X Ambassadors
X Ambassadors
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ithaca,New York, United States |
| Genres | |
| 2009–present | |
| Labels | |
| Website | |
| Members | |
| Noah Feldshuh | |
X Ambassadors (also stylized XA) is an American rock band from Ithaca, New York. Its members currently include lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their sophomore album, Orion
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ithaca,New York, United States |
| Genres | |
| 2009–present | |
| Labels | |
| Website | |
| Members | |
| Noah Feldshuh | |
History
2009–12: Ambassadors and Litost
X Ambassadors began as a band titled Ambassadors, touring with artists such as LIGHTS. During this time, they self-released their debut EP, Ambassadors EP, creating a music video for its lead single, "Tropisms", shot and directed by Rodrigo Zedillo. Shortly after, the band self-released its debut LP, Litost, which included the song "Litost", which would later be used on the soundtrack for The Host. The band signed a music publishing deal in 2012 with SONGS Music Publishing.[6] The band started a Kickstarter account to shoot a video for the lead single, "Unconsolable", which would be re-recorded later.[7] The group was noticed by Imagine Dragons while frontman Dan Reynolds was sick in the hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Reynolds heard an acoustic version of "Litost" on 96X WROX-FM and asked Interscope to sign the band as soon as possible.[8][9]
2013–14: Love Songs Drug Songs and The Reason
X Ambassadors released their debut major label EP, Love Songs Drug Songs in 2013. The EP included the track "Stranger" co-written by Dan Reynolds.[10] In promotion of the EP they toured supporting Imagine Dragons, Jimmy Eat World and The Mowglis. In 2014, the band released a second major label EP, The Reason. In promotion of the new EP, X Ambassadors supported Panic! at the Disco and Imagine Dragons on their respective tours. They also featured in The Knocks' single "Comfortable" from their second EP with the same name.
2015–16: VHS
VHS is X Ambassadors' debut LP. The album was released June 30, 2015 via digital download, vinyl record and CD. The album features 20 tracks, including 7 interludes and 3 previously released songs for a total of 10 new songs. The album features collaborations with Jamie N Commons and Imagine Dragons. A special edition titled VHS 2.0 was released on June 10, 2016, with five additional tracks and the interludes removed.
X Ambassadors appeared as a collaboration on their earlier title "Comfortable" with The Knocks', which was originally released back in 2013, as part of the duo's debut album, entitled 55
On June 20, 2016, the band announced that Feldshuh would be taking an indefinite hiatus from the band to deal with personal issues.[11]
2017–18: Joyful (cancelled album)
X Ambassadors released four singles in 2017: "Hoping" in March, "Torches" in April, "The Devil You Know" in June, and "Ahead of Myself" in July.[12] They also performed at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree. The band was featured in a song by Eminem titled "Bad Husband", off his album Revival. They also performed in a song titled "Home" on the soundtrack for the Netflix film Bright. The song includes pop singer Bebe Rexha and rapper Machine Gun Kelly. X Ambassadors released their next single, "Joyful", on January 26, 2018.[13] Later that day they announced their second full-length album, Joyful, through their Instagram accounts, and pre-orders became available through their website.[14] The album was slated for an April 2018 release. On February 2, 2018, the band released another single off the album titled "Don't Stay".[15]
However, on April 19, 2019, over a year after the announcement of the album, it was announced that the band had cancelled it in favor of their new work for their new upcoming second studio album Orion. Lead singer Sam Harris stated that Joyful was the second iteration of their second album, and that they felt like the songs on it did not represent where they were at.[16] The singles released prior to the album's cancellation will continue to be available on streaming services.
2019–present: Orion
On January 25, 2019, X Ambassadors released their new song titled "Boom", which would serve as the lead single of their upcoming second studio album. A few months later, on April 19, 2019, the band released another new song titled "Hey Child", as the second single off their new album. The same day, the band announced that the title of their upcoming album would be Orion. A third single from the album, titled "Hold You Down", was released on May 31, 2019.[17] The album was released on June 14, 2019.[16]
On August 16, 2019, the band was featured on a song titled "In Your Arms", off of Illenium's third studio album titled Ascend.[18]
On August 23, 2019, the band released a stand-alone single titled "Optimistic".
The song centers around gun violence in the United States.[19]
Musical style and influences
In an interview with Caitlin White, X Ambassadors declared themselves distinctly rock with few characteristics commonly associated with indie bands.[8] They referenced Incubus and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as heroes.[8]
Philanthropy
In March 2017, X Ambassadors performed a special show to benefit Planned Parenthood on International Women's Day.[22]
In June 2017, X Ambassadors announced that they would donate all the proceeds from their Mississippi Coast Coliseum Show to Unity Mississippi - an LGBT charitable organization,[25] following the announcement that the State of Mississippi signed HB 1523 - the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" into law.[26]
Band members
Sam Harris – lead vocals, guitar, saxophone, bass guitar, drums, percussion (2009–present)
Casey Harris – piano, keyboards, backing vocals (2009–present)
Adam Levin – drums, percussion (2009–present)
Former member
Noah Feldshuh – lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2009–2016; currently on hiatus)
Casey Harris has been blind since birth.[29]
Noah Feldshuh is the nephew of actress Tovah Feldshuh.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US[30] | BEL[31] | CAN[32] | FRA[33] | GER[34] | UK[35] | |||
| Litost |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| VHS |
| 7 | 181 | 2 | 85 | 56 | 41 | |
| Orion |
| 125 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||||
Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Heat[41] | IRE[42] | ||
| Ambassadors |
| — | — |
| Love Songs Drug Songs |
| 11 | — |
| The Reason |
| 7 | 62 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | |||
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US[43] | AUS[44] | AUT[45] | BEL[31] | CAN[46] | FRA[33] | GER[34] | IRE[42] | NL[47] | UK[35] | ||||
| "Tropisms"[48][1] | 2009 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Unconsolable"[49][2] | 2012 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Unconsolable"(New version)[50] | 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Love Songs Drug Songs | |
| "Jungle"(withJamie N Commons)[51] | 87 | — | — | — | 63 | 55 | 44 | 62 | 85 | 18 |
| VHS | |
| "Renegades" | 2015 | 17 | 43 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 32 | 38 | ||
| "American Oxygen]"[58] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Fear"(featuringImagine Dragons) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | VHS | ||
| "Unsteady" | 20 | 94 | — | — | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Collider"(withTom Morello) | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | VHS 2.0[60] | |
| "Hoping"[61] | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Torches"[62] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "The Devil You Know"[63] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Ahead of Myself]"[64] | — | — | — | — | —[3] | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Home"(withMachine Gun Kellyand Bebe Rexha) | 90 | 74 | 32 | 41 | 43 | 130 | 27 | 74 | 98 | 64 |
| Bright: The Album | |
| "Joyful"[66] | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Don't Stay"[15] | — | — | — | — | —[4] | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Boom]"[68] | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Orion | |
| "Hey Child" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Hold You Down" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Optimistic"[69] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US[43] | AUS[44] | AUT[45] | BEL[31] | CAN[46] | FRA[33] | GER[34] | IRE[42] | NL[47] | UK[35] | ||||
| "Wicked Ways"(Eminemfeaturing X Ambassadors) | 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 197 | The Marshall Mathers LP 2 | |
| "Comfortable"(The Knocksfeaturing X Ambassadors) | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | |
| "Cannonball"(Skylar Greyfeaturing X Ambassadors) | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Sucker for Pain"(Lil Wayne], Wiz Khalifa&Imagine DragonswithLogicandTy Dolla $ignfeaturing X Ambassadors) | 2016 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 19 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 18 | 11 | Suicide Squad: The Album | |
| "Heat"(The Knocks featuring Sam Nelson Harris) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Testify EP | ||
| "Not Easy"(Alex Da Kid] featuring X Ambassadors,Elle Kingand Wiz Khalifa) | — | 73 | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Bad Husband"(Eminem featuring X Ambassadors) | 2017 | —[5] | 94 | — | — | 68 | 167 | 69 | 44 | 81 | — | Revival | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Guest appearances
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Love of a Life"(Keljet featuring X Ambassadors) | Non-album single |
| "Wicked Ways"(Eminemfeaturing X Ambassadors) | The Marshall Mathers LP 2 | |
| 2014 | "Comfortable"(The Knocksfeaturing X Ambassadors) | So Classic |
| 2015 | "Transmission"(Zedd] featuringLogicand X Ambassadors) | True Colors |
| "Cannonball"(Skylar Greyfeaturing X Ambassadors) | Non-album single | |
| 2017 | "Bad Husband"(Eminem featuring X Ambassadors) | Revival |
| 2019 | "In Your Arms"(Illeniumwith X Ambassadors) | Ascend |
Music Videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Tropisms"1 | 2009 | Jackson Morton[48] |
| "Unconsolable"1 | 2013 | ENDS[50] |
| "Jungle" | 2014 | Emile Rafael & Alex Da Kid[51] |
| "Renegades" | 2015 | ENDS & Alex Da Kid[76] |
| "Unsteady" | ENDS[77] | |
| "American Oxygen" | 2016 | |
| "Low Life" | Alissa Torvinen[78] | |
| "Collider" | Tess Harrison[79] | |
| "Hoping" | 2017 | |
| "Ahead of Myself" | Jake Kovnat[80] | |
| "Joyful" | 2018 | Tess Harrison[81] |
| "Don't Stay" | ||
| "Boom" | 2019 | |
| "Hold You Down" | Najeeb Tarazi[82] | |
| "Hey Child" | Sam Nelson Harris[83] |
Notes
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Music: Rock Song | "Renegades" | Nominated | [84] |
| 2016 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Song – Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film | "Sucker for Pain" | Nominated | [85] |
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | Alternative Rock Artist of the Year | X Ambassadors | Nominated | [86] | |
| Alternative Rock Song of the Year | "Renegades" | Nominated | |||
| Billboard Music Awards | Top Rock Artist | X Ambassadors | Nominated | [87] | |
| Top Rock Song | "Renegades" | Nominated | |||
| American Music Awards | Favorite Artist - Alternative Rock | X Ambassadors | Nominated | [88] | |
| 2017 | Billboard Music Awards | Top Rock Artist | X Ambassadors | Nominated | [89] |
| Top Rock Song | "Sucker for Pain" | Nominated | |||
| "Unsteady" | Nominated | ||||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Rock Artist | X Ambassadors | Nominated | [90] |