Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000 by Karen O (vocals), Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase. They rose to fame during the 2000s garage rock and post-punk revivals, noted for their evolving musical style and energetic performances.
real name: Karen O, Brian Chase, Nick Zinner
members: Karen O, Nick Zinner, Brian Chase
formed in: New York City
labels: Interscope Records, Touch and Go Records
genres: indie rock, garage rock, art punk, post-punk revival, dance-punk
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In early 2000, singer/songwriter Karen Orzolek—henceforth known as Karen O—and guitarist Nick Zinner founded the acoustic duo Unitard. Later that year, they changed their name to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and shifted towards a "trashy, punky, [and] grimy" sound inspired by the contemporary Ohio music scene. In September 2000, the band was invited to open for the White Stripes at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. As Karen O did not want to use a drum machine live, she enlisted drummer Brian Chase a day before the show. He became a permanent fixture of their lineup, making Yeah Yeah Yeahs a trio.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs were key figures of the 2000s garage rock and post-punk revivals, standing at the forefront of the New York music scene. Fever to Tell is considered a seminal work of the period, while "Maps" and "Heads Will Roll" are two of their most enduring tracks, having been covered, sampled, or remixed multiple times. The band have inspired acts like Cody Critcheloe, Grimes, Japanese Breakfast, and the Linda Lindas. Their role in the New York music scene is examined in the book Meet Me in the Bathroom and its 2022 film adaptation, both of which document the band's history and Karen O's struggles with sexualization and sensationalism.
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"Date with the Night" is a song by the American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs and second track on their debut studio album, Fever to Tell (2003). It was released by Polydor Records in April 2003 as the album's lead single.
The song was written and composed by the band, with singer and lyricist Karen O describing a sexually charged night. "Date with the Night" peaked at number nineteen on the Scottish singles chart and number sixteen on the United Kingdom singles chart, the band's highest UK entry to date.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs was formed in 2000, with the lineup Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase. The band made its recording debut in 2001 with the extended play Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which was named NME's best track of 2002 and entered three charts worldwide. Positive reviews of their performances led to signing offers from major record labels, which the band ignored in order to maintain creative control of their debut album. "Date with the Night" was written sometime in 2002 and recorded during the Fever to Tell sessions at Headgear Studio in Brooklyn.
"Date with the Night" was released as the first single from Fever to Tell on April 14, 2003 by Polydor Records. It includes the B-sides "Yeah! New York" and a remix of "Bang", a track from their debut EP, by Little Stranger. The accompanying music video for "Date with the Night" was directed by Patrick Daughters, his first of many videos directed for the band, and coincided with the single release.
"Date with the Night" peaked on the UK singles chart at number sixteen, their highest-peaking single in the United Kingdom, and on the Scottish singles chart at number nineteen. The song was positively received by critics. Allmusic's Tom Maginnis said that "the band scatter sinewy riffs laced with soiled power chords and volcanic eruptions of white noise with joyous irreverence." Blender noted that the song had a "disco pulse," and Entertainment Weekly's Emily Wilson called the song "ferocious." Pitchfork praised the song's "stop/start emergency-room shriek." The Guardian noted that "You scarcely notice how mannered the vocals are when there is great music powering away behind" Karen O.
"Heads Will Roll" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their third studio album, It's Blitz! (2009). It was released by DGC, Interscope and Polydor Records as the album's second single in June 2009.
Written by the band with production by Nick Launay and David Andrew Sitek, "Heads Will Roll" is a dance-rock song, shifting from their previous garage rock and art punk influences, about an ill-fated night on the dancefloor.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, composed of singer/songwriter Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase, became prominent figures in the 2000s garage rock and post-punk revivals and stood at the forefront of the New York music scene. Following their breakthrough with their 2003 landmark debut album Fever to Tell, the band aimed to reinvent themselves with every subsequent record. Karen O explained, "We put out a record every three years now; we could easily be forgotten. If you look at a lot of our peers that we came up with, a lot of them have disappeared."
"Heads Will Roll" is characterized as a dance-rock and alternative rock song that runs for three minutes and 42 seconds. According to sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group, it is composed in 44 time in the key of G minor with a tempo of 132 beats per minute. Its lyrics, written by Karen O, are about an ill-fated night on the dancefloor, which was inspired by horror stories.
The song's music video was directed by Richard Ayoade, and premiered on NME on May 26, 2009. It features the band playing in a (presumably) underground venue when a dancing werewolf whose dancing is reminiscent of Michael Jackson (who died four days before the single was released and 30 days after the music video premiered) appears on stage. A light flashes halfway through the music video and the werewolf transforms. He then proceeds to chase after the audience and kills most of them. The video then ends with the band having been murdered while Karen O continues singing, her head severed from her body.
"Pin" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their debut studio album, Fever to Tell (2003). It was released in June 2003 by Polydor as the album's second single.
Released on June 23, 2003, "Pin" reached number 34 on the Scottish Singles chart and number 29 on the UK singles chart. It was the second-most successful Fever to Tell single in Scotland and third-most in the United Kingdom.
The music video for "Pin", directed by Tunde Adebimpe, was released in 2003. It is an animated stop motion video inspired by the Quay Brothers.
"Skeletons" is the third single from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' third album It's Blitz!. The 7" edition of the single, limited to 500 copies, was released on March 1, 2010.
The single was also released on January 31, 2010, in the iTunes Store. Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men covered the song in 2013.
The photograph on the 7" vinyl sleeve was created by the band's guitarist Nick Zinner, who is a professional photographer. The artwork features a barn in rural Massachusetts during a snowstorm, and is a reference to the location where the song was written.
A limited edition 7" 331⁄3 RPM vinyl copy of "Skeletons" was released for Record Store Day in 2010. The record contained the single, as well as, a B-side of the song being played live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn New York. The live version of the song was mixed and engineered by Harley Zinker and Tom Carlisle at Fireplace Studios in New York.
"Zero" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, released as the lead single from their third studio album, It's Blitz! (2009). The song received critical acclaim from music critics for its production, and was named the best track of 2009 by both NME and Spin magazines.
Singer Karen O said, "We want to shake the unshakable, to stir things up, and that’s a lot of the spirit of ‘Zero’; it's like” ‘Come on man! Come on! Just feel something, escape, whatever, whatever the emotion is just feel it!’"
"Zero" received acclaim from music critics. Paula Carino of AllMusic described the song as "an exhilarating and wide-open expanse of pure electro-pop". Mary Bellamy of Drowned in Sound viewed the track as "the call to arms of a band who desperately want to teleport the refugees of fashion-fizzled pop, the hippest of hipsters and the weirdest outsiders to the dancefloor of their sweaty spaceship", stating it is "perhaps one of the band's finest moments ever committed to tape."
The music video for "Zero" was directed by Barney Clay and premiered on March 9, 2009. It was filmed in the San Francisco neighborhoods of Tenderloin, North Beach, and Chinatown. Speaking to Spinner, lead singer Karen O explained the concept of the video: "The visuals had to be well paced with the slow ecstatic build of the song. It made sense that the visuals would take you on a journey and keep you on the move—no sitting still for too long in the city landscape of bright lights, dark alleys and glittering streets. 'Zero''s sentiment is to revel in being you—you're a zero so screw it! It's the underdogs, the rebels, the outsiders that have always captivated me growing up so I decided why not flaunt that side of myself in the video."
"Gold Lion" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their second studio album, Show Your Bones (2006). It was written by the band and produced with David Andrew Sitek, and released by Interscope as the album's lead single in February 2006.
"Gold Lion" is an alternative rock song that departs from the garage rock sound of their earlier works.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs began work on their second album, Show Your Bones, with the goal of reinventing their sound and not creating "Fever to Tell part 2". From early to late 2005, the band faced various problems during production, including scrapping and restarting the album, and tensions rising between lead singer and lyricist Karen O and guitarist Nick Zinner from the pressure. "Gold Lion", in particular, was conceived after Karen O performed on the Adidas commercial Hello Tomorrow in 2005 created by her then-boyfriend, Spike Jonze, and composed by Show Your Bones producer Squeak E. Clean. Drummer Brian Chase said that he did not understand the music until a month after they had finished recording.
"Gold Lion" is characterized as an alternative rock and indie rock song with a length of three minutes and seven seconds. The title of the song derives from two awards received by Jonze at the 2005 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The song is built around a drumbeat by Chase that resembles the one in "We Will Rock You" by British rock band Queen, along with acoustic guitar riffs played by Zinner, who uses a distortion pedal in the choruses.
"Gold Lion" was well-received by critics and won the BMI London Pop Award in 2007. Some critics have noted the song's similarities to "No New Tale To Tell" by English rock band Love and Rockets and "Peek-a-Boo" by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Journalists at Spin and NME were pleasantly surprised at the song's melodic direction, which the latter publication deemed "preternaturally brilliant". In their reviews of Show Your Bones, writers for Rolling Stone and The Village Voice thought that "Gold Lion" represented the band at their most brass and "Beck-like", and AllMusic called it a cryptic earworm. A writer for Drowned in Sound was more critical, stating that Yeah Yeah Yeahs shouldn't have deviated from their previous formula.
The music video for "Gold Lion" was directed by Patrick Daughters, who has directed many videos for the band. It features the band playing in the Nevada desert at sunset and eventually night. At first we see Brian holding a large pile of drumsticks with more tied to his back. Then, Nick is seen walking dragging a number of acoustic guitars behind him. Brian then sits at his drumkit with the pile of drumsticks. As he begins to play Brian's drumkit shoots out flames from his snare drum, which sets his drumstick alight and the ground around him as he continues to play. He then throws the stick on a pile of other drumsticks starting another fire. The rest of the band are seen performing, however they are all covered in sand and dust. At the...
"Maps" is a song by the American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, from their debut studio album, Fever to Tell (2003). It was released as a single in the United Kingdom by Polydor in September 2003, while distribution in the United States was handled by Interscope in February 2004.
The song is built around a looped guitar riff and features lyrics inspired by singer Karen O's turbulent relationship with her boyfriend at the time.
By the end of 2002, the indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs received international attention with the release of their self-titled debut EP and for their energetic live concerts. They began work on their debut album, Fever to Tell, that same year, rejecting offers from major record labels, as they felt it would compromise their creative control. "Maps" began with a riff played on a whim by guitarist Nick Zinner in the band's shared home. Singer and lyricist Karen O heard it as she walked by his door, and sang along to it, writing the song in 20 minutes.
"Maps" is characterized as an art punk, soul, and indie rock song, with a runtime of 3 minutes and 34 seconds. According to sheet music published by editors at BMG Rights Management, the song is composed in 44 time, in the key of G major. The track is built around a guitar loop consisting of a single D note, which critics have described as a "ringing" and "trilling" riff. Zinner plays two guitar solos following the second and third choruses. Chase's drum part, described as a "maelstrom", features a kick drum on nearly every beat, beds of toms, and a stuttering snare pattern. Karen O's vocal range spans from G3 to D4.
Though Yeah Yeah Yeahs were hesitant to join a major label, they signed to Interscope at the insistence of Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) in February 2003. Polydor, a sister label of Interscope, released "Maps" in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2003, and in Australia on October 6, 2003. The band were unsure whether the song would fare well in the United States, even as their friends urged an earlier release, and Zinner himself recognized it as a "big moment". Interscope ultimately delayed distribution in the US until February 10, 2004.
"Maps" was commercially successful, and, although distribution to alternative radio was delayed, marked a commercial breakthrough for the band. It greatly increased sales of Fever to Tell, which rose from 124,000 units shipped in its release year to a million units by the end of the decade. It first charted in the United Kingdom, debuting at number 26 on the UK singles chart on April 10, 2003. It next entered the Scottish Singles Chart on September 27, 2003, peaking at number 35. In the United States, it debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 13, 2004, spending 13 weeks there and peaking at number 87 on May 1, 2004. It entered the Modern Rock Tracks chart on March 13, peaking at number 9 and remaining on the chart for 18...
"Spitting Off the Edge of the World" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, featuring American musician Perfume Genius, from their fifth studio album, Cool It Down (2022). It was released by Secretly Canadian as the album's lead single in June 2022, marking their first single release in nine years.
Written by the band and producer David Andrew Sitek, "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" is a power ballad with lyrics inspired by singer Karen O's thoughts on the climate crisis.
In April 2013, Yeah Yeah Yeahs achieved their highest peak on the US Billboard 200 with their fourth studio album, Mosquito, at number five. In December 2014, lead singer and pianist Karen O announced the band were "on a bit of hiatus" due to a lack of inspiration. Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced their comeback in June 2017, sparsely playing shows over the next five years and reissuing their debut studio album, Fever to Tell, in the interim. In May 2022, the band announced new music.
"Spitting Off the Edge of the World" is a power ballad that runs for four minutes and seventeen seconds. The song is characterized by synthesizers, "keening" riffs and "crashing" drums, creating what critics have called an "ominous" atmosphere. Karen O sings lead on the song alongside guest vocals performed by Perfume Genius, the second time Yeah Yeah Yeahs includes a featured artist on any of their songs.
"Spitting Off the Edge of the World" was released by Secretly Canadian on June 1, 2022, as the lead single from Cool It Down. Upon release, the song peaked at number 21 on the ARIA Digital Tracks chart. In 2025, after appearing in the science fiction film The Gorge, it topped the Billboard Top TV Songs and Rock Digital Song Sales charts. That same year, it reached number fifteen on the Digital Song Sales chart, number two on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart, and number 29 on the UK singles sales chart.
The accompanying music video for "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" was directed by Cody Critcheloe, who previously designed the artwork for Fever to Tell. It stars Karen O and Perfume Genius, with Brian Chase and Nick Zinner making cameo appearances. The band were elated to work with Critcheloe again, calling it "a dream collaboration". The video was filmed in Kansas City, Missouri in locations including the Kansas City International Airport and atop a downtown building. For the video, Critcheloe built a custom limousine, designed a Yeah Yeah Yeahs-styled gas station and rebuilt a former local punk venue to hold a private concert. The band loved the result "so much that it hurts."
"Turn Into" is the second single that released from Show Your Bones, the second LP by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
"Burning" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their fifth studio album, Cool It Down (2022). It was released by Secretly Canadian as the album's second single in August 2022.
Written by the band and produced by Andrew Wyatt, "Burning" was inspired from lead singer Karen O's experience of losing most of her belongings in a fire when she was nineteen.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs aspired to make new material as early as 2020, but were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2022, after a lengthy recording hiatus, the band announced they were creating new music. They confirmed that their fifth studio album, Cool It Down, would be released later that year. It was preceded by the successful digital single "Spitting Off the Edge of the World".
"Burning" is a dance and soul song that runs for four minutes and five seconds. According to lead singer and songwriter Karen O, the lyrics of "Burning" are about "smoke signals for the soul. Begging to cool it down, just doing it the best we know how." After witnessing the 2020 California wildfires, Karen O recalled losing all of her personal items to an apartment fire when she was nineteen, except for her sketchbooks and family photos. Her experiences in the aftermath shaped the song's themes.
"Burning" was released by Secretly Canadian on August 10, 2022, as the second single from Cool It Down. The song received positive reviews from critics and peaked at number 16 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart, remaining there for 20 weeks. At the 2026 Libera Awards, it was nominated for Best Sync Usage.
The accompanying music video for "Burning" was directed by Cody Critcheloe, who previously designed the artwork for the band's debut Fever to Tell. Its visuals were inspired by West Side Story.
"Cheated Hearts" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their second studio album, Show Your Bones (2006). The song first featured on the band's music DVD, Tell Me What Rockers to Swallow (2004), and was released as a single by Polydor in September 2006.
"Cheated Hearts" is an alternative rock and indie rock song with a length of three minutes and 58 seconds, while a radio edit is shortened to three minutes and 34 seconds. According to sheet music published by Hal Leonard and Chrysalis Music, the song is written in the key of A major.
"Cheated Hearts" was released on September 4, 2006 through Polydor Records, first on a limited-edition heart shaped vinyl. Although the song did not make any commercial impact, it received critical acclaim. Drowned in Sound's Sean Adams called it "one of the greatest moments in living blurred indie-memory", praising Karen O's vocals and Nick Zinner's guitar work. The Skinny's Tali Burgess described it as an "energetic, melancholic wonder" and a spiritual sequel to their 2003 single, "Maps".
The music video for "Cheated Hearts", directed by Karen O under the moniker Marshmellow, is composed of clips submitted by fans who look alike to the band. She described it as "the most amazing way to connect with our fans. They really rose to the occasion."