The Format
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Nate Ruess, Sam Means |
| Defunct | 2008 (hiatus) |
| Fate | Hiatus (2008), reunion tours (2020, 2025) |
| Headquarters | United States , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Website | theformatband |
The Format is a United States-based indie rock ensemble founded by singer Nate Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Sam Means. Their musical style fuses elements of indie, alternative, punk, and folk, drawing inspiration from the pop sounds of the 1960s and 1970s.[1] The band’s name serves as a critique of the music industry's reliance on predictable hit formulas. Formed in 2002, they produced two studio albums before entering a hiatus on February 4, 2008.[2]
On February 4, 2020, The Format revealed plans for a reunion tour featuring select performances,[3] though these shows were subsequently canceled due to the global pandemic.[4] In 2025, the duo reunited once more and announced their forthcoming third studio album, Boycott Heaven, slated for release in 2026.
History
Prior to establishing The Format in February 2002, Means and Ruess—childhood friends—had collaborated in a band called Nevergonnascore and released an EP titled "The Byron Sessions," which attracted some attention from record labels but did not result in a contract.
Their initial single, "The First Single", taken from their five-track demo EP, received considerable airplay on Phoenix's KEDJ radio station. This exposure led to a contract with Elektra Records in 2002. Their debut album, Interventions + Lullabies, produced by R. Walt Vincent and launched in October 2003, achieved notable success locally in Phoenix and sold over 100,000 copies across the United States. The band's audience expanded through grassroots promotion, online platforms, and extensive touring.
Following Elektra's dissolution, The Format released the EP Snails under Atlantic Records in April 2005. Drawing inspiration from 1970s pop legends such as Harry Nilsson and Electric Light Orchestra, they worked with producer Steven Shane McDonald on their sophomore full-length record. However, Atlantic executives were dissatisfied with the demos and subsequently dropped the group. Undeterred, The Format self-issued Dog Problems through their own label imprint, The Vanity Label. After an early leak of MP3 files, they made the album available digitally for $7.99 via Nettwerk Music Store, selling over 2,000 copies before its official release on July 11, 2006. To mark the release day, they appeared on MTV's My Super Sweet 16, boosting their visibility.
Dog Problems received widespread critical praise and appeared atop multiple Best of 2006 lists. That year included extensive touring schedules for the band, including supporting The All American Rejects during their UK tour.
In 2007, The Format broadened their international presence by performing in Tokyo and appearing on Last Call with Carson Daly. They also co-headlined the Campus Consciousness tour alongside Guster and toured with several indie acts.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Dog Problems in June 2007, they offered free downloads of the album accompanied by liner notes on their website; by July 10th, downloads had surpassed 36,000.
On February 4, 2008, The Format declared an indefinite hiatus. Nate Ruess highlighted the enduring strength of their partnership despite pausing activity and extended gratitude to collaborators and fans for five fruitful years.
Following this break, Means pursued solo endeavors including composing film scores and formed Destry with Michelle DaRosa. Ruess expressed hopefulness about eventually reuniting.
After The Format’s dissolution, Ruess co-founded fun. alongside Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff. This new band achieved significant commercial acclaim with chart-topping singles such as "We Are Young" and released their debut album Aim and Ignite in August 2009. Fun. disbanded in 2015 as members embarked on solo careers.
On February 3, 2020, The Format made their 2007 concert film Live At The Mayan available again via streaming services and vinyl pressings. They performed live at a screening event after more than twelve years apart and announced a reunion tour scheduled for spring 2020 with stops in Chicago, New York City, and Phoenix.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced multiple postponements of this tour—from March-April 2020 to July 2021 and then March-April 2022—before it was ultimately canceled.
In July 2025, Means and Ruess announced another reunion featuring four U.S. concerts planned for September through October. Subsequently in October that year, they unveiled plans for their third studio album titled Boycott Heaven, scheduled for release on January 23, 2026—almost twenty years after Dog Problems debuted.
Core members
- Sam Means – keyboards, piano, Mellotron, guitar, banjo, xylophone, saxophone, percussion instruments, backing vocals
- Nate Ruess – lead vocalist, percussionist, occasional synthesizer player and guitarist
Current touring lineup
- Don Raymond, Jr. – bass guitar
- Mark Buzard – guitar, keyboards, additional percussion instruments, backing vocals
- Will Noon – drums
Contributors and collaborators
Listed alphabetically
- Deborah Avery – clarinet, saxophone
- Peggy Baldwin – cello
- Adam Boyd – drums, percussion instruments, backing vocals
- Matt Chamberlain – drums
- Larry Colbert – cello
- Joel Derouin – violin
- Josh Freese – drums
- Matthew Funes – violin
- Scott Higgins – guiro, sleigh bells
- J'Anna Jacoby – cello
- Rami Jaffee – accordion
- Randy Jones – tuba
- Josh Klinghoffer – guitar
- Johana Krejci – violin
- Paul Loredo – French horn
- Roger Manning Jr. – keyboards, harpsichord
- Jean Marianelli – French horn
- Rory Mazella – clarinet, saxophone
- Sean McCall – drums, percussion instruments
- Steven McDonald – bass guitar, backing vocals; production duties
- Mike McGuffey – trumpet
- Jim McMillan – trombone
- Joe Meyer – French horn
- Geoffrey Moore – electric guitar
- Brendan O'Brien – bass guitar; producer
- John O'Reilly Jr. – drums; percussion instruments
- Charlie Paxson – drums
- Michele Richards – violin
- Kethleen Robertson – violin
- Dave Ryan – trombone
- Mike Schey – guitar
- Richard Todd – French horn
- R. Walt Vincent – bass guitar; drums; piano; percussion; keyboards; harmonium; melodica; backing vocals; production work
- Anna Waronker – backing vocals
- Joey Waronker – drums
- Roy Wiegand – trumpet
- Adriana Zoppo – viola
Studio albums
- Interventions + Lullabies (2003)
- Dog Problems (2006)
- Boycott Heaven (2026)
Compilation albums
- Live at the Mesa Amphitheater (Limited Release live album; 2004)
- B-Sides & Rarities (The Vanity Label; 2007)
- Live at the Mayan Theatre (The Vanity Label; recorded in 2007; released in 2020)
EP releases
- EP (self-released; 2002)
- Snails (Atlantic Records, 2005)
- Live from the Living Room: Volume One (The Vanity Label; 2006)
- And Now I Hope You're Alright - Live in California (The Vanity Label; 2006)
- The Format Live: Exporting Insecurity (The Vanity Label; 2006)
- Kenneth Room Sessions (The Vanity Label; 2016)
DVD
- Live at the Mayan Theatre (The Vanity Label; released in 2007)
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Alternative Airplay | US Rock Airplay | |||
| "The First Single" | 2003 | — | — | Interventions + Lullabies |
| "The Compromise" | 2006 | — | — | Dog Problems |
| "Time Bomb" | — | — | ||
| "Apeman" | — | — | Template:Non-album singles | |
| "She Doesn't Get It" | — | — | Dog Problems | |
| "Dog Problems" | — | — | ||
| "Swans" | 2016 | — | — | rowspan="2" Template:Non-album single |
| "Your New Name" | 2022 | — | — | |
| "Holy Roller" | 2025 | 21 | 43 | Boycott Heaven |
| "Shot In the Dark" | — | — | ||
Additional tracks
- "Swans" was composed for the motion picture Moving McAllister.
- Featured on Listen To Bob Dylan: A Tribute (Drive-Thru Records; 2005) performing "Simple Twist of Fate"
- Included on Acoustic Live & Rare 2006 & Last Character Standing Vol. V (The Edge FM) performing an acoustic version of "The Compromise"
- Recorded "Holly Jolly Christmas" for A Santa Cause: It's a Punk Rock Christmas (Immortal Records Vol. II; December 5th, 2006)
- Contributed "Yeah Yeah" to compilation Phoenix: We Love It
External links
- Official website
- Archived Western Tread site
- The Format's LiveJournal page
- LAist interview
- Synergy Magazine interview
- Live performance video of 'Oceans' on Tub-O-Popcorn
- Interview featured on The Marketing Fresh Peel
- 2005 Interview at Hate Something Beautiful
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