LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - AMERICAN DREAM

LCD Soundsystem is an American rock band formed in 2002 in Brooklyn, New York, by James Murphy. Its members include Murphy (vocals and various instruments), Nancy Whang (synthesizer, keyboards and vocals), Pat Mahoney (drums), Tyler Pope (bass, guitar and synthesizer), Al Doyle (guitar, synthesizer and percussion), and Korey Richey (synthesizer, piano and percussion). The band has been signed to Murphy's record label DFA Records since its formation and signed to Columbia Records in 2016. LCD Soundsystem released its debut single, "Losing My Edge", in 2002. Its debut album, "LCD Soundsystem", was released in 2005 and received positive reviews, earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The single "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording. In 2006, the band released "45:33", a 45-minute composition commissioned by Nike as workout music. Its second studio album, "Sound of Silver" (2007), received critical acclaim and another Grammy nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The album "This Is Happening" (2010) became the band's first release to reach the top ten of the US Billboard 200 chart. In 2011, LCD Soundsystem announced its disbandment and performed a farewell concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 2. The concert was documented in the film "Shut Up and Play the Hits" (2012) and the live album "The Long Goodbye" (2014). The band reunited in 2015, releasing the single "Christmas Will Break Your Heart" and resuming touring. Its fifth studio album, "American Dream", was released in 2017 and became the band's first album to reach number one in the United States. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album, while the single "Tonite" won the award for Best Dance Recording. The band subsequently performed a series of concert residencies and released additional singles while working on a sixth studio album. LCD Soundsystem combines live instrumentation with electronic instruments, including analogue synthesizers and drum machines. Its music incorporates elements of post-punk, electronica and dance music. Murphy's lyrics frequently combine irony and sincerity, addressing subjects such as ageing, relationships and change. The band became associated with the hipster subculture of the 2000s. By the time of its disbandment in 2011, it had received widespread critical recognition and was regarded as an influential act in American alternative and dance music. "Sound of Silver" has appeared on numerous publications' lists of notable albums, and in 2013 Rolling Stone included LCD Soundsystem among its "new immortals", a selection of artists expected to remain influential over time. LCD Soundsystem emerged from the New York City post-punk revival scene of the early 2000s. Murphy, who had worked as a producer, co-founded DFA Records and began developing LCD Soundsystem as a musical project. His experience producing music for other artists, including the Rapture, contributed to the project's development. Initially, Murphy was responsible for writing, performing and recording most of the band's music, with Whang contributing backing vocals. He subsequently recruited musicians to perform with him at live shows. The band's debut single, "Losing My Edge", was released in 2002. The track combined electronic rhythms with lyrics examining music scenes, cultural trends and the pursuit of credibility. It was followed by further singles, including "Yeah" and "Tired". The debut album, "LCD Soundsystem", was released in January 2005 and received favourable reviews. It ranked eleventh in the 2005 Pazz & Jop critics' poll. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" became the band's most successful single in the United Kingdom, reaching number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. In December 2005, the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album, while "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" was nominated for Best Dance Recording. LCD Soundsystem also toured with M.I.A. In October 2006, LCD Soundsystem released "45:33", a 45-minute composition commissioned by Nike to accompany running workouts. Murphy initially described the recording as music designed for exercise, although he later explained that he had wanted to create an extended composition inspired by Manuel Göttsching's album "E2-E4" (1984). The band's second studio album, "Sound of Silver", was released on March 20, 2007. It received positive reviews and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The Guardian, Uncut and Drowned in Sound named it their album of the year. Singles from the album included "North American Scum", "All My Friends" and "Someone Great". In September 2007, the band released the EP "A Bunch of Stuff" and toured with Arcade Fire. "Sound of Silver" was nominated for the 2007 Shortlist Music Prize but lost to Feist's album "The Reminder". Time ranked "All My Friends" fourth among its songs of 2007, while Pitchfork placed it second on its list of the best songs of the 2000s. The song's lyrics address ageing, memory and the consequences of past decisions. After touring in support of "Sound of Silver", LCD Soundsystem contributed the song "Big Ideas" to the soundtrack of the 2008 film "21". For Record Store Day in 2009, LCD Soundsystem released a cover of Alan Vega's song "Bye Bye Bayou". In April 2010, the band performed two unannounced shows in New York City at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Webster Hall. Its third studio album, "This Is Happening", was released in May 2010, preceded by promotional singles including "Drunk Girls". Murphy suggested that the album might be the band's last. For Record Store Day in 2010, the band released a limited edition, single-sided 12-inch record featuring the track "Pow Pow". On February 8, 2011, LCD Soundsystem announced that it would disband. Murphy cited a desire to pursue other projects, dissatisfaction with touring and a wish to conclude the band's activities while he remained satisfied with its achievements. He also expressed uncertainty about the band's future recording arrangements and said he did not want to continue the project beyond the age of 40. Tickets for the farewell concert at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2011, sold out within minutes. The performance lasted more than three hours and featured guest appearances by musicians including Reggie Watts and members of Arcade Fire. The concert was documented in the 2012 film "Shut Up and Play the Hits", while the live album "The Long Goodbye" was released in 2014. Following the band's disbandment, Murphy pursued several projects, including film directing, the opening of a wine bar, the development of a mobile DJ sound system with Soulwax, and the production of recordings by other artists. He also contributed to David Bowie's album "Blackstar" (2016) and produced albums for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Arcade Fire. On December 24, 2015, LCD Soundsystem released "Christmas Will Break Your Heart", its first single in five years. In January 2016, the band was announced as a headliner for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and confirmed plans to tour and record a new album. Murphy said he had considered creating a new project but ultimately decided to reunite LCD Soundsystem after consulting the other members. He later cited a conversation with David Bowie as an influence on the decision. The reunion prompted criticism from some fans who believed it undermined the significance of the 2011 farewell concert. Murphy subsequently apologised for underestimating the reaction. On February 13, 2016, LCD Soundsystem signed with Columbia Records. In March, the band performed two shows at Webster Hall in Manhattan, marking its first performances in almost five years. Tickets were distributed through a lottery. During 2016, LCD Soundsystem headlined several music festivals, including Outside Lands, Primavera Sound, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, LouFest, Lollapalooza and WayHome. In August, the band cancelled scheduled performances in Asia and Australia to concentrate on completing its new album. LCD Soundsystem performed its first concert of 2017 at Brooklyn Steel on April 6, debuting several new songs. On May 5, the band released the double A-side single "Call the Police" and "American Dream". It performed both tracks during the May 6 episode of the television programme "Saturday Night Live". The band's fifth studio album, "American Dream", was released on September 1, 2017, through Columbia Records and DFA Records. The album reached number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming LCD Soundsystem's first chart-topping album in the country. It was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, while "Tonite" won Best Dance Recording, marking the band's first Grammy Award win. In 2017, LCD Soundsystem recorded three songs at Electric Lady Studios for a Spotify Singles release, including a cover of Chic's "I Want Your Love". In November of that year, the band released a cover of Heaven 17's "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang". In late 2018, Whang and former band member Gavilán Rayna Russom undertook a DJ tour under the name Ladies of LCD Soundsystem. In February 2019, the band released "Electric Lady Sessions", a live album recorded at Electric Lady Studios. It subsequently entered a hiatus. In 2021, Russom left LCD Soundsystem to concentrate on other projects. From November to December that year, the band performed a 20-date residency at Brooklyn Steel, marking its first live appearances in three years. The band cancelled the final three dates because of rising COVID-19 cases in New York City and offered refunds to ticket holders. The New York residencies subsequently became an annual event. On December 22, 2021, Amazon Music broadcast "The LCD Soundsystem Holiday Special" on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch. The programme combined a sitcom episode, "All My Friends", styled after 1990s television comedies, with a prerecorded performance by the band. Directed by Eric Wareheim, the sitcom featured actors and comedians portraying the musicians, including Wareheim as Murphy, Macaulay Culkin as Mahoney and Christine Ko as Whang. Wareheim said that he and Murphy had been developing the concept for approximately 15 years. Production took place in November and December 2021, with the sitcom filmed in Los Angeles and the musical performance recorded in New York City. In February 2022, LCD Soundsystem appeared as the musical guest on the 47th season of "Saturday Night Live", hosted by John Mulaney. The band performed "Thrills" and "Yr City's a Sucker" from its debut album and appeared in a sketch portraying members of the Guardian Angels. In March, Murphy said the band would focus on live performances rather than releasing a new album that year. Murphy, Whang, Mahoney and Pope also performed with former member Phil Mossman at a DFA Records 20th-anniversary event on March 26. During 2022, LCD Soundsystem undertook a series of concert residencies. These included four shows at Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia in March, four at the Roadrunner in Boston in April, six at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, eight at the Fox Oakland Theatre and Warfield Theatre in the San Francisco Bay Area, and 20 performances at Brooklyn Steel in November and December. The band contributed the song "New Body Rhumba" to the soundtrack of Noah Baumbach's 2022 film "White Noise". Released as a single on September 30, it was the band's first new release since "American Dream". In June 2023, LCD Soundsystem headlined the inaugural Re:SET Concert Series. Murphy and Whang contributed backing vocals to "Dancer", a song by Idles released in October that year. In November and December, LCD Soundsystem undertook the Tri Boro Tour in New York City, performing four shows each at Brooklyn Steel, Terminal 5 and Knockdown Center. On October 22, 2024, LCD Soundsystem released the single "X-Ray Eyes", its first release since "New Body Rhumba". In November, Murphy confirmed that the band was recording a new album. In November and December 2024, the band performed a 12-date residency at Knockdown Center in New York City. In June 2025, LCD Soundsystem performed an eight-night residency at Brixton Academy in London and released an edit of "Home", a track from "This Is Happening", by Tom Sharkett. In November and December 2025, the band played 12 shows at Knockdown Center. In 2026, it toured the United States and Canada with Brooklyn-based band Victoryland. Keith Wood, who managed LCD Soundsystem until 2012, died in April 2026 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. LCD Soundsystem is scheduled to perform 12 shows in New York City in November and December 2026, with the November 30 concert set to mark the 100th performance in its New York residency series. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCD_Soundsystem Studio albums LCD Soundsystem (2005) 45:33: Nike+ Original Run (2006) Sound of Silver (2007) This Is Happening (2010) American Dream (2017) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.