Ultimate Ears’ Artist to Watch: Peter Bjorn and John

As you have read in my previous blogs this month, we officially dedicated the Month of May in the Ultimate Ears Artist to Watch program to classical music featuring The Cypress String Quartet and Violinist Jenny Oaks Baker. However,  to keep in the same spirit of our Artist to Watch program to date, we decided to also include a classic indie pop group – the new album from Peter Bjorn and John.  It is a huge honor for UE to be able to showcase this album.

And in case Peter Bjorn and John need any introduction – here are some random tidbits:

  • The band formed in 1999 and threw a 10th year anniversary US tour in November 2009
  • “Young Folks” was selected second best song of the year 2006, in NME magazine
  • The band performed with Kanye West at the Way out west-festival in Gothenburg
  • The band was nominated for a MTV-award in 2007
  • Once the band played a chinese restaurant and fell through the floor
  • Bjorn is a succesful producer of acts like Lykke Li and Primal Scream
  • John has released 3 ep’s with his alter-ego Hortlax Cobra and is a member of the band Holiday For Strings
  • Peter has released 2 solo-albums, one in english and one in swedish as well as an album with the band Tutankamon
  • John used to play classical percussion, Bjorn used to play jazz-piano, Peter is still learning to play rock-guitar
  • The song “Young Folks” has been covered by James Blunt, Nena, The Kooks, Pete Yorn, Dawn Landes and many other artists and Drake has covered “Let’s Call It Off”.
  • The band has been honoured with one of the legendary St.Sanders ”shreds” clips
  • The band has toured all around the world and played  festivals like Coachella, Roskilde, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock etc.
  • The Danish troubador baptised Peter Bjorn threatened to sue the band for using his name, but mercifully dropped the case.
  • Their songs have been featured in a number of tv-shows like Gossip Girl, Parenthood, Melrose Place and Greys Anatomy, and in several feature films such as ”21” and the upcoming movie The Dark Fields. Songs also featured in several games and commercials all over the world.

They recently toured with Depeche Mode (supporting the North America leg of “Tour of the Universe” in 2009). But their latest album, the thrillingly titled Gimme Some, is their latest, vein attempt at pop magnificence.

Author

Senior Manager, Internet Properties & Artist Partnerships for Ultimate Ears