3OH!3

3OH!3 is an American electronic group from Boulder, Colorado, formed in 2004 by Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. The name comes from the 303 area code, which covers Boulder, Aurora and the Denver metropolitan area. The group is active and signed to Fueled by Ramen. Its sound is associated with alternative dance, alternative hip hop, crunkcore, dance-pop, electro hop and electronic music.

Career

Foreman and Motte begin making music after Foreman invites Motte to mix beats and spend time with him, and the pair is inspired by the hip-hop and electronic scene. Their self-titled debut album appears in 2007, but it does not sell strongly. The follow-up, Want, is released in 2008 through Photo Finish Records and reaches number 44 on the Billboard 200.

Want includes the singles “Don’t Trust Me” and “Starstrukk”. “Don’t Trust Me” becomes a major U.S. hit in 2009 and peaks at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. A deluxe edition of the album includes a re-recording of “Starstrukk” featuring Katy Perry. The song “Starstrukk” is also used in advertisements for the television show Candy Girls.

The band writes an anthem for the Colorado Rockies, with a video filmed at the Ogden Theater in Denver and broadcast on FSN Rocky Mountain. It also records remixes of songs by other artists, including Lykke Li’s “I’m Good, I’m Gone”.

Live work and festival appearances

3OH!3 performs at the first Florida date of Warped Tour 2007, then joins Warped Tour 2008 for all venues except Philadelphia. The track “Punkbitch” appears on the Warped Tour 2008 Tour Compilation. The group also plays Bamboozle Left and heads a U.S. Alternative Press Tour in 2009 with Family Force 5, The Maine, A Rocket to the Moon and Hit The Lights. It also performs in Panama City Beach for mtvU’s Spring Break and appears at Kiss Concert ’09 and Kiss the Summer Hello 2009 at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo.

Style and live performance

The group uses skits and costumes in concert and is known for energetic performances. The video for “Holler Til You Pass Out” is set at Mesa Elementary and Fairview High School in Boulder. 3OH!3 is also reported to be making a song with Lil Jon.