A Band Made of Cartoons
Back in 1998, Blur frontman Damon Albarn and comic artist Jamie Hewlett decided to flip the idea of what a band could be. Out of that spark came Gorillaz, a group of four animated misfits: 2-D (vocal and keyboards), Murdoc (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar vocals), and Russel (drums) . Suddenly, music had a new home: a comic book universe brought to life.
A Different Kind of Sound
Their 2001 debut album wasn’t just different, it was groundbreaking. With hits like Clint Eastwood and19-2000, Gorillaz stitched together hip-hop, rock, dub, and electronic beats into something that sounded like the future. People came for the cartoon gimmick but stayed for the music. One of Gorillaz’s greatest strengths has always been their collaborators. De La Soul, Lou Reed, Little Simz, Elton John, Kali Uchis—the list reads like a music festival lineup. Each project reinvents their sound, keeping fans guessing and critics on their toes.
2005’s Demon Days cemented Gorillaz as a cultural force. The apocalyptic Feel Good Inc. (with De La Soul), the haunting El Mañana, and the energetic DARE turned the album into a modern classic. Later records kept pushing boundaries: Plastic Beach (2010) introduced On Melancholy Hill and Stylo, while Humanz (2017) delivered tracks like Saturnz Barz and Andromeda.
Gorillaz aren’t just about songs, they’re storytellers. Through music videos, interactive websites, comic-style lore, and even holographic concerts, the band has built a world that fans can step into. Their characters grow, change, and sometimes fall apart, just like real bandmates.
Cartoon Legends
Two decades in, Gorillaz are more than just a band. They’re a multimedia experiment that worked proof that music, art, and storytelling can merge into something timeless. With each new release, their universe grows bigger, stranger, and more exciting. Gorillaz didn’t just create hits; they created a legacy.