First off, I just want to say that if you don't know or have never heard of the song "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon, you seriously need to check your priorities. The Cincinnati-based indie band consists of lead singer Nicholas Petricca, bassist Kevin Ray, guitarist Eli Maiman and percussionist Sean Waugaman. All four band members are extremely passionate about music and songwriting —and honestly, I am yet to come across a band as hard working and dedicated as them.
"Walk the Moon" has a total of three studio albums, titled "I Want! I Want!" (2010), "Walk the Moon" (2012) and "Talking Is Hard" (2014). Each album is better than the one before it, which proves that "Walk the Moon" is definitely on the right track for success. I think it's safe to say that 2016 will bring their best album yet, being that their work has improved so much over the years.
The latest album, "Talking Is Hard," was definitely a pivotal album for the group. It holds their most popular single to date, "Shut Up and Dance." This was the band's first song to get big, like really big. It caught the attention of many over the radio this past summer. It got to the point when you would go to change the station on your car radio and it ended up being that song that was playing on every single station. While some may consider them to be a "one-hit wonder," something gives me a feeling that the band has a lot in store for the future. This past year alone they had shows scheduled all over North America -- mind you, this was right before they set off on their Europe tour.
My point is, this band's progression in the modern world of music is very impressive. Okay, maybe I'm a little bit biased, but I can totally see "Walk the Moon" becoming the next "Panic! At The Disco," "The Killers," or maybe even "Twenty One Pilots." The musical styles of these groups are very similar to that of "Walk the Moon" and those genres honestly seem to be making quite an upward trend these days.
Petricca, Ray, Maiman and Waugaman are musicians who are as dedicated to music as they are to breathing. Their uniqueness and individuality as a band reflect in many of their songs, which is a rare trait that I believe will raise them higher and higher up in the music industry. As of right now, I think "Walk the Moon" stands out a lot from other artists.
"Walk the Moon" is absolutely a wonder, just not a one-hit wonder. They have a lot of years ahead of them and I think they deserve to be known by a more flattering title. The underrated-ness could not be more real. To add to their awesomeness, "Walk the Moon" just announced a list of concerts for summer 2016: "Work this Body" tour. Excuse me while I go cry tears of happiness.
