Fun. Biography

Fun. is an American indie pop band from New York. The trio has been influenced by varied sounds like 50s pop music, ’80s adult contemporary, and hip-hop added with an indie rock songwriting ability.

Early Formation

Lead vocalist, Nate Ruess had split from his former band The Format in 2008. Soon after, he asked keyboardist Andrew Dost and guitarist Jack Antonoff to form a new band. They recorded the first song balled Benson Hedges and in November they were the opening act for Jack’s Mannequin.

Career Beginnings

They were joined by keyboardist Robert Joseph Manning, Jr and with the help of producer Steven McDonald they relased their debut pop album Aim and Ignite. The project was received to good critics reviews. The following year they were the opening act for Paramore’s headline tour. Fun. embarked on a tour of their own and were signed to label  Fueled by Ramen the same year. In 2011 they announced their sophomore album which was revealed in 2012 through their website. The band headed for a tour to support their new album.

Success

The album was heavily hip-hop inspired, however, still remaining close to its roots of indie rock. The lead single We Are Young featured by Janelle Monáe was their first major hit and introduced them to the mainstream. The song was number 1 on Billboard Hot 100. This fact made them the first rock band to have a spot 1 debut on the Hot 100 since 2002. Following the success of We Are Young, their third single Carry On entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their reputation and popularity were at its peak after receiving four Grammy nominations and winning 2 of them: Best New Artist and Song of the Year.

Hiatus

In 2014 they issued a live EP called Before Shane Went To Bangkok: Live in The USA. The same year, Fun. announced they were writing new material and were preparing for a third album. However, in 2015 the band revealed that they were taking time off from the band, but not splitting up.

Photo credit: Decorated Youth Magazine