Bloc Party are an English rock band formed in London in 1999 by Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack. The band's music incorporates elements of indie rock, post-punk revival, electronica, and house music. The original line-up also included Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong, both of whom later left the group. The current line-up consists of Okereke, Lissack, Louise Bartle, and Harry Deacon.
Okereke and Lissack first met in London in 1998 and decided to form a band after meeting again at the Reading Festival in 1999. Moakes joined after responding to an advertisement in NME, while Tong joined following an audition. Before adopting the name Bloc Party in 2003, the group performed under several names, including Union, The Angel Range, and Diet. The band has stated that the name was not intended as a political reference.
In 2003, Bloc Party released the single "She's Hearing Voices" through Trash Aesthetics. The group gained wider attention after Okereke gave copies of the song to BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos. Lamacq later played the track on his radio programme and invited the band to record a live session. The resulting publicity contributed to the band's signing with Wichita Recordings in 2004.
Bloc Party released their debut album, "Silent Alarm", in February 2005. The album received critical acclaim and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. It was later certified platinum in the United Kingdom. Singles from the album included "So Here We Are", "Banquet", "Helicopter", and "Pioneers". The band toured extensively following the album's release, particularly in the United States. A remix album, "Silent Alarm Remixed", was released later in 2005 and featured contributions from artists including Ladytron, M83, Four Tet, and Mogwai. During this period, the band also released the single "Two More Years".
The band's second album, "A Weekend in the City", was released in February 2007 and produced by Garret "Jacknife" Lee. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number twelve on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The lead single, "The Prayer", became the band's highest-charting UK single, reaching number four. Additional singles included "I Still Remember", "Hunting for Witches", and "Flux". Bloc Party performed at several major festivals during this period, including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park, Oxegen, and Live Earth.
In August 2008, Bloc Party released their third album, "Intimacy". The album was made available digitally shortly after its announcement and later received a physical release. Singles included "Mercury" and "Talons". A remix album, "Intimacy Remixed", followed in 2009. Later that year, the band released the standalone single "One More Chance".
Bloc Party entered a hiatus in 2009 while members pursued other projects. During this period, Okereke released the solo album "The Boxer", Lissack revived the project Pin Me Down and toured with Ash, and Moakes formed the band Young Legionnaire. Rumours that Okereke had left Bloc Party were denied by the other members.
The band reunited in 2011 and began work on a fourth studio album. "Four" was released in August 2012 and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. Singles from the album included "Octopus", "Day Four", "Kettling", and "Truth". In 2013, Bloc Party released the EP "The Nextwave Sessions".
During the band's 2013 tour, drummer Matt Tong left the group. The band subsequently entered another hiatus. In 2015, bassist Gordon Moakes also departed. Okereke and Lissack later resumed work on new material with new members Justin Harris and Louise Bartle joining the line-up.
Bloc Party released their fifth studio album, "Hymns", in January 2016. The album was the first to feature Bartle and Harris. Later that year, the band released the standalone single "Stunt Queen". In 2018 and 2019, Bloc Party toured performing "Silent Alarm" in full to mark the album's anniversary.
Work on the band's sixth studio album began in 2020. "Alpha Games" was released in April 2022 and was preceded by the singles "Traps", "The Girls Are Fighting", "Sex Magik", and "If We Get Caught". In 2023, Bloc Party released "The High Life EP", featuring the singles "High Life" and "Keep It Rolling". Bassist Harry Deacon joined the band later that year, replacing Justin Harris.
In 2024, Bloc Party released the standalone single "Flirting Again". The same year, the band issued "A Weekend in the City: B-Sides", a compilation of demos and B-sides from the "A Weekend in the City" era. Following a world tour in 2025 celebrating the anniversaries of both "Silent Alarm" and the band's formation, Bloc Party announced work on their seventh studio album with producer Trevor Horn.
In May 2026, the band announced their seventh album, "Anatomy of a Brief Romance", scheduled for release in September 2026. The lead single, "Coming On Strong", was released the same month.
Bloc Party have sold more than three million albums worldwide and are frequently associated with the post-punk revival movement of the 2000s. Critics have noted the band's combination of rhythmic guitar work, electronic influences, and melodic songwriting.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloc_Party
Studio albums
Silent Alarm (2005)
A Weekend in the City (2007)
Intimacy (2008)
Four (2012)
Hymns (2016)
Alpha Games (2022)
Anatomy of a Brief Romance (2026)
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…shrink me down again