American Authors

American Authors

American Authors are a Boston-formed American indie rock and pop rock group active since 2006. The band consists of James Adam Shelley, Zac Barnett, Matt Sanchez and Dave Rublin. Its music is also associated with chamber pop and folk rock.

Formation and lineup

The group forms in Boston, Massachusetts before moving to Brooklyn, New York. It begins as a quartet with Zachary Barnett on vocals, James Adam Shelley on guitar and banjo, Matt Sanchez on drums and Dave Rublin on bass. Later, the band line-up changes after James Adam leaves, and the remaining members continue as a trio for a period. The members listed for the group are James Adam Shelley, Zac Barnett, Matt Sanchez and Dave Rublin.

Style and songwriting

The band writes songs that frame personal experience as stories, with lyrics drawing on struggle, highs and lows, and change. Its earlier work is described as more upbeat, while later material takes in darker and more inward-looking themes.

Recordings and releases

American Authors sign to Island Records soon after forming. Their debut album, Oh, What a Life, includes the track “Hit It”, which appears in the EA Sports game FIFA 14. The second album, What We Live For, includes “I’m Born To Run”, “What We Live For” and “Pride”. Their third album, Seasons, follows with a different tone from the first two albums. The band also releases the EP Counting Down after a run of singles in late 2019 and early 2020.

Collaborations

The single “Nice and Easy” features Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray.