They Might Be Giants

Formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1982, They Might Be Giants (TMBG) has had a long career that has touched on several genres including alternative, indie rock, pop, and children's music. Founded by longtime friends John Flansburgh and John Linnell, the duo originally met while teenagers in Lincoln, Massachusetts. They both moved to Brooklyn in 1981 and immersed themselves in the local art-rock scene. Using pre-recorded backing tapes or a drum machine, the duo first began to record and perform minimalist music that was laced with humor and melody. They came to the attention of fans outside Brooklyn when they began creating songs that people could call and listen to on their answering machine. This series, which they called ‘Dial-a-Song’ became immensely popular. They Might Be Giants released their self-titled debut album in 1986 and became a hit thanks to the song “Don’t Let’s Start.” Their second album, Lincoln (1988), rose to number 89 on the strength of singles like “Ana Ng.” Leaving the indie label world, they signed with Elektra and released the platinum-selling Flood (1990), which included “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” which was their highest charting Billboard hit yet (number 3 on the Alternative Singles chart). The song “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” received plenty of airplay but did not chart in the US. TMBG continued to release a string of critically acclaimed albums including Apollo 18 (1992), John Henry (1994), Factory Showroom (1996), Long Tall Weekend (1999), and Mink Car (2001). Their children’s music series began with No! (2002), followed by the gold‑certified Here Come the ABCs (2005), Here Come the 123s (2008), and Here Comes Science (2009), the latter earning a Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children in 2009. While releasing children’s albums, they continued to issue rock albums including a series of compilations featuring tracks from their ‘Dial-a-Song’ series. In January 2026, They Might Be Giants released the Eyeball EP, their first studio release since the album Book and The Pamphlet EP from 2021.

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