Under Jonny Pierce's direction, the Drums fuse their bright indie pop leanings with excursions into experimental rock and electronics, all anchored by emotionally exposed songwriting. Their 2009 debut single "Let's Go Surfing," cheerful in tone and blending Factory Records-style indie with 1950s surf influences, together with the self-titled album from 2010, quickly made the group one of the most discussed acts across music blogs. By Encyclopedia in 2014, the Drums were exploring cathartic rock alongside unrestrained electronics. Once Pierce stood as the band's only remaining member, the material grew more introspective, with Abysmal Thoughts in 2017 and Brutalism in 2019 counting among the Drums' most openly vulnerable work. Throughout the 2020s, Pierce's releases mirrored his commitment to personal development, whether through the tranquil guided meditation "Take Yr Meds" from 2020 or the 2023 musical memoir Jonny, where the Drums reached their most poignantly melodic peak.
Raised in a religious household in upstate New York throughout the '90s, Pierce composed songs in his bedroom on a keyboard his father had given him. Aware of his sexuality from childhood, Pierce often felt isolated and found solace in artists such as the Smiths. At Bible camp he connected with Jacob Graham, and the two shared an affinity for electronic acts including Kraftwerk and Wendy Carlos. During their teenage years they launched the electro-pop duo Goat Explosion. Following that project's end, Graham started the indie pop band Horse Shoes. Pierce and Adam Kessler formed the synth pop group Elkland, drawing inspiration from one of Pierce's favorites, Joy Electric. Elkland later signed with Columbia Records and issued Golden in 2005, yet the album made little impact, prompting Pierce to step away from music for a time.
Graham and Pierce reestablished contact in 2008 and began writing songs, shifting from their prior electronic focus to a guitar-driven style influenced by classic pop and indie acts such as the Shangri-Las, Beach Boys, the Wake, Orange Juice, and the Smiths. Horse Shoes released their only EP, The Imperial School, in 2009 on Shelflife. That same year Pierce and Graham relocated from Central Florida to New York City, where Kessler joined as second guitarist and Connor Hanwick, formerly of Cape of No Hope, completed the Drums' original lineup. Their debut EP, Summertime!, came out on Moshi Moshi in late 2009 and included the single "Let's Go Surfing," which entered the U.K. Singles Chart at 107 before reaching 63 upon its reissue the following year. The Drums' self-titled debut album appeared in the U.K. in June 2010 and reached the States later that year. Recorded across Graham's and Pierce's apartments plus a shack in Woodstock, New York, it earned acclaim for its memorable hooks and bright melodies. The album climbed to number 17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in the U.S. and number 16 on the U.K. Albums Chart, where it was eventually certified gold. Besides "Let's Go Surfing," the album featured "Best Friend," another U.K. charting single.
During the Drums' initial U.S. tour, Kessler departed and Tom Haslow stepped in. Adding Violens' Chris Stein and Myles Matheny to their live lineup, the band issued the darker, keyboard-driven Portamento in September 2011. The album peaked at number 44 on the U.K. Albums Chart and number ten on the Heatseekers chart in the U.S.; its lead single "Money" later received gold certification from the RIAA in 2023 after gaining viral traction online.
Following the Portamento tour, Hanwick exited the Drums. Pierce and Graham paused to regroup, each pursuing solo endeavors. Pierce released the electro-pop solo single "I Didn't Realize" late in 2012, while Graham launched the dreamy synth project Cascading Slopes, whose debut album Towards a Quaker View of Synthesizers arrived at the end of 2013. The pair reconvened in a lakeside cabin in upstate New York to record Encyclopedia in 2014, which spanned spiky rock and synth pop. Like its predecessor, the album reached number ten on the U.S. Heatseekers chart and number 135 on the U.K. Albums chart.
After his marriage ended, Pierce stepped back from music and moved to Los Angeles. Graham exited the Drums in 2016 to concentrate on puppetry and Sound of Ceres. Effectively a solo vehicle for Pierce, the next album featured his sole writing and performance. Abysmal Thoughts, a subtly heartbroken collection issued by Anti Records in June 2017, reached number nine on the Heatseekers chart. The following year Pierce released the charity single "Meet Me in Mexico" to aid relief efforts after the 2018 Oaxaca earthquake. For the Drums' fifth album, Pierce retained the confessional approach of Abysmal Thoughts while collaborating with others on its polished synth pop sound. Drawing from his relocation to Belgium for an unsuccessful relationship and the resulting heartbreak, Brutalism arrived in April 2019, was mixed by Chris Coady, and peaked at number ten on the U.S. Heatseekers chart. Credited to the Drums & Jonny Pierce, the October 2019 single "I Didn't Realize/You Lied" gathered two tracks recorded in 2012.
In May 2020 the Drums returned with "Take Yer Meds," a 14-minute guided meditation prompted by Pierce's reflections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Another single, "Nadia," surfaced that October and showcased glitchy electronic pop. December's three-song Ambulance EP continued in a comparable style, merging sparse electronics with plaintive melodies. The Drums reemerged in April 2023 with "I Want it All," a breezy yet bittersweet look back at childhood trauma that hinted at the tone of their subsequent album. Released in October 2023, Jonny explored Pierce's path toward self-acceptance more deeply, pairing candid lyrics with the jangly indie sound of the Drums' early recordings.
