Cults (band)

History

Cults was formed in 2010 while guitarist Brian Oblivion and singer Madeline Follin, both from San Diego, were students in New York City. Oblivion went to New York University to study documentary cinema, while Follin went to The New School. Follin had previously recorded with punk band Youth Gone Mad on the album Touching Cloth. The name Cults was inspired by the Heaven's Gate cult from San Diego, California, where Follin and Oblivion grew up.

Cults released an EP on Forrest Family Records, Cults 7", with the track "Go Outside" recorded by Paul Kostabi at Thunderdome Studios, and the album earned the title of "Best New Music" by Pitchfork. They toured supporting The Richie Follin's Band with overlapping members for six months before signing to ITNO/Sony. Their song "Go Outside" had a music video which starred Emma Roberts and Dave Franco. Another music video for the song featured the band intercut with footage of Jim Jones and Jonestown.

Their eponymous debut studio album was released on June 7, 2011, by Columbia Records imprint In the Name Of run by Lily Allen. The album received generally positive reviews, and a second "Best New Music" from Pitchfork was earned for the track "Abducted". The same year, Cults collaborated with the group Superhuman Happiness on a version of the track "Um Canto De Afoxé para o Bloco Do Ilê" for the Red Hot Organization's most recent charity album Red Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot + Rio. Proceeds from sales were donated toward causes raising awareness of AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. The band was chosen to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror festival curated by ATP and Portishead in September 2011 in Asbury Park, New Jersey,. They were also chosen by Battles to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival that they co-curated in December 2011 in Minehead, England. In early 2012, Cults played the Australasian music festival Laneways. In an interview with 3news, they said people could expect a more "aggressive sound" with a lot of changes being made to songs as a five-piece band. In an interview with the magazine Coup De Main, Follin was quoted saying that "You Know What I Mean" was her favorite song on their self-titled debut album.

In 2013, they were featured alongside Amber Coffman on J. Cole's Born Sinner album which peaked at number one on the Billboard 200. The song later peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. On October 15, 2013, the band released their second album, Static, in the aftermath of the duo's breakup, to generally favorable reviews. Cults supported both Pixies and Vampire Weekend on their respective North American tours in 2014.

In 2016, Follin collaborated with her brother Richie James Follin of rock band Guards on a side project called Follin. Their self-titled EP was released on April 15, 2016, which contains the songs "Memories" and "Roxy".

On October 6, 2017, the band released their third album, Offering. Their song "Gilded Lily", although not selected as a single for the album, became a huge success on social media platform TikTok in 2022.

On September 18, 2020, the band released their fourth album, Host. On August 17, 2021, their single "Always Forever" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and later was certified platinum on July 18, 2022. Their fifth album To the Ghosts was released on July 26, 2024. The deluxe edition came out a year later, on September 12, 2025, and contains four new songs : "Mark My Words", "Compaction", "Noises They Make" and "Tiffany".

Band members

• Brian Oblivion – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, percussion, production
• Madeline Follin – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, drums, percussion, production

Current touring members

• John Eatherly - drums
• Max Kamins - bass guitar
• Cory Stier - drums
• Marc Deriso – drums
• Loren Humphrey - drums

Former touring members

• Nathan Aguilar – bass guitar
• Richie Follin – guitars
• Gabriel Rodriguez – guitars

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Other charted songs and certified songs

Guest appearances

Production and songwriting credits

References

References

1. Gaca, Anna. (September 22, 2017). "Cults – "Right Words"".
2. Branch, Kathryn. (March 30, 2011). "Timely {{!}} Cults".
3. Shurba, Nicolette. (September 14, 2022). "Dream-pop duo Cults make a long-anticipated Orlando return Thursday". [[Orlando Weekly]].
4. Matt the Raven. (November 14, 2017). "Cults: Offering".
5. (October 17, 2013). "Cults, Live In Concert". [[NPR]].
6. Minsker, Evan. (July 25, 2013). "Cults Announce New Album ''Static''".
7. Phares, Heather. "Cults Biography".
8. Raymer, Miles. (October 20, 2010). "Today at Daytrotter: Cults". [[Chicago Reader]].
9. Breihan, Tom. (March 8, 2010). "Rising: Cults".
10. (September 29, 2013). "Cults — Pitchfork".
11. Rowe, Sian. (27 May 2011). "Cults: loved by Lily, patronised by Perez, and now a hit with soccer moms". [[The Guardian]].
12. "Thunderdome Studios Recording". Wix.com.
13. Fitzmaurice, Larry. "The Playlist: Cults – "Go Outside"".
14. (July 15, 2011). "Cults – Go Outside".
15. Breihan, Tom. (April 4, 2011). "Cults Unveil New Album".
16. "Cults Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.
17. Tangari, Joe. "Album Reviews: Cults: Cults".
18. Kelly, Zach. "The Playlist: Cults – "Abducted"".
19. "ATP America presents I'll Be Your Mirror curated by Portishead & ATP – All Tomorrow's Parties". Atpfestival.com.
20. "Nightmare Before Christmas curated by Battles/Caribou/Les Savy Fav - All Tomorrow's Parties". Atpfestival.com.
21. (July 2019). "Interview with 3news.co.nz". 3news.co.nz}}{{Dead link.
22. (2013-09-27). "{is your friend} please read me. or I will eat you up & swallow you whole". Coup De Main Magazine.
23. "Cults: Host".
24. "Cults Official Charts". [[Official Charts Company]].
25. {{cite certification
26. "Bubbling Under Hot 100: Week of November 26, 2022".
27. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of January 28, 2023".
28. "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of January 28, 2023".
29. "Dutch Single Tip 19/11/2022".
30. (November 21, 2022). "NZ Hot Singles Chart". [[Recorded Music NZ]].
31. {{cite certification
32. {{cite certification
33. {{cite certification