- published: 26 Apr 2012
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Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles in 2009. The group is composed of Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion) and Mark Pontius (drums, percussion). The group's music, described as melodic dance-infused pop and rock, spans many genres.
Foster founded the band in 2009 after spending several years in Los Angeles as a struggling musician and working as a commercial jingle writer. After Foster's song "Pumped Up Kicks" became a viral success in 2010, the group received a record deal from Startime International and gained a fanbase through small club shows and appearances at music festivals. After releasing their debut album Torches in May 2011, "Pumped Up Kicks" became a crossover hit on commercial radio in mid-2011 and eventually reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The record also produced the popular singles "Helena Beat" and "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)". The group received two Grammy Award nominations for Torches and "Pumped Up Kicks".
"Pumped Up Kicks" is a song by American indie pop band Foster the People. It was released as the group's debut single in September 2010, and the following year was included on their EP Foster the People and their debut album, Torches. "Pumped Up Kicks" became the group's breakthrough hit and was one of the most popular songs of 2011. The song was written and recorded by frontman Mark Foster while he was working as a commercial jingle writer. Contrasting with the upbeat musical composition, the lyrics describe the homicidal thoughts of a troubled youth.
The track received considerable attention after it was posted online in 2010 as a free download, and it helped the group garner a multi-album record deal with Columbia Records imprint Startime International. "Pumped Up Kicks" proved to be a sleeper hit; in 2011, after receiving significant airplay on modern rock stations, the song crossed-over onto contemporary hit radio stations. The song spent eight consecutive weeks at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, making it the first Billboard Alternative Songs number-one single to crack the U.S. top 5 since Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" in 2009. The song was widely praised by critics, and it has been licensed for use in a wide range of popular media since its release. "Pumped Up Kicks" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Foster The People - Houdini
Foster The People - Coming of Age
Foster the People - "Torches" (ALBUM REVIEW)
Foster The People - Call It What You Want
Foster The People - Helena Beat (Free Album Download Link) Torches
Cartoonz IRL - Ep. 3: Foster the People Concert with Cartoonz!
Nicole Dollanganger - Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People Cover)
Vintage Reggae Café - Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People - Reggae Version
Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People) Cover
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People - Bass Cover