Peter Bjorn and John

Peter Bjorn and John

Peter Bjorn and John performing at Coachella in 2007
Background information
Also known as P,B & J
Origin Stockholm, Sweden
Genres Indie pop, indie rock,[1] neo-psychedelia, psychedelic rock
Years active 1999–present
Labels INGRID, Warner Sweden, Kobalt Label Services
Associated acts Shout Out Louds, The Concretes, Taken by Trees, Victoria Bergsman, INGRID, Drake, LIV, Miike Snow
Website peterbjornandjohn.com
Members Peter Morén
Björn Yttling
John Eriksson

Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie pop/rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Björn Yttling (bass guitar, keyboards and vocals) and John Eriksson, known in his solo work as Hortlax Cobra (drums, percussion and vocals). Yttling also worked as producer for the band's first four albums.

They are best known for the 2006 single "Young Folks", which featured Victoria Bergsman, formerly of The Concretes, and was a top 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart, as well as being featured in football video game FIFA 08, the singing game Lips, as the school project in the film Bandslam, as the opening track in the pilot episode of Gossip Girl and the theme tune to British Television adverts for Homebase store and Air New Zealand "Safety Safari" surfing video. It was also named NME's second-best track of 2006, beaten by "Over and Over" by Hot Chip.[2] In Australia it was voted number 16 in the annual Triple J Hottest 100 for 2006.

History

Formation: 1997–2000

Morén and Yttling began playing music with each other while in school. They shared an interest in bands such as The Stone Roses and Ride. They are influenced by, but not interested in replicating, classic '60s baroque pop, power pop and new wave.[3] Their first band disbanded after they moved to Stockholm, where they met Eriksson in 1999 to form Peter, Björn and John. Their first gig was an unsuccessful one aboard a boat in Stockholm. Their expectations were not high from the start, as they "just wanted to make good music for [their] own amusement".[4] Lars Skoglund of the band Laakso has filled in for the band on drums and played bongos during some live shows.

First years: 2001–2005

After releasing the Forbidden Chords EP and a pair of singles ("Failing and Passing" and "I Don't Know What I Want Us to Do"), the band released its self-titled first album in 2002 on the tiny Beat That! label. After more shows, more EPs (People They Know, 100m of Hurdles), and another single ("See Through"), the group jumped to the Planekonomi label in 2004 and released the Beats, Traps and Backgrounds EP. It was soon followed by the 2004 album Falling Out, which was picked up for American release by Hidden Adenda in late 2005.[5]

Mainstream success: 2006–present

The band's third album, Writer's Block (2006), followed a year later and became a minor international hit. The video to their song "Young Folks" was animated and directed by Ted Malmros from Shout Out Louds.[6]

After completing various tours in support of Writer's Block, the band focused on other projects before coming together to record and release a largely instrumental album, Seaside Rock, in the autumn of 2008. Living Thing, the band's darker, more experimental fourth full-length album, was released several months later in early 2009. Peter, Bjorn and John played Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago.[7] In 2011, Peter Bjorn and John returned to their melodic pop roots with the decidedly more accessible Gimme Some. The band also opened up for Depeche Mode during their Tour of the Universe.[5] Gimme Some's second single "Second Chance" is heard prominently in advertising for the American light beer Bud Light and as the theme song for the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls.

The three band members are also founding members of the Swedish artist collective and record label INGRID. The band soon revealed that work had commenced on their seventh album, but were hit by creative setbacks.[8] In April 2015, Peter Bjorn and John released their first new music in four years with one-off single "High Up (Take Me to the Top)" on INGRID Volym 2, a Record Store Day exclusive double-LP of which there are only 500 copies.[9] In July of the same year, the band debuted two new songs on NPR,[10] before officially announcing forthcoming LP Breakin' Point much later on March 11, 2016, along with promotional single "What You Talking About."[11] Rolling Stone said of the single: "The band also unveiled the album's first single "What You Talking About?," an infectious slice of synth-heavy indie pop." The album is set to be released in June 2016. The album's first lead single (bearing the same name as the album), "Breakin' Point" was released on March 24, 2016 following being premiered by Zane Lowe on Apple's Beats 1 Radio as the World Record.

Collaborations and solo work

Peter, Bjorn and John also collaborated with Canadian-born Actor and Hip Hop star Drake on his 2009 mixtape, So Far Gone, on the song "Let's Call It Off." Many rappers like Wale, GZA and 88 Keys collaborated on Re-Living Thing, a remix of Living Thing, released on 8 September 2009 by Mick Boogie.

Morén has released three solo albums. On 8 April 2008 he released a solo album in English, The Last Tycoon on the Wichita Recordings and Quarterstick Records labels.[12][13][14] In 2010, he released a solo album in Swedish, I Spåren Av Tåren. Most recently he released the more political Pyramiden, influenced by modern indie, new wave, and the formation of the artistic collective INGRID, of which he is a founding member.

Björn Yttling has previously worked on jazz music and as a member of INGRID has collaborated in bands such as 'Smile' as well as pursuing his solo work as 'Yttling Jazz'. John Eriksson, having previously released three EPs under the name, has continued as a member of INGRID to work under the name Hortlax Cobra releasing experimental electronic music. His first album, 'Night Shift', was released on the collective's record label in 2012. He is currently reported to be working on his second album, '1984'. He is also a member of the INGRID project Starlight Serenaders.

The group collaborated with producer Claptone, providing vocals on the track "Puppet Theatre". The song is the first single on the album Charmer released October 2015.[15]

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions
SWE
[16]		 BEL
(FL)
[17]		 IRL
[18]		 UK
[19]		 US
Indie
[20]		 US
[20]
Peter Bjorn and John — — — — — —
Falling Out
  • Label: Planekonomi, Hidden Agenda
  • Released: 4 October 2004
  • Formats: CD, download[23]
 — — — — — —
Writer's Block — 90 26 68 14 155
Seaside Rock
  • Label: Almost Gold, Startime
  • Released: 23 September 2008
  • Formats: LP, CD, download[25]
 — — — — — —
Living Thing
  • Label: Wichita, Startime
  • Released: 30 March 2009
  • Formats: LP, CD, download[26]
 — — — 162 7 92
Gimme Some
  • Label: Cooking Vinyl, Startime
  • Released: 28 March 2011
  • Formats: LP, CD, download[27]
 49 — — — 20 109
Breakin' Point — — — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EPs

Year EP Peak chart positions
SWE[16]
2001 Forbidden Chords —
2003 100 m of Hurdles —
2003 (I Just Wanna) See Through/Say Something Else (with Spearmint) —
2004 Beats Traps and Backgrounds 45
2006 Young Folks The Remixes —
2009 It Don't Move Me —
2016 Dominos —

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[28]		 BEL
(FL)
[17]		 BEL
(WA)
[29]		 CAN
[30]		 FIN
[31]		 GER
[32]		 IRE
[18]		 JPN
[33]		 NED
[34]		 UK
[19]		 US
[35]		 US Alt
[35]		 US Dance
[35]
2002 "Failing and Passing" — — — — — — — — — — — — — Peter Bjorn and John
2002 "I Don't Know What I Want Us To Do" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2003 "People They Know" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2005 "Teen Love" — — — — — — — — — — — — — Falling Out
"Tailormade" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2006 "Young Folks" 42 52 57 33 9 31 24 — 75 13 110[A] 22 19 Writer's Block
"Let's Call It Off" — — — — — — — — — 130 — — —
2007 "Objects of My Affection" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2009 "Nothing to Worry About" — — — — — — — 32 — 139 — — — Living Thing
"Lay It Down" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"It Don't Move Me" — — — — — — — — — — —[B] — 10
2011 "Breaker Breaker"[36] — — — — — — — — — — — — — Gimme Some
"Second Chance" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Dig a Little Deeper" /
"What I Could Do If I Wanted To"[37]		 — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"May Seem Macabre" — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2016 "What You Talking About" — —[C] — — — — — — — — — — — Breakin' Point
"Breakin' Point" — — —[D] — — — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Other Charting Songs

Year Song US
Rock
[35]		 Album
2011 "Eyes" 48 Gimme Some
"—" denotes singles that did not chart, have not charted yet, or were not released.

Notes

  • A. ^ "Young Folks" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension to the Hot 100.[35]
  • B. ^ "It Don't Move Me" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 24 on the Hot Singles Sales chart.[35]
  • C. ^ "What You Talking About?" did not enter the Ultratop chart, but entered the Ultratop "extra tips" chart.[17]
  • D. ^ "Breakin' Point" did not enter the Ultratop chart, but entered the Ultratop "extra tips" chart.[29]

Other contributions

References

  1. ↑ Tim Sendra. "Peter Bjorn and John". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "NME 2006 Poll". NME.com (2006). Retrieved 20 January 2007.
  3. ↑ Sendra, Tim. "Peter, Bjorn and John: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  4. ↑ PBS 106.7FM - Real Radio - Peter, Bjorn And John Q&A
  5. 1 2 "AOL - News, Sports, Weather, Entertainment, Local & Lifestyle". AOL.com. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Peter Björn and John official website". 2007-02-08. Last accessed April 21, 2007.
  7. ↑ "Lollapalooza interview". Roxwel. August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  8. ↑ http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/in_the_studio_peter_bjorn_and_john_on_their_next_album/
  9. ↑ http://www.transversomedia.com/articles//peter-bjorn-and-john-high-up-take-me-to-the-top?rq=peter%20bjorn
  10. ↑ http://www.transversomedia.com/articles//peter-bjorn-and-john-debut-new-song-do-si-do-on-nprs-world-cafe?rq=peter%20bjorn%20john
  11. ↑ http://www.transversomedia.com/articles//what-you-talking-about-peter-bjorn-and-john-finally-return-with-new-single-album-announcement
  12. ↑ Marc Hawthorne (April 7, 2008). "Social Competence by Peter Moren". www.avclub.com. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1340539
  14. ↑ Pitchfork: Peter Moren's "The Last Tycoon" Tracklist Revealed
  15. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/6648299/claptone-announces-debut-album-charmer-premieres-first-track-puppet
  16. 1 2 "Discography Peter Bjorn and John". Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 "Discografie Peter Bjorn and John". Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  18. 1 2 "Irish Charts". irishcharts.com.
  19. 1 2 Peak chart positions for albums and singles in the United Kingdom:
  20. 1 2 For Writer's Block: "Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn and John : Awards : AllMusic". Retrieved March 23, 2013. For Living Thing: "Living Thing - Peter Bjorn and John : Awards : AllMusic". Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  21. 1 2 "Peter Bjorn and John - MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 10 YEARS SINCE FIRST ALBUM!! ETC!!Peter Bjorn and John". peterbjornandjohn.com. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Peter Bjorn and John - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  23. ↑ "Falling Out - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Seaside Rock - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Living Thing - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "Gimme Some - Peter Bjorn and John - Releases - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Australian Charts". australiancharts.com.
  29. 1 2 "Discografie Peter Bjorn and John Wallonie". Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Billboard Canada". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  31. ↑ http://finnishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Peter+Bjorn+And+John
  32. ↑ "German Charts". germancharts.de.
  33. ↑ "Peter Bjorn and John Album & Song Chart History". Japan Hot 100 for Peter Bjorn and John. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  34. ↑ "Megacharts". dutchcharts.nl.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Billboard Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  36. ↑ Brian Hodge. "Peter Bjorn and John – "Breaker Breaker"". potholesinmyblog.com. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  37. ↑ http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/4931
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