Massive Attack

For the Nicki Minaj song, see Massive Attack (song).

Massive Attack
The band onstage
3D and Daddy G performing in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2010
Background information
Also known asMassive[a]
OriginBristol, England
Genres
Years active1988–present
Labels
Spinoff ofThe Wild Bunch
Members
Past members
Websitemassiveattack.co.uk

Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol, England by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles. The group currently consists of Del Naja, Daddy G and Tricky.

In 1991, they released their debut album, Blue Lines, which has been included on numerous best-of lists and is generally considered the first album of the ‘trip-hop’ genre.[3] The single "Unfinished Sympathy" was a chart hit in Europe, including number one on the Dutch Top 40, and was later voted the 63rd-greatest song of all time in a poll by NME.[4] In 1994, they released their second album Protection. Thaws left the band later that year to pursue a solo career. In 1998, they released their third album, Mezzanine, giving them their first number one on the UK Albums Chart. Mezzanine also contains the top-10 single "Teardrop", which became the opening theme of the American television series House.[5] In 1999, Vowles left the band, with Del Naja and Marshall continued as a duo. They further released the albums 100th Window (2003) and Heligoland (2010). Thaws rejoined the band for the release of a new EP, Ritual Spirit in 2016. Blue Lines and Mezzanine feature in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[3][6] The group have collaborated with several recurring guest vocalists, including Horace Andy, Shara Nelson, Tracey Thorn, Elizabeth Fraser, Sinéad O'Connor, Damon Albarn and Hope Sandoval.

Massive Attack's awards include a Brit Award for Best British Dance Act, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and two Q Awards.[7][8] Their five studio albums have sold over 13 million copies worldwide.[9] Massive Attack are also known for supporting several political, human rights and environmental causes.

  1. ^ "Cool Appeal of Massive Attack". BBC News Entertainment. 27 February 2003. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  2. ^ "8 signs Massive Attack's Robert del Naja is Banksy". Independent.co.uk. 19 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Blue Lines – Massive Attack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  4. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 63. Massive Attack – 'Unfinished Sympathy' (1991, Virgin)". NME. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  5. ^ Melchior, Al (13 June 2024). "The Story Behind "Teardrop" by Massive Attack and How It's Connected to a Pair of Music Legends and a Popular TV Show". American Songwriter. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  6. ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Mezzanine – Massive Attack". Rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Massive Attack: BRITs Profile". Brit Awards. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Awards & Features: Massive Attack". Metrolyrics.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ Chemam, Melissa (4 March 2019). Massive Attack: Out Of The Comfort Zone. ASIN 1910089729.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).