Cage The Elephant

Cage the Elephant has sustained both widespread commercial appeal and critical regard by weaving together an array of alternative rock textures. The Kentucky natives moved to England shortly ahead of issuing their self-titled debut in 2008, which yielded the transatlantic hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” In subsequent years the band became a consistent presence on American modern rock stations, securing gold certifications for Thank You Happy Birthday in 2011 and Melophobia in 2013 while earning a Grammy for the Dan Auerbach-produced Tell Me I’m Pretty, released in 2015. That achievement was duplicated with Social Cues in 2019, another Best Rock Album Grammy winner. Following a five-year hiatus, the group issued its sixth album, Neon Pill, in May 2024.

Matt Shultz, Brad Shultz, Jared Champion, Lincoln Parish, and Daniel Tichenor formed the band, signed to Relentless, and issued the “Free Love” single toward the end of 2007. An opening slot with the Pigeon Detectives arrived early the next year, after which “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” entered the Top 40 in June. Their self-titled debut appeared soon afterward and met with solid sales and reviews. Steady touring, including appearances at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, helped maintain momentum while they prepared the follow-up. Thank You Happy Birthday arrived at the start of 2011 and debuted at number two, propelled by the single “Shake Me Down.” In early 2012 the band released the live package Live from the Vic in Chicago, documenting two sold-out nights at the noted venue. They then recorded Melophobia, which came out in October 2013 and featured collaborations with Alison Mosshart of the Kills and the Dead Weather along with the modern rock hit “Come a Little Closer.” During that period founding guitarist Lincoln Parish departed to pursue production work in Nashville.

Tell Me I’m Pretty, the band’s fourth album, appeared late in 2015 under Dan Auerbach’s production. Extensive touring across the United States and Europe followed throughout 2016, and the record later received the 2017 Grammy for Best Rock Album. Early the following year Cage the Elephant played a series of intimate acoustic concerts throughout the country that surveyed their catalog; those performances were documented on the live album Unpeeled, issued in the early summer of 2017.

Social Cues arrived in 2019, shaped in large part by Matt Shultz’s divorce. The album, produced by John Graham Hill, explored somber themes and included the single “Ready to Let Go” plus “Night Running,” a collaboration with Beck. It earned the band its second consecutive Grammy for Best Rock Album. After contributing a cover of “The Unforgiven” to the 2021 Metallica tribute collection The Metallica Blacklist, Shultz experienced a breakdown that surfaced publicly following his January 2023 arrest on felony firearm charges. Once recovered, he and the group reconvened with Hill to record Neon Pill at Sonic Ranch studios in Texas. Ahead of its May release, the lead single became the band’s eleventh track to top Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart.