Cults

The indie pop duo Cults was formed in 2010 by guitarist Brian Oblivion and vocalist Madeline Follin. Both musicians were natives of San Diego, California, although they launched the band while living in Manhattan and studying at New York University. Establishing a dreamy sound reinforced by multi-tracked harmonies and bright melodies, Cults released a self-titled debut EP on Forest Family Records in 2010. The EP's biggest single, "Go Outside," became a viral hit, which helped Cults sign a record deal with Lily Allen's imprint, In The Name Of. The band's self-titled debut album, Cults, followed in 2011, reaching Number 52 on the Billboard 200 and earned praise from outlets on both sides of the Atlantic. Static, the group's sophomore release, appeared in 2013. Although Static failed to match its predecessor's success on the Billboard 200, the track "Always Forever" became another viral hit and eventually went platinum in the US. A third album, Offering, was issued in 2017, marking the band's first release for the Sinderlyn label. Host followed in 2020, featuring co-production from Shane Stoneback. After releasing the non-album singles "Valentine" and "Poodles Dancing" in 2022, Cults cracked the Billboard charts once again with "Gilded Lily," which peaked at Number 19 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, Number 19 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, and Number 92 on the Canadian Hot 100.