No one likes being told what to do, but people don’t seem to mind being told to “Shut Up and Dance” by the genre-bending quartet WALK THE MOON.
Their most recent (and now platinum) single, “Shut Up and Dance,” creates such an upbeat attitude that listeners can’t help but move and shake no matter the setting.
With a wildly popular, 46-show tour underway supporting their new album, TALKING IS HARD, the band is getting more notice than ever and can easily be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
Here are 10 reasons to get to know the band everyone is talking about:
1. They’re crossing throwback influences with modern styles.
“We’re inspired by all sorts of different decades,” says Nicholas Petricca, lead singer and keyboardist. “But this album in particular, definitely the ‘80s and the early ‘90s. It was a time that was such a celebration of the weird.” (Proving his point, their name was inspired by “Walking on the Moon” by The Police.)
2. They cover all genres.
The band’s covers are drawing a lot of attention online. They have even launched an Instagram series featuring a range of covers, from Disney to Jimi Hendrix. Past live covers have included Talking Heads, Prince, David Bowie and Fleet Foxes. On their current tour, the band is covering “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.
3. They just wanna make you dance.
“From the very beginning, we’ve always just wanted to make people dance and feel good,” says Petricca. “We realized the idea of preserving the inner child, no matter how old you are, is very important to us.” Thanks to that idea, their songs translate perfectly to the stage and create an energetic atmosphere at each show.
4. They are the root of their music.
Along with fellow band members Kevin Ray (bass), Sean Waugaman (drums) and Eli Maiman (guitar), Petricca has his name on the writing credits for each song on their TALKING IS HARD album. “Even going into co-writing, we had to make sure the songs were coming from our hearts…everything starts with us.”
5. They are the kings of summer – every summer.
The band’s first track, “Anna Sun,” made a big impact in 2011 as it was declared one of the best songs of the summer by Esquire and other publications. Based on WALK THE MOON’s track record, there’s no reason why their current single can’t follow the same path.
6. They’re tried and true.
While their name may seem to have spread like wildfire overnight, the band has been around for quite a few years — Petricca created it in college. After college, “I had all this music and no band members…These guys, they’re the cream of the crop and the most devoted,” he says. Devoted is right; the lineup hasn’t changed since 2010.
7. They aren’t afraid to test their limits.
No two WALK THE MOON tracks are alike. “On this particular record, our goal was to try anything. Some tracks are more ferocious or in-your-face, with heavy guitars and rock ‘n’ roll screams. Other songs you’ve got more tender moments, soundscape-y stuff and much more romantic lyrics,” says Petricca.
8. They’re a little bit of everything.
Petricca can’t even give a straight answer when attempting to declare a genre for the band’s sound, finally answering “synth-rock-indie-dance-rock-pop,” but noting the best term he’s heard for it is “art-rock.” To put it simply: labeling is hard.
9. They’re using their songs to spread a message.
Despite their often upbeat sounds, Petricca points out the songs have “lots of themes of empowerment and just celebrating people’s differences.” His favorite lyric they’ve written? “When the people get to dancing, they forget about taking sides.” (from the song “Different Colors”)
10. They’re taking over the world – one show at a time.
WALK THE MOON’s tour has more sold out dates than not and “Shut Up and Dance” is still going strong (and getting stronger) on the radio. There’s no reason not to dance along with them – before they get even bigger.