fun.

A New York City-based trio that blends pop in unexpected ways, Fun. merge a thoughtful indie rock approach to songcraft with echoes of mid-century vocal pop, slick 1980s adult contemporary, and hip-hop beats. Formed from the remnants of three separate groups, the band unites ex-Format frontman Nate Ruess, Steel Train guitarist Jack Antonoff, and Anathallo keyboardist Andrew Dost. Their breakthrough arrived in 2012 via the follow-up album Some Nights, which held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for more than six weeks and secured two Grammy Awards.

After the Format disbanded in 2008, Ruess brought his songwriting instincts to Antonoff and Dost, both of whom gravitated toward classic pop structures and offbeat, tuneful refrains. The three musicians began trading ideas in Antonoff’s parents’ living room before recruiting producer Steven McDonald, who captured their sessions and played bass. Former Jellyfish keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. was later brought in to craft string and keyboard arrangements, allowing the group to finish their debut. Calling themselves Fun., they unveiled their expansive, Queen- and ELO-inspired sound on the 2009 release Aim and Ignite.

The band resurfaced in 2012 with Some Nights, an album helmed by Jeff Bhasker, previously involved with Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. While drawing rhythmic and textural cues from hip-hop—and from West in particular—the record retained the trio’s melodic foundation yet expanded it to stadium scale. Lead single “We Are Young,” which spotlighted guest vocals from Janelle Monáe, climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Title track and follow-up single “Some Nights” peaked at number three on the same chart. By 2013, Fun. stood at the height of both mainstream and critical acclaim, earning four Grammy nods and winning Best New Artist plus Song of the Year for “We Are Young.”