MGMT
Encyclopedia
MGMT is an American alternative rock
band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden
. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio. Formed at Wesleyan University
and originally with Cantora Records
, they signed with Columbia Records
and Red Ink in 2006.
On October 5, 2007, Spin
.com named MGMT "Artist of the Day." On November 14, 2007, Rolling Stone pegged MGMT as a top ten "Artist to Watch" in 2008. The band was named ninth in the BBC
's Sound of 2008 Top Ten Poll. They were also named as Last.fm
's most played new artist of 2008 in their Best of 2008 lists.
MGMT's first album, Oracular Spectacular
, debuted at #12 on the UK album chart and number six on the Australia
n ARIA Charts, and hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
chart. It has also been named the 18th best album of the decade by Rolling Stone magazine. It was named the best album of 2008 by NME
. MGMT also appeared prominently in Australia's Triple J Hottest 100
2008, coming in 2nd with "Electric Feel
", 5th with "Kids
" and 18th with "Time to Pretend
". MGMT was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award
for Best New Artist, and their track "Kids
" was nominated for Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals. These are the first Grammy nominations for the band. At the 2009 Grammy Awards, the Justice
remix of "Electric Feel
" won the Grammy for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. Their second album, Congratulations
, was released on April 13, 2010. In April 2011 they began work on their third album, which will be called MGMT
.
during their freshman year.
"We weren't trying to start a band," remarked Goldwasser. "We were just hanging out, showing each other music that we liked." They experimented with noise rock
and electronica
before settling on what Paco Alvarez of Spin
calls "their current brand of shape-shifting psychedelic pop."
They graduated in 2005 and toured extensively in support of the Time to Pretend EP
, opening for indie rock band Of Montreal
.
The band first started with the name The Management, but since this name was already being used by another band, they later changed it to MGMT.
In the autumn of 2006, Maureen Kenny signed the band to Columbia Records. When they got a phone call from the A&R department of Columbia Records
saying they were interested in their music, they thought it was a joke. The duo recorded with Flaming Lips/Sleater-Kinney
music producer Dave Fridmann
in 2007 for their major label debut, Oracular Spectacular
. MGMT opened for Of Montreal on tour in autumn 2007 as a five-piece touring band including Matthew Asti (bass), James Richardson (drums), and Hank Sullivant (guitar). In November 2007, they performed for the first time in Europe
, supporting the band Samantha and The Courteeners
at Koko in London
, England
. After March 2008, Hank Sullivant left the band to pursue his own band, Kuroma. Will Berman joined as the new drummer, James Richardson switched from drums to guitar, and Matthew Asti remained on bass.
The band supported Radiohead
on the Manchester
date of their world tour and went on a headline tour of the UK during November 2008, playing at venues such as Manchester Academy
and Shepherd's Bush Empire.
MGMT opened for M.I.A.
on the Vassar College
date of her 2008 tour
, and also played several shows with Beck
while he toured in 2008. They appeared at the 2008 and 2009 editions of the Bonnaroo Music Festival
. Bruce Springsteen
was in attendance during their 2009 Bonnaroo late-night set, which followed his headlining appearance on What Stage. They also toured Australia with a headlining spot on the Meredith Music Festival
line-up.
They also played a show at the Virgin Music Festival on the Toronto Islands
on September 6, 2008, playing nine songs off their Oracular Spectacular album. They also played the 2008 Street Scene festival
in San Diego, California
. On February 27, 2009, MGMT performed alongside Spectrum at The Dome in Finsbury Park
. MGMT also played another show in Australia at the 2009 Splendour in the Grass Festival
. MGMT headlined this music festival along with other well known bands such as Bloc Party
, The Flaming Lips
, Happy Mondays
, and Jane's Addiction
.
MGMT opened for Paul McCartney
, an admitted fan, at Fenway Park
in Boston
, Massachusetts
, on August 5 and 6, 2009.
On August 15, 2009, MGMT played in Hamburg
, Germany
, at the Dockville Festival and performed several songs from their upcoming album.
MGMT was one of the headlining bands for the Treasure Island Music Festival on Treasure Island in San Francisco, California, on October 17, 2009.
was released on April 13, 2010. The band, including Matthew Asti, James Richardson, and Will Berman from the live band, spent the summer of 2009 in Malibu, California
, recording the album with Pete Kember (a.k.a. Sonic Boom) — formerly of Spacemen 3
and Spectrum — serving as producer/guru, and long-time friend, Billy Bennett, as engineer.
MGMT originally suggested that they might not release any singles from the album. By July 2010, however, four single releases from the album had been confirmed. The album cover art for Congratulations was created for MGMT by Anthony Ausgang and the overall design of the packaging is by Josh Cheuse of Sony Entertainment. On March 9, 2010, MGMT released the song "Flash Delirium
" for free download on their official website. On March 20, the band allowed users to stream their new album from their website.
MGMT started their Congratulations Tour on April 12, 2010, in San Francisco, California, at The Fillmore
. They performed on April 23 at Brown University
's Spring Weekend; on April 27 at Yale University
's Spring Fling; on April 30 at the University of New Hampshire
's Spring Climax; and on May 1 at Fordham University
's Spring Weekend.
They performed on Saturday Night Live
on April 24, 2010, and on the Late Show With David Letterman
on May 11 to promote their new album, and on June 11, MGMT played their largest headlining show anywhere in the world with a sold-out, 9,500 capacity gig at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
in Morrison
, Colorado
. On June 25, MGMT performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
, and on July 23, they were the musical guests on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
On August 25, MGMT released a music video for "Congratulations", the third video of their second album. MGMT was one of the third tier bands for the 2010 Coachella Festival in Indio, California
. The event draws nearly 120,000 attendees annually. On October 31, 2010, the band performed for the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana
. The band decided to dress as the main characters from Scooby-Doo
for Halloween; Andrew dressed up as Daphne and Ben dressed up as Velma. They headlined at Fun Fun Fun Fest
which was held at Waterloo Park in Austin
, Texas
on November 6, 2010. The performance was the last show in the US for MGMT in 2010. Their first 2011 gig was at Mar del Plata
, Argentina
, in front of a crowd of more than 40,000 on the beach in a free event which they headlined.
MGMT began their first Asian tour on February 22, 2011.
On September 22, 2011 NBC
announced the lineup for the Pink Floyd
Week (26-30) of the show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, with artists including The Shins
, Foo Fighters
, Pearl Jam
, MGMT and Dierks Bentley
, who each night performed classic tracks from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
of the bands, MGMT performed "Lucifer Sam
", off 1967's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
.
(UMP) Party, headed by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy
. The song "Kids
" was used on several occasions without permission (in 2008) at a party conference and in two online videos.
At first, a 1 Euro compensation was offered to the band by the UMP, but MGMT refused that offer. Finally, in April 2009, an amicable settlement was decided and the UMP agreed to pay MGMT around 2'500 Euros for legal fees and 30'000 Euros for copyright piracy, which were donated to an organization that supports copyright law.
, and are featured on one track – "Pursuit of Happiness
" from his album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. For the 2010 MTV VMA's Kid Cudi was nominated for Best Hip-Hop video for "Pursuit of Happiness" a track which features MGMT and Ratatat. They also collaborated on the track "Worm Mountain" on The Flaming Lips
' Embryonic
.
On September 4, 2009, Beck
announced his second Record Club covers album, Songs of Leonard Cohen
. MGMT contributed, alongside Devendra Banhart
, Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother
and Binki Shapiro of Little Joy
. Andrew VanWyngarden chose the album.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope"...
. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio. Formed at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
and originally with Cantora Records
Cantora Records
Cantora Records is a Brooklyn-based independent record label, most notable for signing the psychedelic pop band MGMT and issuing the band's first commercial release, Time to Pretend.-History:...
, they signed with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and Red Ink in 2006.
On October 5, 2007, Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
.com named MGMT "Artist of the Day." On November 14, 2007, Rolling Stone pegged MGMT as a top ten "Artist to Watch" in 2008. The band was named ninth in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Sound of 2008 Top Ten Poll. They were also named as Last.fm
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
's most played new artist of 2008 in their Best of 2008 lists.
MGMT's first album, Oracular Spectacular
Oracular Spectacular
Oracular Spectacular is the first major label studio album by American psychedelic rock band MGMT, released digitally October 2, 2007 on Columbia Records, available in CD & LP formats from January 22, 2008 by Red Ink Records. The album, which has sold over 1 million copies worldwide, was nominated...
, debuted at #12 on the UK album chart and number six on the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n ARIA Charts, and hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. It has also been named the 18th best album of the decade by Rolling Stone magazine. It was named the best album of 2008 by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. MGMT also appeared prominently in Australia's Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100
The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs...
2008, coming in 2nd with "Electric Feel
Electric Feel
-Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result...
", 5th with "Kids
Kids (MGMT song)
"Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party...
" and 18th with "Time to Pretend
Time to Pretend
-Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone...
". MGMT was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best New Artist, and their track "Kids
Kids (MGMT song)
"Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party...
" was nominated for Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals. These are the first Grammy nominations for the band. At the 2009 Grammy Awards, the Justice
Justice (French band)
Justice is a French electronic music duo consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay . The duo is one of the most successful groups on Ed Banger Records and is managed by the label's head, Pedro Winter...
remix of "Electric Feel
Electric Feel
-Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result...
" won the Grammy for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. Their second album, Congratulations
Congratulations (album)
The album received mostly positive reviews upon its release, and a 72/100 metascore at Metacritic, based upon 39 reviews. Pitchfork Media deemed the album "audacious, ambitious, and a little fried." NME got a first listen of the album and described it as a mix of "frenetic, brief psych nuggets......
, was released on April 13, 2010. In April 2011 they began work on their third album, which will be called MGMT
MGMT (album)
MGMT is the self-titled forthcoming third album by American psychedelic rock band MGMT.-History:On September 27, 2010, an interview article in Spin quoted them as saying that they will have less freedom on this album, claiming that Columbia was not happy with the reception of the band's second...
.
Formation (circa 2002–2006)
Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden formed the band while attending Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
during their freshman year.
"We weren't trying to start a band," remarked Goldwasser. "We were just hanging out, showing each other music that we liked." They experimented with noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
and electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
before settling on what Paco Alvarez of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
calls "their current brand of shape-shifting psychedelic pop."
They graduated in 2005 and toured extensively in support of the Time to Pretend EP
Time to Pretend EP
-Quotes:"MGMT finally forayed with their first single, 'Time to Pretend' -- an understated anthem among inhabitants of Athens." – Julia Norman...
, opening for indie rock band Of Montreal
Of Montreal
Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
.
The band first started with the name The Management, but since this name was already being used by another band, they later changed it to MGMT.
Oracular Spectacular (2007–2009)
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
saying they were interested in their music, they thought it was a joke. The duo recorded with Flaming Lips/Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
music producer Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. From 1990 onwards he co-produced all releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips...
in 2007 for their major label debut, Oracular Spectacular
Oracular Spectacular
Oracular Spectacular is the first major label studio album by American psychedelic rock band MGMT, released digitally October 2, 2007 on Columbia Records, available in CD & LP formats from January 22, 2008 by Red Ink Records. The album, which has sold over 1 million copies worldwide, was nominated...
. MGMT opened for Of Montreal on tour in autumn 2007 as a five-piece touring band including Matthew Asti (bass), James Richardson (drums), and Hank Sullivant (guitar). In November 2007, they performed for the first time in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, supporting the band Samantha and The Courteeners
The Courteeners
The Courteeners are a rock band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England in 2006 by Liam Fray , Michael Campbell , Daniel Conan Moores , Mark Cuppello -Formation:...
at Koko in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After March 2008, Hank Sullivant left the band to pursue his own band, Kuroma. Will Berman joined as the new drummer, James Richardson switched from drums to guitar, and Matthew Asti remained on bass.
The band supported Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
on the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
date of their world tour and went on a headline tour of the UK during November 2008, playing at venues such as Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy is a brand name used by the University of Manchester Students' Union for its four concert venues in Manchester, England, which reside on Oxford Road both within and adjacent to the main Students' Union building....
and Shepherd's Bush Empire.
MGMT opened for M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
on the Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
date of her 2008 tour
People Vs. Money Tour
The People vs. Money Tour was a 2008 M.I.A. concert tour in support of her studio album Kala. Concerts also featured songs from her debut album Arular. It began on 26 April 2008 and ended on June 13 in Manchester, Tennessee....
, and also played several shows with Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
while he toured in 2008. They appeared at the 2008 and 2009 editions of the Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo Music Festival
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual four day music festival created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, held at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It hosted its tenth annual event June 9–12, 2011...
. Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
was in attendance during their 2009 Bonnaroo late-night set, which followed his headlining appearance on What Stage. They also toured Australia with a headlining spot on the Meredith Music Festival
Meredith Music Festival
The Meredith Music Festival is a three-day outdoor music festival held every December at the Supernatural Amphitheatre, a natural amphitheatre located on private farmland near the town of Meredith in Victoria, Australia...
line-up.
They also played a show at the Virgin Music Festival on the Toronto Islands
Toronto Islands
The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Ontario. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour...
on September 6, 2008, playing nine songs off their Oracular Spectacular album. They also played the 2008 Street Scene festival
Street Scene (San Diego music festival)
Street Scene was a music festival that was held each summer in San Diego, California from 1984 to 2009. Street Scene was one of America's largest annual music festivals, growing to include over 70 musical acts covering different musical genres and styles on multiple stages.-History:Beginning in...
in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. On February 27, 2009, MGMT performed alongside Spectrum at The Dome in Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
. MGMT also played another show in Australia at the 2009 Splendour in the Grass Festival
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
. MGMT headlined this music festival along with other well known bands such as Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
, The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
, and Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
.
MGMT opened for Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, an admitted fan, at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, on August 5 and 6, 2009.
On August 15, 2009, MGMT played in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, at the Dockville Festival and performed several songs from their upcoming album.
MGMT was one of the headlining bands for the Treasure Island Music Festival on Treasure Island in San Francisco, California, on October 17, 2009.
Congratulations (2010–present)
MGMT's CongratulationsCongratulations (album)
The album received mostly positive reviews upon its release, and a 72/100 metascore at Metacritic, based upon 39 reviews. Pitchfork Media deemed the album "audacious, ambitious, and a little fried." NME got a first listen of the album and described it as a mix of "frenetic, brief psych nuggets......
was released on April 13, 2010. The band, including Matthew Asti, James Richardson, and Will Berman from the live band, spent the summer of 2009 in Malibu, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, recording the album with Pete Kember (a.k.a. Sonic Boom) — formerly of Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
and Spectrum — serving as producer/guru, and long-time friend, Billy Bennett, as engineer.
MGMT originally suggested that they might not release any singles from the album. By July 2010, however, four single releases from the album had been confirmed. The album cover art for Congratulations was created for MGMT by Anthony Ausgang and the overall design of the packaging is by Josh Cheuse of Sony Entertainment. On March 9, 2010, MGMT released the song "Flash Delirium
Flash Delirium
"Flash Delirium" is a song released by the American psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second album Congratulations. It was the first single to be released from the album and was originally referred to as a "taster" before the band abandoned their original plan to not release any singles from...
" for free download on their official website. On March 20, the band allowed users to stream their new album from their website.
MGMT started their Congratulations Tour on April 12, 2010, in San Francisco, California, at The Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
. They performed on April 23 at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
's Spring Weekend; on April 27 at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
's Spring Fling; on April 30 at the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
's Spring Climax; and on May 1 at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
's Spring Weekend.
They performed on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on April 24, 2010, and on the Late Show With David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on May 11 to promote their new album, and on June 11, MGMT played their largest headlining show anywhere in the world with a sold-out, 9,500 capacity gig at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
in Morrison
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. On June 25, MGMT performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
, and on July 23, they were the musical guests on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
On August 25, MGMT released a music video for "Congratulations", the third video of their second album. MGMT was one of the third tier bands for the 2010 Coachella Festival in Indio, California
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
. The event draws nearly 120,000 attendees annually. On October 31, 2010, the band performed for the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The band decided to dress as the main characters from Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
for Halloween; Andrew dressed up as Daphne and Ben dressed up as Velma. They headlined at Fun Fun Fun Fest
Fun Fun Fun Fest
Fun Fun Fun Fest is an annual music festival held in Austin, Texas. Started in 2006, the festival brings together many progressive and underground musicians with a focus on indie rock, punk rock/hardcore, and hip hop/DJ....
which was held at Waterloo Park in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on November 6, 2010. The performance was the last show in the US for MGMT in 2010. Their first 2011 gig was at Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in front of a crowd of more than 40,000 on the beach in a free event which they headlined.
MGMT began their first Asian tour on February 22, 2011.
On September 22, 2011 NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
announced the lineup for the Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
Week (26-30) of the show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, with artists including The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...
, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, MGMT and Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
, who each night performed classic tracks from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
of the bands, MGMT performed "Lucifer Sam
Lucifer Sam
"Lucifer Sam" is a song by British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, featured on the debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn .-Music and lyrics:...
", off 1967's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut album by the English rock group Pink Floyd, and the only one made under founding member Syd Barrett's leadership. The album contains whimsical lyrics about space, scarecrows, gnomes, bicycles and fairy tales, along with psychedelic instrumental songs...
.
Legal proceedings
In January 2009, MGMT demanded compensation from the Union for a Popular MovementUnion for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(UMP) Party, headed by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. The song "Kids
Kids (MGMT song)
"Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party...
" was used on several occasions without permission (in 2008) at a party conference and in two online videos.
At first, a 1 Euro compensation was offered to the band by the UMP, but MGMT refused that offer. Finally, in April 2009, an amicable settlement was decided and the UMP agreed to pay MGMT around 2'500 Euros for legal fees and 30'000 Euros for copyright piracy, which were donated to an organization that supports copyright law.
Albums
- Oracular SpectacularOracular SpectacularOracular Spectacular is the first major label studio album by American psychedelic rock band MGMT, released digitally October 2, 2007 on Columbia Records, available in CD & LP formats from January 22, 2008 by Red Ink Records. The album, which has sold over 1 million copies worldwide, was nominated...
(2007) - CongratulationsCongratulations (album)The album received mostly positive reviews upon its release, and a 72/100 metascore at Metacritic, based upon 39 reviews. Pitchfork Media deemed the album "audacious, ambitious, and a little fried." NME got a first listen of the album and described it as a mix of "frenetic, brief psych nuggets......
(2010) - MGMTMGMT (album)MGMT is the self-titled forthcoming third album by American psychedelic rock band MGMT.-History:On September 27, 2010, an interview article in Spin quoted them as saying that they will have less freedom on this album, claiming that Columbia was not happy with the reception of the band's second...
(2012)
Extended plays
- We (Don't) CareWe (Don't) CareWe Care was the first release by the rock band MGMT . Newer versions of the tracks "Love Always Remains" and "Kids" were later released on MGMT's Cantora Records release Time to Pretend EP and additional versions of "Kids" appear on both their major-label debut Oracular Spectacular and their...
(2004) (As The Management) - Time to Pretend (2005)
Live albums
- Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie, chaton?Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie, chaton?Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie, chaton? , is the third EP released by MGMT, and their first live release.In October 2010, MGMT gave three concerts in Paris at the Bataclan...
(2010) - We Hear of Love, of Youth, and of DisillusionmentWe Hear of Love, of Youth, and of DisillusionmentWe Hear of Love, of Youth, and of Disillusionment is a Daytrotter session recorded at the first Moogfest in Asheville, North Carolina. It contains a cover of "Only a Shadow", a song originally performed by The Cleaners from Venus...
(2011)
Compilation albums
- Congratulations RemixesCongratulations RemixesCongratulations remixes is an EP which includes remixes of 3 tracks from the MGMT release Congratulations.The EP is available as digital download now at iTunes and Amazon.-Description:...
(2011) - Late Night Tales: MGMTLate Night Tales: MGMT-Personnel:*Andrew VanWyngarden – compiled by, producer*Ben Goldwasser – compiled by, producer-Release history:-External links:**...
(2011)
Singles
- "Time to PretendTime to Pretend-Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone...
" (2008) - "Electric FeelElectric Feel-Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result...
" (2008) - "MetanoiaMetanoia (song)"Metanoia" is the special limited edition single release that was originally a b-side on MGMT's debut CD single "Time to Pretend". It was released August 18, 2008, available in 10" etched vinyl....
" (2008) - "KidsKids (MGMT song)"Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party...
" (2008) - "Flash DeliriumFlash Delirium"Flash Delirium" is a song released by the American psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second album Congratulations. It was the first single to be released from the album and was originally referred to as a "taster" before the band abandoned their original plan to not release any singles from...
" (2010) - "Siberian BreaksSiberian Breaks"Siberian Breaks" is a song released by psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second studio album, Congratulations. It is the longest track on the album and MGMT's second longest song to date, clocking in a minute and a half behind "Metanoia." Andrew VanWyngarden has said that Siberian Breaks is his...
" (2010) - "It's WorkingIt's Working-Music video:MGMT says in a interview for Pitchfork about the song: "We just shot the coolest video in Paris with director So Me [Justice's "D.A.N.C.E."] for 'It's Working'. In it, Ben and I find this box and these instructions to put together a machine that's constantly changing, and we end up...
" (2010) - "CongratulationsCongratulations (MGMT song)"Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations....
" (2010)
Appearances
- "Pursuit of HappinessPursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi song)"Pursuit of Happiness" is the third official single of Kid Cudi's debut studio album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, it features vocals by neo-psychedelic act MGMT. The song was produced by Ratatat. The final version of the song was premiered on September 4, 2009 on the DJ Semtex BBC Radio 1 show...
" - Kid CudiKid CudiScott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
(2009) - "Worm Mountain" - Flaming Lips (2009)
- "Amazing BabyAmazing BabyAmazing Baby is an American indie rock band based in Brooklyn, New York in 2008. The band began as an after-work collaboration between Will Roan, Will Berman and Simon O'Connor, who had known one another from the Brooklyn music scene, and who were working at the same ringtone company.The band's...
" - RewildRewildRewild is the debut album by Amazing Baby and it was released on June 22, 2009. The album received a varied response from critics, and did not chart in either Europe or the United States.-Track listing:#"Bayonets"#"Invisible Palace"#"Kankra"...
(2009) (Only Ben Goldwasser) - "Art is Everywhere" - Yo Gabba Gabba!Yo Gabba Gabba!Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís...
(2010) - "Call From The Bank" - Nipsey HussleNipsey HussleErmias Asghedome , better known by his stage name Nipsey Hussle. He is a Westcoast rapper from Los Angeles, California.-Music career:...
(2010) - "Mona Lisa" - Atlas SoundAtlas SoundBradford James Cox is an American musician best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic and ambient band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released...
(2011) (Only Andrew VanWyngardenAndrew VanWyngardenAndrew VanWyngarden is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope"...
)
Television
| Year | Show | Episode | Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | National Heads-Up Poker Championship National Heads-Up Poker Championship -2006:- 2007 :-2008:In additional to the poker professionals, several poker-playing celebrities from other fields were invited: Gabe Kaplan, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Alexander and Orel Hershiser. Also invited was Alisha Kunze of Greensburg, Indiana, who won her seat... |
"Time to Pretend Time to Pretend -Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone... " |
|
| Skins Skins (TV series) Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death... |
"Everyone" | ||
| 90210 90210 (TV series) 90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS... |
"We're Not in Kansas Anymore" | ||
| Gossip Girl Gossip Girl Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite... |
"Much 'I Do' About Nothing" | ||
| 2009 | "The Grandfather" | "Kids Kids (MGMT song) "Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party... " |
|
| The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L. J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth... |
"Pilot episode" | ||
| The Beautiful Life The Beautiful Life The Beautiful Life: TBL is an American television drama series, which ran on The CW from September 16, 2009 to September 23, 2009. The series starred Mischa Barton, Elle Macpherson, Sara Paxton and Corbin Bleu. It revolved around a group of male and female models sharing a residence in New York City... |
"Pilot episode" | "Time to Pretend Time to Pretend -Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone... " |
|
| Yo Gabba Gabba | Art | "Art is Everywhere" | |
| 2010 | Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... |
Season 35, Episode 20 | "Flash Delirium Flash Delirium "Flash Delirium" is a song released by the American psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second album Congratulations. It was the first single to be released from the album and was originally referred to as a "taster" before the band abandoned their original plan to not release any singles from... ", "Brian Eno" |
| Late Show with David Letterman Late Show with David Letterman Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is... |
Season 17, May 11 | "Flash Delirium Flash Delirium "Flash Delirium" is a song released by the American psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second album Congratulations. It was the first single to be released from the album and was originally referred to as a "taster" before the band abandoned their original plan to not release any singles from... ", "Destrokk", "The Youth", "Electric Feel Electric Feel -Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result... ", "It's Working It's Working -Music video:MGMT says in a interview for Pitchfork about the song: "We just shot the coolest video in Paris with director So Me [Justice's "D.A.N.C.E."] for 'It's Working'. In it, Ben and I find this box and these instructions to put together a machine that's constantly changing, and we end up... ", "The Handshake", "Song For Dan Treacy", "Time to Pretend Time to Pretend -Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone... ", "Congratulations Congratulations (MGMT song) "Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations.... ", "Brian Eno" |
|
| Radio 1's Big Weekend | 1 episode, 2010 | "Time to Pretend Time to Pretend -Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone... " |
|
| The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup... |
1 episode, 2010 | "It's Working It's Working -Music video:MGMT says in a interview for Pitchfork about the song: "We just shot the coolest video in Paris with director So Me [Justice's "D.A.N.C.E."] for 'It's Working'. In it, Ben and I find this box and these instructions to put together a machine that's constantly changing, and we end up... " |
|
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager The Secret Life of the American Teenager The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009... |
Season 3 Episode 5 "Which Way Did She Go?" | "Kids Kids (MGMT song) "Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party... " |
|
| Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman.... |
Episode #1.271, 2010 | "It's Working It's Working -Music video:MGMT says in a interview for Pitchfork about the song: "We just shot the coolest video in Paris with director So Me [Justice's "D.A.N.C.E."] for 'It's Working'. In it, Ben and I find this box and these instructions to put together a machine that's constantly changing, and we end up... ", "Congratulations Congratulations (MGMT song) "Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations.... " |
|
| Chuck Chuck (TV series) Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central... |
Season 3 Episode: Chuck VS. The Subway | "Congratulations Congratulations (MGMT song) "Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations.... " |
|
| American Dad! American Dad! American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television... |
Season 6 Episode: Son of Stan | "Electric Feel Electric Feel -Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result... " |
|
| Jimmy Kimmel Live Jimmy Kimmel Live Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios... |
"Congratulations Congratulations (MGMT song) "Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations.... ", "The Handshake" |
||
| The World's Strictest Parents The World's Strictest Parents The World's Strictest Parents is a television series developed by TwentyTwenty Television, originally broadcast in Britain by the BBC. America's CMT and Australia's Channel Seven have both created localised versions of the programme, with the CMT episodes frequently rebroadcasting on MTV... |
Season 3 Episode: 8 | "Electric Feel Electric Feel -Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result... ", "Weekend Wars" |
|
| 2011 | Orange Slovensko Orange Slovensko Orange Slovensko is a member of the global communications group Orange. The Orange Group operates in 19 countries of the world and currently serves almost 172 million customers.... |
"advertisement" | "Kids Kids (MGMT song) "Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party... " |
| Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman.... |
Episode 512 | Lucifer Sam Lucifer Sam "Lucifer Sam" is a song by British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, featured on the debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn .-Music and lyrics:... , off 1967 Pink Floyd Pink Floyd Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially... 's album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn The Piper at the Gates of Dawn The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut album by the English rock group Pink Floyd, and the only one made under founding member Syd Barrett's leadership. The album contains whimsical lyrics about space, scarecrows, gnomes, bicycles and fairy tales, along with psychedelic instrumental songs... . |
|
| "Beavis and Butt-head Beavis and Butt-Head Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997... " |
"Werewolves of Highland Werewolves of Highland "Werewolves of Highland" is the first episode of Season 8 and 201st episode overall of the American animated television series Beavis and Butt-head. It is notable for being the first episode of the series' revival after its initial cancellation in 1997... " |
"Kids Kids (MGMT song) "Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party... " |
Movies
| Year | Movie | Song | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | How to Lose Friends and Alienate People How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (film) How to Lose Friends & Alienate People is a 2008 British comedy film based upon British writer Toby Young's 2001 memoir of the same name. The film follows a similar storyline, about his five year struggle to make it in the United States after employment at Sharps Magazine... |
"Time to Pretend" | |
| Sex Drive Sex Drive (film) Sex Drive is a 2008 sex comedy film about a high school graduate who goes on a cross-country road trip to hook up with a girl he met online. It is based on the novel All the Way, by Andy Behrens. The film was directed by Sean Anders, and stars Josh Zuckerman, Clark Duke, Amanda Crew, and Katrina... |
|||
| American Teen American Teen American Teen is a 2008 documentary film directed by Nanette Burstein and produced by 57th & Irving. It competed in the Documentary Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Directing Award: Documentary... |
"Kids" | ||
| That's It, That's All | |||
| 21 21 (2008 film) 21 is a 2008 drama film directed by Australian director Robert Luketic and stars Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, and Aaron Yoo. The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team as told in Bringing Down the House, the... |
"Time to Pretend", "Kids" | ||
| 2009 | Reasons | "Kids" | |
| Double Decade | |||
| Whip It | |||
| The Heart is a Drum Machine | |||
| The Drifter | "Pieces of What" | ||
| 2010 | Alice In Wonderland Alice in Wonderland (2010 film) Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 American computer-animated/live action fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and released by Walt Disney Pictures... |
"Time to Pretend" | Only in early trailers |
| Wah Do Dem | |||
| The Kids Are All Right The Kids Are All Right (film) The Kids Are All Right is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Lisa Cholodenko and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.One of Sundance 2010's breakout hits, it opened in limited release on July 9, 2010, expanding to more theaters on July 30, 2010. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray... |
"The Youth" | ||
| Inside Job Inside Job (film) Inside Job is a 2010 documentary film about the late-2000s financial crisis directed by Charles H. Ferguson. The film is described by Ferguson as being about "the systemic corruption of the United States by the financial services industry and the consequences of that systemic corruption." In five... |
"Congratulations" Congratulations (MGMT song) "Congratulations" is the fourth single released from the album Congratulations by MGMT, released as a music video on August 25, 2010.Sonic Boom commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "The Half-arsed Hugs of routine celebrations.... |
Documentaries
| Year | Documentary | Song | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Tapped | "Kids" |
Video games
| Year | Name | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Midnight Club: Los Angeles Midnight Club: Los Angeles Midnight Club: Los Angeles is the fourth video game in the Midnight Club series of racing video games, not including Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. It was officially announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 11, 2008 by Rockstar Games. The game was developed by Rockstar San Diego... |
"Electric Feel (Justice Remix)" |
| 2009 | Tony Hawk: Ride | "Electric Feel" |
| NBA 2K10 NBA 2K10 NBA 2K10 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on October 6, 2009 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PSP and on October 12, 2009 on PC. It was released on Wii on November 9, 2009 in... |
||
| FIFA 09 FIFA 09 FIFA 09 is the 2008 installment of Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released in October 2008 for Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii,... |
"Kids" | |
| Shaun White Snowboarding Shaun White Snowboarding Shaun White Snowboarding is a sports video game for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 systems. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 14, 2008... |
"Time to Pretend", "Of Moons, Birds, & Monsters" | |
| NHL 2K10 NHL 2K10 NHL 2K10 is an ice hockey simulation developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, part of the NHL 2K series. It was released on September 15, 2009 for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2. Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda provide commentary as they did for NHL 2K9... |
"Time to Pretend" | |
| 2010 | FIFA 11 FIFA 11 FIFA 11 is the 18th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label... |
"Flash Delirium" |
| 2011 | MLB 11: The Show MLB 11: The Show MLB 11: The Show is a Major League Baseball video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Sony San Diego. The game was released on March 8, 2011 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2... |
"Congratulations" |
Collaborations
They have recently collaborated with up-and-coming rapper Kid CudiKid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
, and are featured on one track – "Pursuit of Happiness
Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi song)
"Pursuit of Happiness" is the third official single of Kid Cudi's debut studio album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, it features vocals by neo-psychedelic act MGMT. The song was produced by Ratatat. The final version of the song was premiered on September 4, 2009 on the DJ Semtex BBC Radio 1 show...
" from his album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. For the 2010 MTV VMA's Kid Cudi was nominated for Best Hip-Hop video for "Pursuit of Happiness" a track which features MGMT and Ratatat. They also collaborated on the track "Worm Mountain" on The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
' Embryonic
Embryonic
Embryonic received general acclaim from critics upon release, garnering a 81/100 critic score on Metacritic. The New Musical Express noted that "ten years after their last masterpiece, The Flaming Lips have finally produced another one," while Paste Magazine described the record as "a wonderfully...
.
On September 4, 2009, Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
announced his second Record Club covers album, Songs of Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album of Canadian musician Leonard Cohen. It foreshadowed the future path of his career, with less success in the United States and far better in Europe, reaching #83 on the Billboard chart but achieving gold status only in 1989, while it reached #13 in UK and...
. MGMT contributed, alongside Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart
Devendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
, Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
and Binki Shapiro of Little Joy
Little Joy
Little Joy is a Brazilian/American rock band formed in 2007 by Los Hermanos singer/guitarist Rodrigo Amarante, The Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti and Binki Shapiro. Amarante and Moretti met in 2006, at a festival in Lisbon where both their bands were performing, and the idea came up to start a...
. Andrew VanWyngarden chose the album.
Band members
- Andrew VanWyngardenAndrew VanWyngardenAndrew VanWyngarden is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope"...
– lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drums (2002–present) - Benjamin GoldwasserBenjamin GoldwasserBenjamin 'Beno' 'Kittens' Goldwasser is a lyricist and musician in the psychedelic rock band MGMT, for which he primarily plays keyboards and sings. In 2009, his song "Electric Feel" , remixed by Justice, won a Grammy Award in the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category...
– vocals, keyboards, guitar (2002–present) - Matthew Asti – bass guitar (2008–present)
- James Richardson – lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, percussion (2008–present)
- Will Berman – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2005, 2008–present)
External links
- MGMT, "Congratulations" by BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...