Fitz and the Tantrums

Biography

Fitz and the Tantrums are an American indie pop and neo soul band from Los Angeles, California, that formed in 2008. The band consists of Michael Fitzpatrick (lead vocals), Noelle Scaggs (co-lead vocals and percussion), James King (saxophone, flute, keyboard, percussion and guitar), Joseph Karnes (bass guitar), and Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards). John Wicks, who played drums and percussion, left the band in 2022 to teach at the University of Montana. Their debut studio album, Pickin' Up the Pieces×Pickin' Up the Pieces24 August 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Breakin' the Chains of Love2:512Dear Mr. President3:003Pickin' Up the Pieces3:104MoneyGrabber3:105L.O.V.3:406News 4 U3:587Don't Gotta Work It Out4:108Rich Girls3:149Winds of Change4:0910Tighter4:56, was released in August 2010 on indie label Dangerbird Records and received critical acclaim; it also reached no. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. In early 2013 the band signed to their current label, Elektra Records, which released their second LP, More Than Just a Dream×More Than Just a Dream7 May 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Out of My League3:292Break the Walls3:363The Walker3:534Spark3:1956am4:296Fools Gold3:347Keepin Our Eyes Out3:088Last Raindrop4:029House on Fire3:2810The End3:4611Get Away2:5512MerryGoRound3:27, the same year. Their self-titled third album was released in 2016, which contains their most notable song, "HandClap×HandClap25 March 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1HandClap3:13". Their fourth studio album, All the Feels×All the Feels20 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1All the Feels3:1621234563:053I Just Wanna Shine3:284Ain’t Nobody but Me2:465I Need Help!3:086Don’t Ever Let Em2:417Basement2:598OCD2:539SuperMagik3:0210Stop3:2511Dark Days3:0712Hands Up3:1313Maybe Yes2:4214Ready or Not3:39, was released in 2019, their fifth, Let Yourself Free×Let Yourself Free11 November 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Good Intentions2:302Heaven2:463Sway2:194Silver Platter2:385Let Yourself Free2:226Moneymaker2:207Ahhhh2:488Good Nights3:279Big Love2:3710Is It Love2:2711Steppin’ on Me2:5112Someday3:32, in 2022, and their sixth, Man on the Moon, in 2025.

Early history (2008–2009)

Fitz and the Tantrums was founded by Michael Fitzpatrick in 2008. Having purchased an old Conn electronic organ, he was inspired to write the song "Breakin' the Chains of Love" that same night. He contacted his college friend, saxophonist James King, who recommended singer Noelle Scaggs and drummer John Wicks. In turn, King brought in bassist Joseph Karnes and keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna. According to Fitzpatrick, the band immediately clicked. He has said, "It was literally like five phone calls, one rehearsal, and we could have played a show that night." The band performed their first show at Hotel Café in Hollywood, in December 2008, which Fitzpatrick booked one week after their first rehearsal. In interviews, he has stated the importance of booking a date before the band was ready, in order to bring out the best in all performers. During the first half of 2009, they performed at several clubs in Los Angeles, including The Viper Room and Spaceland. Before Joseph Karnes was brought into the band, the previous bassist, Ethan Phillips was with the band for the first EP, and a part of their first album, "Pickin' Up The Pieces×Pickin' Up the Pieces24 August 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Breakin' the Chains of Love2:512Dear Mr. President3:003Pickin' Up the Pieces3:104MoneyGrabber3:105L.O.V.3:406News 4 U3:587Don't Gotta Work It Out4:108Rich Girls3:149Winds of Change4:0910Tighter4:56".

The band recorded their debut EP, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1, during the first half of 2009 at Fitzpatrick's home in Los Angeles. The EP was first released on August 11, 2009, through Canyon Productions. In September 2009 they toured with Hepcat and Flogging Molly. In November 2009 the band opened eight concerts on the Maroon 5's Back to School Tour. Their appearance was on short notice, after previously scheduled opener K'naan cancelled due to fatigue in late October. According to Fitzpatrick, "Adam Levine from Maroon 5 was in New York to get a tattoo, and his favorite tattoo artist had downloaded the record after hearing us on the radio. He told Adam, 'you gotta hear this band.' A week and a half later, we're opening for Maroon 5 on their college tour." In December 2009 the band shot the official music video for their first single, "Breakin' the Chains of Love", which was directed by Joshua Leonard. It features Fitzpatrick and Scaggs in a moving and rotating bed.

Pickin' Up the Pieces (2010–2012)

In March 2010 Fitz and the Tantrums played at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. On April 15, 2010, they opened for ska band The Specials on their North American reunion tour at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. On April 26, 2010, Dangerbird Records announced that they had signed Fitz and the Tantrums. Their first full-length album, Pickin' Up the Pieces×Pickin' Up the Pieces24 August 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Breakin' the Chains of Love2:512Dear Mr. President3:003Pickin' Up the Pieces3:104MoneyGrabber3:105L.O.V.3:406News 4 U3:587Don't Gotta Work It Out4:108Rich Girls3:149Winds of Change4:0910Tighter4:56, was released on August 24, 2010. Producer Chris Seefried was also a co-writer on the album. In October 2010, Daryl Hall invited the band to perform on his web-series Live from Daryl's House. They played a seven-song set including four Fitz and the Tantrums songs, early Hall song "Girl I Love You", "Perkiomen" and finishing with "Sara Smile". "I walked back into the kitchen of his big old house in upstate New York, and his mother was there," recalled Fitzpatrick. "She said, 'Fitz, come over here. You sound just like my son!'"
The band performed the songs "MoneyGrabber×Moneygrabber11 October 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Moneygrabber3:102Santa Stole My Lady" and "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles on January 12, 2011. On February 28 they performed "MoneyGrabber" on TBS' Conan, and on April 5 on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In 2011 the band announced a U.S. and international tour with April Smith and the Great Picture Show. In the fall of 2011, they made their first appearance at Austin City Limits Music Festival. On Friday, February 3, 2012, they performed "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, episode 581, taped for broadcast at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. They performed a free show at Thursday at the Square in Buffalo, New York, on June 14, 2012, and at the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 7, 2012.

More Than Just a Dream (2013–2015)

The band's second LP, More Than Just a Dream×More Than Just a Dream7 May 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Out of My League3:292Break the Walls3:363The Walker3:534Spark3:1956am4:296Fools Gold3:347Keepin Our Eyes Out3:088Last Raindrop4:029House on Fire3:2810The End3:4611Get Away2:5512MerryGoRound3:27, was released May 7, 2013, on Elektra Records. It was produced by Tony Hoffer. The album features the lead single "Out of My League×Out of My League8 February 2013 · EP · RemixSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Out of My League (Josh One remix)3:462Out of My League (Peking Duk remix)3:473Out of My League (Story of the Running Wolf remix)3:254Out of My League (TEPR remix)4:40", which reached number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart on September 30, 2013. A French version of "Out of My League" was also released and played on Canadian radio. This version has most of the verses sung in French, while the chorus remains in English. The second single from More Than Just a Dream, "The Walker", also reached number one on the Billboard Alternative songs chart. In October 2014 Fitz and the Tantrums returned to the Austin City Limits Music Festival and played both weekends of the expanded festival.

Fitz and the Tantrums (2016–2018)

In March 2016, the band released the lead single, "HandClap×HandClap25 March 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1HandClap3:13", off their self-titled album. The album was released on June 10, 2016, and was supported by the 2016 Get Right Back Summer Tour. In July 2016 Fitz and the Tantrums performed at Slossfest in Birmingham, Alabama. The band supported OneRepublic on the 2017 Honda Civic Tour which began on July 7, 2017.

All the Feels (2019–2021)

On March 20, 2019, the band released the single "123456" from their fourth studio album. The second single, "Don't Ever Let Em", was released on April 17 of the same year, followed by "I Need Help!×I Need Help!3 May 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Need Help!3:08" on May 3, and then the title track of the album, "All the Feels×All the Feels20 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1All the Feels3:1621234563:053I Just Wanna Shine3:284Ain’t Nobody but Me2:465I Need Help!3:086Don’t Ever Let Em2:417Basement2:598OCD2:539SuperMagik3:0210Stop3:2511Dark Days3:0712Hands Up3:1313Maybe Yes2:4214Ready or Not3:39" on June 28.
The album, All the Feels, consists of 17 songs and was released on September 20, 2019, through Elektra Records.

Let Yourself Free (2022–2024)

On June 10, 2022, the band released the single "Sway" through Elektra Records. This was followed by the single "Moneymaker×Moneymaker27 September 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Moneymaker2:182Sway2:163Sway (Devault remix)3:234Sway (Anna of the North remix)3:11" on September 27, 2022, along with the announcement of their fifth studio album Let Yourself Free×Let Yourself Free11 November 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Good Intentions2:302Heaven2:463Sway2:194Silver Platter2:385Let Yourself Free2:226Moneymaker2:207Ahhhh2:488Good Nights3:279Big Love2:3710Is It Love2:2711Steppin’ on Me2:5112Someday3:32, which was released on November 11, 2022.

Man on the Moon (2025)

On March 28, 2025, the band released the lead single from their forthcoming studio album titled "Ruin the Night×Ruin the Night28 March 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Ruin the Night2:28" and their sixth studio album, Man on the Moon×Man on the Moon25 July 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1The Good The Bad The Ugly2Man on The Moon2:303Withdrawals4Oh Maria5Ruin The Night2:286Where I Go7Young Days8Perfume9Umbrella10Queen of Hearts11Waste My Time12OK OK OK13Motion14One Day was released on July 25, 2025.

Musical style

Fitzpatrick has said that the band's musical style can be fairly described as "soul-influenced indie pop". He said that while the band is influenced by the classic songs of the Motown and Stax record labels, the band is not trying to create an exact replica of that music. In another interview, Fitzpatrick talked about his decision not to use guitars in the band. "I did want to try and make a big sounding record without guitars," he said. "For me, I just feel like in any music that has a band, the guitar is always there, it's always featured, it's always prevalent. I'm just sick of hearing it."

Critical reception

Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers wrote, "Fitz & the Tantrums is the kind of band that communicates best in concert, but this album serves as a fine proxy and party-starter." Aly Comingore of the Santa Barbara Independent wrote that the band members craft "soulful, nostalgia pop that's not only infectious, but just fresh enough to make it stand apart from its predecessors." The band was heralded as a "band to watch" in an April 2011 profile in Rolling Stone. In June 2011, Vogue named Fitz and the Tantrums the "Hardest-Working Band" of the 2011 summer festival circuit. "Not only do L.A.–based six-piece Fitz and the Tantrums share James Brown's penchant for snazzy-dressed brass bands and feel-good retro ballads, they also have the late godfather of soul's tireless work ethic." Their third album has been described as "a product of contemporary market forces and a depressing relic of an era of the music industry best forgotten."