorded a solo album (2003's Unrest) and gained some renown as an electronica DJ while Bøe worked on finishing up his psychology degree, the pair teamed up again for 2004's Riot on an Empty Street. It climbed to number two in Norway and landed on the Billboard Independent Albums chart at number 41. Another pause in activity, during which Øye released the debut album of his alternative dance project, The Whitest Boy Alive, was broken by a series of concerts in 2007 and 2008. Kings of Convenience then delivered the full-length Declaration of Dependence in October 2009. It resulted in another Top Ten appearance in Norway and marked their Billboard 200 debut with a week at number 112.

The duo's lengthiest release hiatus yet followed during the entirety of the next decade, though they made an attempt at recording an album in 2016 and emerged for occasional live appearances. Kings of Convenience eventually returned in June 2021 with Peace or Love. Issued on EMI, it included a pair of duets with Feist. ~ Marcy Donelson & Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Total plays

831.7 million
Updated on 2024-12-13

Monthly listeners

1,114,417

Followers

783,182

Top Cities

  1. Indonesia
    21,175 listeners
  2. Italy
    17,869 listeners
  3. Brazil
    18,390 listeners
  4. Mexico
    20,165 listeners
  5. Turkey
    17,639 listeners

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Emilíana Torrini
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Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Misread
Misread
92,384,850 3:08 2004-01-01
I'd Rather Dance With You
I'd Rather Dance With You
68,510,635 3:29 2004-01-01
Mrs. Cold
Mrs. Cold
62,442,790 3:06 2009-01-01
Homesick
Homesick
60,632,995 3:13 2004-01-01
Know How
Know How
50,330,860 3:58 2004-01-01
Boat Behind
Boat Behind
33,551,749 3:41 2009-01-01
Me In You
Me In You
27,332,248 3:09 2009-01-01
24-25
24-25
26,894,645 3:38 2009-01-01
Rule My World
Rule My World
25,302,136 3:32 2009-01-01
Catholic Country
Catholic Country
24,317,101 3:01 2021-06-18
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
24,057,560 3:03 2004-01-01
Rocky Trail
Rocky Trail
21,108,671 3:30 2021-04-30
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
19,961,338 4:38 2001-01-01
Fever
Fever
14,903,914 3:56 2021-05-28
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From - Röyksopp Remix
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From - Röyksopp Remix
13,561,709 4:13 2001-01-01
Toxic Girl
Toxic Girl
13,220,791 3:09 2001-01-01
Renegade
Renegade
10,075,034 4:16 2009-01-01
Singing Softly To Me
Singing Softly To Me
9,687,172 3:09 2001-01-01
Love Is No Big Truth
Love Is No Big Truth
9,542,470 3:48 2004-01-01
The Build Up
The Build Up
9,515,369 4:06 2004-01-01
The Weight Of My Words - Four Tet Remix
The Weight Of My Words - Four Tet Remix
9,250,800 4:57 2001-01-01
Winning A Battle, Losing The War
Winning A Battle, Losing The War
9,207,515 3:55 2001-01-01
Stay Out Of Trouble
Stay Out Of Trouble
8,595,615 5:04 2004-01-01
Live Long
Live Long
8,545,001 2:58 2004-01-01
Freedom And Its Owner
Freedom And Its Owner
8,316,261 3:23 2009-01-01
Peacetime Resistance
Peacetime Resistance
8,142,933 2:54 2009-01-01
Gold For The Price Of Silver
Gold For The Price Of Silver
8,055,185 4:53 2001-01-01
Power Of Not Knowing
Power Of Not Knowing
7,377,481 2:23 2009-01-01
My Ship Isn't Pretty
My Ship Isn't Pretty
7,273,001 3:47 2009-01-01
Know-How - Radio Mix
Know-How - Radio Mix
7,142,462 3:17 2004-01-01
Gold In The Air Of Summer
Gold In The Air Of Summer
6,713,556 3:34 2004-01-01
Riot On An Empty Street
Riot On An Empty Street
6,519,384 4:05 2009-01-01
Parallel Lines
Parallel Lines
6,373,779 5:12 2001-01-01
Love Is A Lonely Thing
Love Is A Lonely Thing
6,286,423 2:46 2021-06-18
Failure
Failure
6,269,065 3:34 2001-01-01
Second To Numb
Second To Numb
6,085,572 3:37 2009-01-01
Scars On Land
Scars On Land
6,070,717 3:43 2009-01-01
Sorry Or Please
Sorry Or Please
5,927,465 3:47 2004-01-01
Comb My Hair
Comb My Hair
5,490,846 3:06 2021-06-18
Rumours
Rumours
5,243,679 4:10 2021-06-18
Surprise Ice
Surprise Ice
5,003,292 4:23 2004-01-01
Angel
Angel
4,961,927 3:16 2021-06-18
The Girl From Back Then
The Girl From Back Then
4,493,035 2:30 2001-01-01
Manhattan Skyline
Manhattan Skyline
3,897,467 4:17 2005-01-01
The Weight Of My Words
The Weight Of My Words
3,859,780 4:07 2001-01-01
Summer On The West Hill
Summer On The West Hill
3,808,581 4:34 2001-01-01
Misread - Acoustic Session
Misread - Acoustic Session
3,698,479 3:06 2004-01-01
Little Kids
Little Kids
3,373,330 3:46 2001-01-01
Leaning Against The Wall
Leaning Against The Wall
3,340,858 3:18 2001-01-01
Envoy
Envoy
3,056,987 3:11 2005-01-01
The Eternal
The Eternal
2,828,013 5:31 2005-01-01
Ask For Help
Ask For Help
2,780,956 4:07 2021-06-18
The Passenger
The Passenger
2,736,903 3:13 2001-01-01
Killers
Killers
2,616,972 3:54 2021-06-18
Song About It
Song About It
2,467,942 3:05 2021-06-18
Washing Machine
Washing Machine
2,348,281 2:46 2021-06-18
Free Fallin'
Free Fallin'
2,257,121 4:41 2005-01-01
The Girl From Back Then - Riton's Über Jazz Mix
The Girl From Back Then - Riton's Über Jazz Mix
1,839,836 3:04 2001-01-01
Toxic Girl - Monte Carlo 1963 Version
Toxic Girl - Monte Carlo 1963 Version
1,624,376 3:06 2001-01-01
Failure - Radio Edit
Failure - Radio Edit
1,508,368 3:32 2001-01-01
Winning A Battle, Losing The War - Andy Votel Mix
Winning A Battle, Losing The War - Andy Votel Mix
1,239,872 4:23 2001-01-01
The Weight Of My Words - Four Tet Instrumental
The Weight Of My Words - Four Tet Instrumental
1,131,961 5:29 2001-01-01
Leaning Against The Wall - Evil Tordivel Upbeat Remake
Leaning Against The Wall - Evil Tordivel Upbeat Remake
1,060,837 3:44 2001-01-01
Failure - Alfie Version
Failure - Alfie Version
968,108 3:35 2001-01-01
Little Kids - Ladytron Fruits Of The Forest Mix
Little Kids - Ladytron Fruits Of The Forest Mix
948,233 4:47 2001-01-01
Leaning Against The Wall - Bamboo Soul Mix
Leaning Against The Wall - Bamboo Soul Mix
934,865 3:30 2001-01-01
Winning A Battle Losing The War
Winning A Battle Losing The War
819,399 3:31 2005-01-01
I'd Rather Dance With You - Cornelius Remix
I'd Rather Dance With You - Cornelius Remix
640,161 3:19 2004-01-01
I'd Rather Dance With You - Orion's Belte Mix
I'd Rather Dance With You - Orion's Belte Mix
567,536 5:25 2004-01-01
Drop (The Tusen Takk Rework - Kings of Convenience Remix)
Drop (The Tusen Takk Rework - Kings of Convenience Remix)
314,806 4:07 2001-10-24
Deilig Er Jorden
Deilig Er Jorden
154,616 2:19 1999-01-01
24-25 - Live At Radio Deejay / Italy / 2010
24-25 - Live At Radio Deejay / Italy / 2010
40,926 3:25 2010-01-01
Winning A Battle, Losing The War - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
Winning A Battle, Losing The War - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
36,058 3:32 2010-01-01
Love Is No Big Truth - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
Love Is No Big Truth - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
35,596 3:05 2010-01-01
Boat Behind - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
Boat Behind - Live At Radio Deejay,Italy/2010
34,992 3:31 2010-01-01

New releases

Peace Or Love
Peace Or Love
2021-06-18
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Peace Or Love
Peace Or Love
2021-06-18
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Peace Or Love
Peace Or Love
2021-06-18
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Fever
Fever
2021-05-28
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Fever
Fever
2021-05-28
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Rocky Trail
Rocky Trail
2021-04-30
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Rocky Trail
Rocky Trail
2021-04-30
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Live Acoustic Sessions, Milan 2009
Live Acoustic Sessions, Milan 2009
2010-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Declaration Of Dependence
Declaration Of Dependence
2009-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Declaration Of Dependence
Declaration Of Dependence
2009-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Winning A Battle, Losing The War
Winning A Battle, Losing The War
2005-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Failure
Failure
2005-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Know-How (Radio Mix)
Know-How (Radio Mix)
2004-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Riot On An Empty Street
Riot On An Empty Street
2004-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
I'd Rather Dance With You
I'd Rather Dance With You
2004-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
I'd Rather Dance With You
I'd Rather Dance With You
2004-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Versus
Versus
2001-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]
Quiet Is The New Loud
Quiet Is The New Loud
2001-01-01
[[PIAS] Recordings Catalogue]