TV On The Radio

Biography

TV on the Radio is an American indie rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, by Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops) and David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), who met at a bar and bonded over shared musical tastes, releasing their first self-titled project as the lo-fi cassette OK Calculator, a nod to Radiohead's OK Computer.[1][2][4][5] Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops) joined soon after, leading to the 2003 EP Young Liars and their debut album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes in 2004, which earned the Shortlist Music Prize and established their experimental sound blending indie rock, art rock, and diverse influences.[1][2][3] The band expanded with Jaleel Bunton on drums and Gerard Smith on bass/keyboards in 2005, releasing Return to Cookie Mountain (2006), the critically acclaimed Dear Science (2008)—named best album of the year by outlets like Rolling Stone and The Guardian—and Nine Types of Light (2011), though tragedy struck with Smith's death in 2011.[1][2][3]

Their musical style evolved from raw, loop-heavy experiments to polished yet innovative art rock, incorporating horns, samplers, and layered vocals, with Seeds (2014) marking their latest studio album amid lineup shifts, including Sitek's current inactivity.[1][2][3] TV on the Radio gained prominence through TV appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, and Later... with Jools Holland, headlining festivals like All Tomorrow's Parties in 2013 where they debuted new material.[2][3] The band's legacy endures as pioneers of Brooklyn's early 2000s rock resurgence alongside acts like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, earning Grammy nominations and praise for pushing genre boundaries.[3][4]

Fun Facts

• Their debut release OK Calculator was a 24-song lo-fi cassette (later shortened to 18 tracks) titled as a direct reference to Radiohead's OK Computer.[1][2][5]
• Dear Science (2008) was named the best album of the year by Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Spin, The New York Times, and others.[3]
• In 2013, they headlined and curated All Tomorrow's Parties, debuting 'Mercy' and releasing its multitracks for fan remixes.[2]
• Tunde Adebimpe graduated in cinematography, influencing the band's visual and experimental approach.[5]

Members

• Kyp Malone (from 2003)
• Gerard Smith (from 2005 until 2011-04-20)
• Jaleel Bunton (from 2005)
• Tunde Adebimpe - original
• Dave Sitek - original

Original Members

• Kyp Malone
• Jaleel Bunton

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Radiohead - Stylistic inspiration referenced in early release title (OK Calculator (2001/2002)) [2001]

Key Collaborators

• Tunde Adebimpe - Founding member, lead vocals, loops, programming (All albums from OK Calculator (2001) to Seeds (2014)) [2001–present]
• David Andrew Sitek - Founding member, guitars, keyboards, loops, producer (currently inactive) (All albums from OK Calculator (2001) to Seeds (2014)) [2001–present]
• Kyp Malone - Core member, vocals, guitars, bass, loops (Young Liars (2003) to Seeds (2014)) [2003–present]
• Jaleel Bunton - Core member, drums, vocals, loops, guitars, bass (Desperate Youth... (2004) to Seeds (2014)) [2005–present]
• Gerard Smith - Former member, bass, keyboards, loops (deceased) (Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) to Nine Types of Light (2011)) [2005–2011]
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Associated act from NYC scene (Shared Brooklyn rock resurgence) [Early 2000s]
• David Bowie - Associated act (Unspecified collaborations) [2000s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #4ad, #art-rock, #electronic