Hurts

Hailing from Manchester, Hurts are a synthesizer-based duo featuring vocalist Theo Hutchcraft and keyboardist/guitarist Adam Anderson. Known for their arty and striking self-produced videos, Hurts make epic, dramatic pop music that takes inspiration from a finely curated mix of influences including '70s Krautrock, '80s new wave, and '90s R&B. After meeting in 2005, Hutchcraft and Anderson formed several bands including Bureau and Daggers, the latter of which signed to Label Fandango in 2007. With their high-energy electro-pop sound, Daggers released the single "Money/Magazine." However, Hutchcraft and Anderson grew increasingly unhappy with the direction the band was taking and after a particularly disastrous A&R showcase performance in London, they decided to disband Daggers. Holing up in a basement studio, with the duo now going by the name Hurts, they began focusing on a more streamlined, moody, and emotional sound that traded Daggers' edgy pop confrontation for a sustained synth p