The Vamps

Britain's the Vamps carved out a distinct identity amid the wave of boy bands that surfaced after One Direction's rise, thanks to their steadily shifting sonic palette and active role in crafting their own material. The quartet surfaced in 2012 through widely viewed cover videos posted online and soon delivered original albums and singles that connected with listeners. Supported by tracks such as "Can We Dance" and "Last Night," the platinum-certified Meet the Vamps debuted at number two on the U.K. album chart in 2014. The upbeat, acoustic-leaning pop that defined this release and 2015's Wake Up later gave way to the EDM textures of 2017's Night & Day. On 2020's Cherry Blossom the group blended those earlier approaches while reflecting the perspective gained as they entered their twenties.

Guitarist James McVey chose an unconventional route in 2012 when he began assembling a band by scouring YouTube for talent. He first reached out to singer/songwriter Bradley Simpson through the latter's channel; after co-writing several songs, the pair added drummer Tristan Evans and bassist Connor Ball to complete the lineup. Posting cover versions on their own channel helped the four-piece attract a growing audience, and by the close of 2012 they had secured a contract with Mercury Records. A supporting slot on pop outfit McFly's 2013 Memory Lane tour—alongside a band whose style shared notable similarities with the Vamps—quickly enlarged their following and led to the release of their first original material.

Their debut single, "Can We Dance," premiered on YouTube, the platform they regarded as a natural home, and accumulated more than a million views inside two weeks. When the track officially arrived in October 2013 it entered the U.K. singles chart at number two. In April 2014 the Vamps issued their first album, Meet the Vamps, during an intense round of promotional appearances. The single "Last Night," released just seven days earlier, became their third consecutive U.K. Top Ten hit by debuting at number two.

The following year brought their sophomore album, Wake Up, which featured production contributions from Steve Mac, Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk, and additional collaborators. The record reached number ten in the U.K. and yielded three singles: "Wake Up," "Rest Your Love," and "I Found a Girl." After its release the band launched the Wake Up World Tour in January 2016. Later that year they supplied a cover of Carl Douglas' classic "Kung Fu Fighting" for the soundtrack of the animated film Kung Fu Panda 3.

In October 2016 the Vamps joined Norwegian DJ Matoma on the single "All Night," which previewed their third studio album. Issued in two installments, Night & Day first appeared in July 2017 as the Night Edition, debuting at number one on the U.K. chart and including the single "Middle of the Night," a collaboration with Danish EDM producer Martin Jensen. The Day Edition followed a year later and contained features with Machine Gun Kelly and Kriss Kross Amsterdam. While touring in support of the project, the group released the Missing You EP in April 2019.

Approaching their next album, the Vamps favored a relaxed, spontaneous process that involved a small circle of collaborators including Jack & Coke, Lostboy, and JHart, with Simpson guiding most of the production. They continued writing even after the COVID-19 global pandemic began, a period that produced the July 2020 single "Married in Vegas." The song served as the first indication of Cherry Blossom, a wide-ranging collection that arrived in October.