Indie pop trio Foster the People came together in Los Angeles in 2009. The group is known for psychedelic, dance-orientated pop and rock which spans many genres. Their 2011 album Torches has sold over 321,000 copies and their single “Pumped Up Kicks” was the sixth-best-selling digital song in the same year, selling 3.84 million copies.
The band was formed by Mark Foster in 2009. He provides lead vocals and plays several instruments, including keyboards and guitar. His fellow band mates comprise Cubbie Finkton on bass and Mark Pontius on drums and percussion. Their first song “Pumped Up Kicks” was an internet success in 2011 and the group was offered a record deal. The band slowly began to build up a fan base by making appearances at small venues and appearing at several music festivals, including South by Southwest and at Coachella. They continued to perform and were booked for a month-long residency of concerts at the Echo night club in LA. By the time they came to perform for the third time, there were hundreds of people queuing to get in and the group were beginning to capture public attention.
Their single “Pumped Up Kicks” was released in 2011 and gained airplay on alternative radio stations, entering the Billboard Rock Songs Chart as well as the Alternative Songs Chart. In May of the same year, the track entered the Billboard Hot 100. Later that month, the group released the album Torches, which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 8. The band then embarked upon a sell-out tour in the US and Europe that lasted 10 months.
The band continued to build up a following, with ”Pumped Up Kicks” breaking into the mainstream top 40 and spending eight weeks at No. 3. Foster the People have scooped several awards for their music, including Top Rock Song for “Pumped up Kicks” at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards. They have also been nominated numerous times, including two Grammy Award nominations for “Pumped Up Kicks” and Torches. At the awards ceremony, the band performed alongside Maroon 5 with The Beach Boys in celebration of the Beach Boys' fiftieth anniversary. In addition, the band have been nominated for two NME Awards and two MTV Music Video Awards. Their latest album is called SuperModel.
