The Walters
| Company type | Indie pop band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Founder | Walter Kosner |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
The Walters are an American indie pop group that originated in 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The lineup features lead singer Luke Olson, lead guitarist Walter Kosner, bassist Danny Wells, and drummer Charlie Ekhaus. Their discography includes three EPs and one full-length album, and they completed their inaugural nationwide tour in 2017.
History
The band came together after Walter Kosner relocated from Connecticut to Chicago to enroll at DePaul University but eventually left school and assembled the other members. Their first release, Songs for Dads (2014), gained traction by appearing on Spotify's United States Viral Top 50, which caught the attention of Canvasback Records. Through Canvasback’s monthly singles initiative, Canvasclub, they put out the tracks "Hunk Beach" and "I Want to Be Good".
In 2015, The Walters self-released their sophomore EP titled Young Men. Two years later, in 2017, they introduced the single "She's Gonna Leave You", embarked on their debut national tour, and played at Lollapalooza. On September 23, 2017, the band declared they had no plans to produce new music under The Walters name.
Following the group's disbandment, lead vocalist Luke Olson pursued a solo career under the moniker "L. Martin," while the remaining members formed a new band called Corduroy. Olson characterized the breakup as challenging, attributing it to burnout and the pressures of early success; rhythm guitarist MJ Tirabassi mentioned a lack of acknowledgment from the music industry as another factor.
In late 2021, their track "I Love You So" from Songs for Dads experienced viral popularity on TikTok, amassing close to four million streams in the United States within a week. This resurgence prompted The Walters to reunite and schedule a brief three-show tour in December, followed by signing with Warner Records. Olson stated that this viral momentum was a key reason behind their official comeback. The song charted internationally throughout 2021 and 2022 and was showcased on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in January 2022.
On April 14, 2022, The Walters unveiled "Million Little Problems," marking their first original single since 2017, alongside announcing their forthcoming EP Try Again, which was released on May 6.
On June 2, 2023, they revealed a new single titled "Stuck In My Ways," which also signified rhythm guitarist MJ Tirabassi’s exit from the band.
In 2024, The Walters parted ways with Warner Records to operate independently in collaboration with distributor and Artist Services company Amuse. Subsequently, on January 29, 2025, they released "Life On The Line," a single from their upcoming album Good Company, followed by another single, "Broken Hearts and Memories," on February 26. The complete album was launched globally on March 28, 2025.
Members
Current members
- Luke Olson – lead vocals, guitar (2014–2017, 2021–present)
- Walter Kosner – lead guitar (2014–2017, 2021–present)
- Danny Wells – bass (2014–2017, 2021–present)
- Charlie Ekhaus – drums (2014–2017, 2021–present)
Former members
- MJ Tirabassi – rhythm guitar, vocals (2014–2017, 2021–2023)
Touring members
- Luke Otwell – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2021–2022)
- Kris Hansen – keyboards, trumpet, backing vocals (2021–2022)
- Liam Jones – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2023–present)
Albums
| Album Title | Release information |
|---|---|
| Good Company |
|
| Good Company (Deluxe) |
|
Extended plays
| EP Title | Details of EP release |
|---|---|
| Songs for Dads |
|
| Young Men |
|
| Try Again |
|
Singles
| Single Title | Year Released | Highest Chart Positions Achieved | Certifications Earned | Associated Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Rock |
Australia |
Canada |
Malaysia |
Portugal |
United Kingdom |
Worldwide | ||||
| "I Love You So" | 2014 | 71 | 8 | 98 | 58 | 13 | 77 | 87 | 55 |
|
Songs for Dads |
| "Hunk Beach" / "I Wanna Be Good" | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Goodbye Baby" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Young Men | ||
| "She's Gonna Leave You" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Million Little Problems" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Try Again | |
| "Another Christmas" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Stuck In My Ways" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "By The Water" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Running Around / All Of Our Days" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Wishing Well" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Better Off Alone" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Life On The Line" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Good Company | |
| "Broken Hearts and Memories" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Cheap Drugs" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Good Company (Deluxe) | |
| "Silver Screens" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
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