From Wesleyan University to Global Stages: The Musical Journey of MGMT

MGMT, an American rock band renowned for their psychedelic pop sound, has captivated audiences worldwide. The band's story is rooted in the college experiences of its founding members, Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. This article delves into the band's formation at Wesleyan University, their rise to fame, their artistic evolution, and their reflections on the music industry.

Genesis at Wesleyan University

The story of MGMT begins at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser met and formed a musical bond. As freshmen, they discovered a shared appreciation for absurdist music and a mutual dissatisfaction with the perceived commercialism of the pop music industry. Initially calling themselves "The Management," their band name was a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the music industry's practices.

"We weren't trying to start a band," remarked Goldwasser. "We were just hanging out and showing each other music that we liked." VanWyngarden named Talking Heads and OMD as artists who are "definitely in [their] blood." They experimented with noise rock and electronica before settling on what Paco Alvarez of Spin calls "their current brand of shape-shifting psychedelic pop".

Early Musical Explorations

Their early musical endeavors involved a blend of experimentation and satire. They performed original songs like "Kids" and "Time to Pretend" as a joke at college parties, alongside a 45-minute-long cover of the Ghostbusters theme song. The positive response to these performances encouraged them to release their first EP, "Time To Pretend."

The Rise to Fame: Oracular Spectacular

The release of their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, marked a turning point for MGMT. The album became a massive success, selling 17,000 copies per week at its peak and two million in total. The singles "Kids," "Time to Pretend," and "Electric Feel" became iconic hits, defining the psychedelic indie-pop sound of the era.

Navigating the Pop Landscape

However, the band members felt somewhat conflicted by the album's success. They believed that the pop-oriented sound of the hit singles overshadowed the more experimental and psychedelic tracks on the album, which were more representative of their true artistic vision. The band felt that they were becoming the kind of pop act that they initially set out to satirize.

Artistic Evolution and Experimentation

Disillusioned with their image, Andrew and Ben headed back into the studio to create a new anthology that would exhibit their true style. MGMT sought to redefine their sound and explore their artistic inclinations further. Their subsequent albums, Congratulations and MGMT, showcased a darker, more psychedelic synth-pop style.

Embracing Psychedelic Soundscapes

These albums, while not as commercially successful as Oracular Spectacular, were crucial in establishing MGMT's artistic identity. The group combined a number of musical elements that just barely work with one another in order to create a sound that somehow works. The band's willingness to experiment and push boundaries resonated with a dedicated fan base.

Little Dark Age: A Synthesis of Styles

After a hiatus, MGMT returned with their fourth studio album, Little Dark Age (LDA), released in February 2018. This album represented an attempt to reconcile their authentic, unconventional sound with the pop sensibilities that had initially propelled them to fame.

Inspired by Political Shifts

The creation of Little Dark Age coincided with significant political events, including the election of former President Donald Trump, which served as inspiration for the album's themes. VanWyngarden stated, "We were like, 'Wow, is it actually possible for the most impossible thing to happen?' […] Apparently, we were more inspired to write pop music after evil took over the world."

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Critical and Commercial Reception

Little Dark Age was a success, peaking at #35 on Billboard 200 and passing 100 million streams on Spotify. Some critics viewed it as a return to the style of Oracular Spectacular, while others saw it as a departure from their previous work, representing a maturation of their sound.

Independence and Creative Liberation

In 2019, MGMT embarked on a new chapter in their career, producing music independently of a major label for the first time since 2006. This newfound independence allowed them greater creative control and freedom to pursue their artistic vision without external pressures.

Releasing "In the Afternoon"

On December 11, 2019, MGMT released "In the Afternoon" as a single, marking their first release on their independent label, MGMT Records. The band created the music video for the song themselves, underscoring their commitment to artistic self-sufficiency.

Reflecting on the Music Industry

MGMT has been vocal about their experiences within the music industry, particularly the challenges of being on a major label. They have expressed a desire to avoid the pitfalls of the industry, such as the emphasis on image and branding over artistic integrity. Ben: I was reading this thing recently that was comparing Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk to feudal lords and we’re all kind of in this serfdom. It’s basically if we exist in this world, we’re basically existing to serve these billionaires. And I think there’s a lot of truth to that, and it’s the kind of thing that the more you really think about it, the more it really bums you out unless you go totally off the grid, which is also a pretty extreme decision and not necessarily liberating. It’s unavoidable.

Andrew: It’s not solely a major label-related thing. You can be in the machine and be on a very small label. It seems more and more these days what comes first is the image and the brand and the personal identity. And we’ve never had that for better or worse. I’ve never felt like our band was one thing. I’ve never felt like my voice was one style. A difference on a basic level, is that we don’t have five people that we have to pass ideas, songs, song structures, and artwork by. We’re doing it all ourselves, which is really nice. And I think that we’ve opened up to collaboration a lot more, especially on this album. We have way more producers and friends jumping on board than we ever have.

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Touring and Live Performances

MGMT has also expressed ambivalence towards touring, citing concerns about the environmental impact and the exploitative nature of the live music business. Ben: I don’t know. I mean, honestly, I get pretty bummed out every time I think about the structure of the live music business. Especially since COVID, and seeing how that affected people on every level…I think it exposed the greed of a lot of people who were like, “How are we going to continue to make money off of these people?” And, then, the effect on independent venues, the effect on musicians that were living hand-to-mouth, having to make a decision of whether we risk touring in this time when there’s a deadly infectious disease going on? Seeing how it affected people who work on the crew at live shows. It’s just all really depressing to me and I think that whatever we end up doing with live performance moving forward, I don’t want to be a part of the problem. Add carbon emissions to everything, too.

Andrew: As usual, I have these very polar opposite desires where I either want to play a living room show where I’m on acoustic guitar and Ben’s on a Wurlitzer and we’re singing to a small group and it’s just this beautiful thing or go to The Sphere, where it’s the most state of the art, just exciting, wild visual thing. But I don’t really want to just do the rock band thing.

Loss of Life: The Latest Chapter

MGMT announced they will release another album in 2023 and return to touring after nearly four years. On October 31, 2023, MGMT released the first single from their sixth album Loss of Life titled "Mother Nature". This release coincided with the band confirming the title of the album, revealing the track list, and confirming the final release date of the album. On November 29, the band released the album's second single "Bubblegum Dog", which does not include the monologue featured on the flexidisk given by the band in October. "Nothing to Declare", the third single from the album, was released on January 10, 2024.

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