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==History==
==History==
===2007–2008: Career beginning and formation===
==FUN.==
[[The Format]] split in February 2008. Immediately afterward Nate Ruess asked Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff to join his new project. Dost had toured with The Format and provided various instrumentation. Ruess met Antonoff after The Format toured with Steel Train.<ref>[http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=467591 Introducing: Fun]. Retrieved June 11, 2010.</ref> The three began working together in [[New Jersey]] within a week. Ruess sang melodies while the other two provided music for them.<ref name="about">{{cite web |title=About - Fun |url=http://ournameisFun.com/about |accessdate=November 24, 2009}}</ref> The first demo song the band recorded was "Benson Hedges," which was made available for free in ''[[Spin magazine|Spin]]'''s September 20, 2008 article on the band.<ref>Kiser, Matt. "[http://spin.com/articles/members-format-steel-train-anathallo-unite-fun Members of the Format, Steel Train, Anathallo Unite as Fun.]", [[Spin magazine|Spin]], 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-09-19.</ref> Fun approached Steven McDonald, who produced [[The Format]]'s album ''[[Dog Problems]]'' with Ruess, to produce their debut album. McDonald was enthusiastic about the project and stated, "I can’t believe what we’re working on here. This crushes anything I’ve ever done." <ref name="about"/>

Bad band !

YOU ARE A FRIKKI !


===2009–2010: ''Aim and Ignite''===
===2009–2010: ''Aim and Ignite''===

Revision as of 15:20, 17 April 2012

Fun.
Lead singer Nate Ruess at Electric Ballroom, Camden, London.
Lead singer Nate Ruess at Electric Ballroom, Camden, London.
Background information
OriginNew York City, La Porte
GenresIndie pop, indie rock
Years active2008–present
LabelsFueled by Ramen Records/Nettwerk Records (US)
Hassle Records (UK)
MembersNate Ruess
Andrew Dost
Jack Antonoff
WebsiteournameisFun.com

Fun. (often stylized as fun. and .fun) is an American indie pop band based in New York City that was formed by Nate Ruess, formerly of The Format. After the 2008 breakup of The Format, Ruess formed Fun with Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff of Anathallo and Steel Train respectively.[1] Fun has released two albums: their debut Aim and Ignite in 2009 and their latest Some Nights in February, 2012.

The band is best known for its hit single "We Are Young" featuring Janelle Monáe. "We Are Young" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Digital Songs charts. It became the first rock/alternative song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart since Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" in 2008.

History

2007–2008: Career beginning and formation

The Format split in February 2008. Immediately afterward Nate Ruess asked Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff to join his new project. Dost had toured with The Format and provided various instrumentation. Ruess met Antonoff after The Format toured with Steel Train.[2] The three began working together in New Jersey within a week. Ruess sang melodies while the other two provided music for them.[3] The first demo song the band recorded was "Benson Hedges," which was made available for free in Spin's September 20, 2008 article on the band.[4] Fun approached Steven McDonald, who produced The Format's album Dog Problems with Ruess, to produce their debut album. McDonald was enthusiastic about the project and stated, "I can’t believe what we’re working on here. This crushes anything I’ve ever done." [3]

2009–2010: Aim and Ignite

Recording took place in the Fall of 2008. The band's first single, "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)" was made available as a free download on the band's Myspace page on April 6, 2009.[5] Aim and Ignite was released on August 25, 2009 and had positive reviews. AbsolutePunk.net's Drew Beringer praised the album, stating it was "what a pop album 'should' sound like" and "the most essential pop album of 2009."[6] Allmusic called the album "progressive, but in the best possible way" and admired Ruess's lyrics for "investigating the larger truths of life...with a witty approach that keeps the songs bubbling merrily along on a positive note".[7] Dave de Sylvia of Sputnikmusic wrote, "Aim and Ignite isn’t the most consistent pop album around," but he ultimately commended the album as "a superbly mixed and arranged album made by musicians who clearly understand the limits and potential of pop music".[8] Estella Hung of PopMatters was less impressed with the album. She praised songs "Be Calm" and "The Gambler", but criticized the lyrics and production of the album's early tracks. Hung concluded that while Aim and Ignite is "pretty original to say the least", it "fails to live up to the Format’s last outing."[9] Popdose's Ken Shane called the album "an interesting and unusual listen." Shane applauded the album's songwriting and said "many of the songs are really good," but he objected to the "cute" production, desiring to hear the band "in a more stripped-down form." He ended his review with: "I have a similar problem with Dr. Dog, a band that was recommended to me by a number of people. I think much of their recorded work is too fussed over, but when I saw them live and their sound was more stripped down out of necessity, emphasizing their powerful songwriting, I thought they were wonderful. Perhaps the same fate awaits me with Fun." [10] The album reached number 26 on Sputnikmusic's top 50 albums of 2009. The album peaked at 71 on the US album charts.

Fun began its first North American tour on November 8, 2008 with Jack's Mannequin.[11] The debut album Aim and Ignite was released on August 25, 2009.[12] In reviewing the album, The Washington Post called some of the arrangements "theatrical, much like those on Panic! at the Disco's 2005 debut".[13] In February 2010, Fun supported Jack's Mannequin on their headline tour, along with Vedera which was followed by their first UK appearances in March. Their current touring band also includes Rob Kroehler, Emily Moore, Nate Harold, and Jon "Jonny Thunder" Goldstein.[14] In April 2010, Fun supported Paramore's headline tour. Other support for the tour includes Relient K and Harriet Ellis of Summer Beats.[15] The band then embarked on a full UK tour in May. On August 4, 2010, Fun announced that they had signed with label Fueled by Ramen.[16]

On August 14, 2010, it was announced via the Official Paramore Fan Club that Fun. would be opening for Paramore on their November UK tour.[17] In 2010 Fun's single, "Walking the Dog," was used in a commercial for the travel site Expedia.com.[18] In 2010, Will Noon (formerly of Straylight Run) played drums with Fun on tour, according to Noon's twitter page.[19] To celebrate the Paramore UK tour and the band’s new single ‘Walking The Dog’, Hassle Records gave away a free download of an acoustic version of the track.[20] On April 27, 2011, a video of the band performing a new song entitled "Carry On" was uploaded to YouTube.[21]

2011–present: Some Nights

On May 17, 2011, the band released "C'mon" as a joint single with Panic! at the Disco, who they opened for on their 2011 Vices & Virtues Tour.

On September 14, 2011, the band announced that the first single from their next album would be called "We Are Young" and would feature Janelle Monáe.

On November 7, 2011, the band announced that their next album would be titled Some Nights and released on February 21, 2012.

On December 6, 2011, the band's song "We Are Young" was covered by the TV show Glee in the episode "Hold On to Sixteen", after the end of Sectionals in the auditorium of McKinley High. The single for the Glee version of the song hit #1 on iTunes that night. On December 12, the song was used to highlight the nominees for Game Changer of the Year at the 2011 edition of the WWE Slammy Awards.

On December 12, 2011, the band's song "One Foot" was available for instant streaming and free download on Nylon's website.[22]

On December 30, 2011, the song "We Are Young" was played in the TV show Chuck in the episode "Chuck Versus the Baby", in the final few minutes during the wrap up of the episode's story lines.

On January 27, 2012, the song "We Are Young" was featured in the Chevrolet Chevy Sonic Super Bowl XLVI commercial "Stunt Anthem", also featuring American professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and the rock band OK Go.[23]

On February 13, 2012, the band released an album stream on their website along with a note from Ruess thanking fans for their ongoing support. Ruess states he is "over the moon about what you're about to hear and falling asleep knowing that as soon as I wake up, this will no longer be a dream."[24]

On February 21, 2012, Fun. released their album Some Nights, along with their music video to the song "Some Nights Intro".[25]

On March 7, 2012, Fun.'s single "We Are Young" reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This makes Fun. the first multi-member rock band to have a #1 Billboard debut on the Hot 100 since Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" in December 2001/January 2002.[26] On the same day, "We Are Young" was used by Apple in a promotional video of their recent retail development in Grand Central Terminal.[27]

On March 19, 2012, Fun. was announced as a performing band at the Bonnaroo 2012 music festival.

On April 1, 2012, "We Are Young" was used in a vignette promoting the WWE Wrestlemania XXVIII Main event match between John Cena and The Rock.

On April 2, 2012 "We Are Young" featured on BBC Radio One as Scott Mills Big Thing.

On April 11, 2012 Billboard.com announced, that fun.'s "We Are Young" made Digital Sales history. As the song was at the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a sixth consecutive week, it has become the first, and at this time only song, that has ever gained 300.000+ downloads for six weeks straight.[28]

Band members

Current members
Current touring members
  • Nate Harold – bass guitar (2011–present)
  • Emily Moore – guitars, vocals, keyboards (2011–present)
  • Will Noon – drums (2010–present)
Former touring members
  • Jon Goldstein – drums (2008–2010)
  • Rob Kroehler – guitar (2008–2010)
  • Michael Newsted (The Soil & The Sun) – bass guitar (2010)
  • Maggie Malyn – violin (2008)
  • Evan Winiker – bass guitar (2011)
  • Ryan Lallier – guitar (2010–2011)

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US
Alt 		US Rock AUS
[29] 		CAN NZ
[30]
Aim and Ignite 71 20 23 — — —
Some Nights 3 1 1 35 5 25

Live albums

  • Fun. Live at Fingerprints (Nettwerk, 2010)

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
 AUS
[29] 		AUT
[31] 		CAN
 IRL
[32] 		NL
[33] 		NZ
[30] 		SWE
[34] 		UK
2009 "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)" — — — — — — — — — Aim and Ignite
"All the Pretty Girls" — — — — — — — — —
2010 "Believe in Me" — — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"Walking the Dog" — — — — — — — — — Aim and Ignite
2011 "C'mon"
(with Panic! at the Disco) 		— — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"We Are Young"
(featuring Janelle Monáe) 		1 1 24 1 2 40 2 41 7 Some Nights
2012 "Some Nights" 62 — — 84 — — — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not released in the territory.

References

  1. ^ Martin, Hannah (September 15, 2009). "A new dynamic to Fun: Nate Ruess", Boston Globe, p. G3.
  2. ^ Introducing: Fun. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "About - Fun". Retrieved November 24, 2009.
  4. ^ Kiser, Matt. "Members of the Format, Steel Train, Anathallo Unite as Fun.", Spin, 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  5. ^ "Dear You: Letter from Nate + new song!". Fun.'s MySpace Blog. April 6, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  6. ^ Beringer, Drew (25 July 2009). "Fun. - Aim & Ignite - Album Review". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  7. ^ Poet, J. "allmusic ((( Aim and Ignite > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
  8. ^ de Sylvia, Dave (18 August 2009). "Fun. - Aim and Ignite Review". sputnikmusic. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  9. ^ Hung, Estella (18 November 2009). "Fun.: Aim and Ignite < Reviews". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  10. ^ Shane, Ken (27 August 2009). "CD Review: Fun., "Aim and Ignite"". Popdose. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  11. ^ Tate, Jason (November 8, 2008). "Introducing: Fun - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
  12. ^ "Aim and Ignite is out today! Listen to a special track now". August 25, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  13. ^ Dunham, Nancy (September 18, 2009). "CD Review: Fun.: Aim and Ignite", The Washington Post, p. T8.
  14. ^ The Format's Ruess talks about music and Fun.. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  15. ^ Paramore to tour US with Fun. and Relient K. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  16. ^ "Special Letter From Nate & Live Web Chats with Fun.!". Fun.'s Website. August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  17. ^ Bhamra, Satvir (2010-08-14). "B.o.B and Fun. to join Paramore on UK tour". Amplified.tv. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  18. ^ "Expedia.com commercial featuring "Walking the Dog."!". September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  19. ^ willnoon. "will noon (willnoon) op Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  20. ^ Bhamra, Satvir (2010-11-15). "FREE Download: 'Walking The Dog' (acoustic) by fun". Amplified.tv. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  21. ^ now to post a comment!. "Fun - Carry On (Live @ TCNJ)". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  22. ^ http://www.nylonmag.com/?section=article&parid=7290
  23. ^ "Chevy Sonic "Stunt Anthem"". YouTube. January 27, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  24. ^ http://www.ournameisFun.com/
  25. ^ http://www.ifc.com/fix/2012/02/premiere-fun-some-nights-intro
  26. ^ http://www.billboard.com/news/fun-tastic-we-are-young-tops-hot-100-1006389352.story#/news/fun-tastic-we-are-young-tops-hot-100-1006389352.story
  27. ^ http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/123pibhargjknawdconwecown/event/index.html
  28. ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts#/news/hot-100-fun-makes-digital-sales-history-1006729152.story
  29. ^ a b "Discography Fun". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  30. ^ a b "Discography Fun". charts.org.nz/. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  31. ^ "Discographie Fun". austriancharts.at/. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  32. ^ "Discography Fun". irish-charts.com/. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  33. ^ "Discographie Fun". dutchcharts.nl/. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  34. ^ "Discographie Fun". swedishcharts.com/. Hung Medien. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  35. ^ http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_singles.asp?chart=1U50
  36. ^ "Canadian digital download certifications – Fun. – We Are Young". Music Canada.
  37. ^ http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database
  38. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles: March 26 2012". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
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