What you need to know
- It's been ten years since Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix burst onto the scene.
- The band's sophomore album proved to be tipping point in its career.
- It went on to win the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album and launch the band into mainstream stardom.
Back in the middle of 2009, the music charts were dominated with hits from Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and The Black Eyed Peas. But out of nowhere, a little known French band called Phoenix burst on to the scene with its sophomore album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, that catapulted them into stardom. In honor of the album's tenth anniversary, we're revisiting it as part of our series looking at amazing albums that came out a decade ago.
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix dropped on May 25, 2009, with the hit single "1901" setting it up. If you haven't heard the song, it is a tour de force synth anthem that will immediately get stuck in your head. It isn't hard to see why the song connected with listeners.
The next single was "Lisztomania", a fast and upbeat song that will lure you in with its rhythmic verses and catchy chorus. The last single was "Lasso," but the entire album is fantastic. You can listen to it from beginning to end without missing a beat.
Time and Rolling Stone ranked Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix as the 5th and 3rd best album of the year respectively. Unsurprisingly, it went on to attain Grammy gold in winning the Best Alternative Music Album category.
To Phoenix's credit, the band hasn't slowed down. It has released two more fantastic albums since with Bankrupt! and Ti Amo, each with its own distinct style.
It's highly doubtful you haven't heard at least one of the singles off Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, even now they remain the band's biggest hits. If you haven't, listen to the album. It's available through Apple Music.
