AJR is an American indie pop trio composed of multi-instrumentalist brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met (which is short for their birth name Metzger). Their most successful songs include “I’m Ready”, “Sober Up”, “Burn the House Down”, “Way Less Sad”, “100 Bad Days”, “Weak”, and “Bang!”.[1] In 2019, their third album Neotheater debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200,[2] and hit number one on the Top Rock Albums chart.[2] “Bang!” is their highest-charting song and only song to reach the top 10 in the United States, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 22, 2021.[3]
The name “AJR” comes from the first initials of the three brothers, Adam, Jack, and Ryan. The band writes, produces, and mixes their music in the living room of their apartment in New York City.[4] Their musical style has been described as “eclectic”, combining elements of pop, doo-wop, electronic, and dubstep.[5]
The Met brothers (short for their birth name Metzger) initially began writing, producing, and mixing their own material in the living room of their Chelsea apartment in Manhattan, New York, focusing on DIY indie pop music. They began performing around 2006, busking in Central Park and Washington Square Park. Initially, Jack played the harmonica, Ryan played the piano, and Adam played the bass. They later began playing various instruments. They began by performing covers,[5] and have also put out 2 albums in 2010 and an EP in 2012 (which are now removed from all streaming services.).
In November 2012, AJR’s Ryan Met tweeted a link to a video of their song “I’m Ready” to about 80 celebrities, including Australian singer Sia.[5] Sia told her manager about the song, and he contacted Steve Greenberg, former president of Columbia Records and current CEO and Founder of S-Curve Records.[1] He acts as their co-manager.[5] AJR’s debut single, “I’m Ready”, which features a sample of SpongeBob SquarePants repeatedly singing his catchphrase “I’m ready” from the eponymous animated series’ premiere episode, was commercially released on August 22, 2013.[6] The song was placed in regular rotation on Sirius XM Radio’s Top 20 on 20 and Hits 1 stations,[1] and they performed the song on Good Day New York and VH1’s Big Morning Buzz.[7] The official music video for “I’m Ready” premiered on VEVO on October 15, 2013.[5][8]
