The Black Keys

Submitted by nonesuch on
Sort Name
Black Keys
Artist Position
1.00
Biography (Excerpt)

The Black Keys' twelfth studio album, Ohio Players—a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, Ohio, funk band of the same name—features several collaborations between band mates Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with various friends and colleagues, like Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, Beck, Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others. “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music,’" Carney says. Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor ... But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”

Weight
10
Active Artist
No
Facebook URL
https://www.facebook.com/TheBlackKeys
Twitter URL
https://twitter.com/theblackkeys
Instagram URL
https://www.instagram.com/theblackkeys/
Youtube URL
https://www.youtube.com/theblackkeys

The Black Keys kicked off 2024 with the release of their new single "Beautiful People (Stay High)." The song arrives alongside the announcement of the multiple-Grammy Award–winning, Akron, OH, natives’ twelfth studio album Ohio Players, out April 5 via Nonesuch Records.

Written by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with longtime friends Dan “The Automator” Nakamura and Beck, the celebratory, joyful “Beautiful People (Stay High)” is one of several songs on the album that feature collaborations between the band and various additional friends and colleagues, including Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others.

Speaking on the collaborative nature of the album, Carney shares, “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music.’ It’s funny because we both write songs with other people—Dan all the time [as a solo artist and producer], me when I'm producing a record. That’s what we do.”

Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor. We just expanded that palette with people we wanted to work with. We were there to support them and their ideas, to do whatever we could to see that moment flourish. But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”

“We'd never worked harder to make a record,” he continues. “It's never taken us this long to make an album. We took our time and did it right.”

“What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun,” Carney says. “And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.”

While making Ohio Players, a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, OH, funk band of the same name, The Black Keys were also DJing dance parties in cities around the world that they called “record hangs,” spinning 45s from their own eclectic and growing collections. Mojo reports, “The spirit of those parties infused the album’s DNA. ‘That’s been the fun of it,’ [says] Auerbach. ‘Letting go a little bit.’”

The Black Keys first introduced “Beautiful People (Stay High)” to audiences during a batch of special performances at holiday radio shows across the country, where the duo debuted the then unreleased-single as well as mysterious teasers across social media platforms. 

Formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001, The Black Keys are singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. Last year, the duo received two Grammy nominations for their eleventh studio album Dropout Boogie. The Black Keys have been called “rock royalty” by the Associated Press and “one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands on the planet” by Uncut. Cutting their teeth playing small clubs, the band has gone on to sell out arena tours and has released eleven previous studio albums: the debut The Big Come Up (2002), followed by Thickfreakness (2003) and Rubber Factory (2004), along with their releases on Nonesuch Records: Magic Potion (2006), Attack & Release (2008), Brothers (2010), El Camino (2011), Turn Blue (2014), “Let’s Rock” (2019), Delta Kream (2021), and Dropout Boogie (2022). The band has won six Grammy Awards and a BRIT and headlined festivals in North America, South America, Mexico, Australia, and Europe.

Artist Header Image
Artist Card Image
Artist Spotlight Image
Tiktok URL
https://www.tiktok.com/@theblackkeys

Latest Release

  • April 5, 2024

    The Black Keys' twelfth studio album, Ohio Players—a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, Ohio, funk band of the same name—features several collaborations between band mates Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with various friends and colleagues, like Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, Beck, Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others. “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music,’" Carney says. Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor ... But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”

News

Tour

Sat, Apr 27
Manchester,
Co-Op Live
Sat, Apr 27
Manchester,
Co-Op Live
Tue, Apr 30
Cardiff,
Utilita Arena Cardiff
Tue, Apr 30
Cardiff,
Utilita Arena Cardiff
Fri, May 03
Dublin,
3Arena
Fri, May 03
Dublin,
3Arena
Sun, May 05
Amsterdam,
Ziggo Dome
Sun, May 05
Amsterdam,
Ziggo Dome
Tue, May 07
London,
O2 Academy Brixton
Tue, May 07
London,
O2 Academy Brixton
Wed, May 08
London,
O2 Academy Brixton
Wed, May 08
London,
O2 Academy Brixton
Sun, May 12
Paris,
Zenith Paris
Sun, May 12
Paris,
Zenith Paris
Mon, May 13
Paris,
Zenith Paris
Mon, May 13
Paris,
Zenith Paris
Sat, Jul 06
Chicago, IL
Grant Park
Sat, Jul 06
Chicago, IL
Grant Park

Photos

About The Black Keys

  • The Black Keys kicked off 2024 with the release of their new single "Beautiful People (Stay High)." The song arrives alongside the announcement of the multiple-Grammy Award–winning, Akron, OH, natives’ twelfth studio album Ohio Players, out April 5 via Nonesuch Records.

    Written by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with longtime friends Dan “The Automator” Nakamura and Beck, the celebratory, joyful “Beautiful People (Stay High)” is one of several songs on the album that feature collaborations between the band and various additional friends and colleagues, including Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others.

    Speaking on the collaborative nature of the album, Carney shares, “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music.’ It’s funny because we both write songs with other people—Dan all the time [as a solo artist and producer], me when I'm producing a record. That’s what we do.”

    Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor. We just expanded that palette with people we wanted to work with. We were there to support them and their ideas, to do whatever we could to see that moment flourish. But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”

    “We'd never worked harder to make a record,” he continues. “It's never taken us this long to make an album. We took our time and did it right.”

    “What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun,” Carney says. “And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.”

    While making Ohio Players, a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, OH, funk band of the same name, The Black Keys were also DJing dance parties in cities around the world that they called “record hangs,” spinning 45s from their own eclectic and growing collections. Mojo reports, “The spirit of those parties infused the album’s DNA. ‘That’s been the fun of it,’ [says] Auerbach. ‘Letting go a little bit.’”

    The Black Keys first introduced “Beautiful People (Stay High)” to audiences during a batch of special performances at holiday radio shows across the country, where the duo debuted the then unreleased-single as well as mysterious teasers across social media platforms. 

    Formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001, The Black Keys are singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. Last year, the duo received two Grammy nominations for their eleventh studio album Dropout Boogie. The Black Keys have been called “rock royalty” by the Associated Press and “one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands on the planet” by Uncut. Cutting their teeth playing small clubs, the band has gone on to sell out arena tours and has released eleven previous studio albums: the debut The Big Come Up (2002), followed by Thickfreakness (2003) and Rubber Factory (2004), along with their releases on Nonesuch Records: Magic Potion (2006), Attack & Release (2008), Brothers (2010), El Camino (2011), Turn Blue (2014), “Let’s Rock” (2019), Delta Kream (2021), and Dropout Boogie (2022). The band has won six Grammy Awards and a BRIT and headlined festivals in North America, South America, Mexico, Australia, and Europe.

Performs On