History of Vampire Weekend in Timeline

Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City formed in 2006. The band consists of Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. Although Batmanglij left the group in 2016, he still contributes to their music. They are currently signed to Columbia Records.

1987: Koenig's Inspiration for Vampire Weekend

Ezra Koenig is inspired by the vampire film The Lost Boys to create a Northeastern version, ultimately abandoning the project but using the name 'Vampire Weekend' for the band.

1991: Nielsen Soundscan Begins Recording Data

Nielsen Soundscan started recording data for music sales.

2006: First Performance at Lerner Hall

Vampire Weekend begins playing shows around Columbia University, starting with a battle of the bands at Lerner Hall.

2006: Vampire Weekend Formation

Vampire Weekend, an American rock band, is formed in New York City. The original members are Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio.

November 2007: UK Tour with The Shins

Vampire Weekend tours the UK with The Shins, gaining exposure to a wider audience.

January 29, 2008: Release of Self-Titled Album

Vampire Weekend releases their self-titled debut album, achieving critical acclaim and commercial success both in the US and UK.

February 1, 2008: Appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman

Vampire Weekend makes their first television appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

March 8, 2008: Performance on Saturday Night Live

Vampire Weekend performs on Saturday Night Live, further increasing their visibility.

March 2008: Featured in Spin Magazine

Vampire Weekend is featured on the cover of Spin magazine and declared "The Year's Best New Band", highlighting their rising popularity.

2008: Release of Debut Album

Vampire Weekend releases their self-titled debut album, incorporating indie pop, Afropop, and chamber music.

October 5, 2009: Release of 'Horchata'

Vampire Weekend release 'Horchata', the first single from their upcoming album 'Contra'.

November 2009: Response to Criticism

Vampire Weekend addresses criticism regarding their privileged image and clarifies their diverse backgrounds and financial realities.

November 17, 2009: Release of 'Cousins'

Vampire Weekend releases 'Cousins', the second single from their upcoming album 'Contra'.

January 9, 2010: Vampire Weekend Performs on MTV Unplugged

Vampire Weekend gave an acoustic performance on MTV Unplugged.

January 11, 2010: Release of Contra in UK

Vampire Weekend's second album, Contra is released in the UK, featuring the singles 'Horchata' and 'Cousins'.

February 18, 2010: Release of "Giving Up the Gun" Music Video

Vampire Weekend released the music video for their single "Giving Up the Gun," featuring cameos from Joe Jonas, Lil Jon, RZA, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

June 7, 2010: Release of "Holiday" Single

Vampire Weekend released their third single, "Holiday."

June 25, 2010: Performance at Glastonbury Festival

Vampire Weekend performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival.

July 30, 2010: Performance at Jisan Valley Rock Festival

Vampire Weekend played at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival in South Korea.

August 27, 2010: North American Tour with Beach House and Dum Dum Girls

Vampire Weekend kicked off their North American tour with supporting acts Beach House and Dum Dum Girls.

2010: Release of Contra

Vampire Weekend releases their sophomore album, Contra, which debuts at number one on the US Billboard 200.

2010: Vampire Weekend's Album Certified Diamond in Europe

Vampire Weekend's album received a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association for sales exceeding 250,000 copies in Europe.

2010: "Contra" Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Chart

Vampire Weekend's second album, "Contra," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

November 11, 2011: Vampire Weekend Starts Working on New Album

Vampire Weekend announced that they were working on a new album.

November 21, 2011: Vampire Weekend's Album Certified Gold

Vampire Weekend's album was awarded Gold certification by the RIAA, signifying sales of over 500,000 units in the US.

January 2012: President Obama Seeks Support from Vampire Weekend for Re-election Campaign

President Barack Obama included Vampire Weekend on a short list of musical artists whose support he sought for his re-election campaign.

February 2013: Koenig Discusses New Album in Q Magazine

In an interview for Q magazine's February edition, Koenig described the upcoming album as "darker and more organic" and the final installment of a trilogy.

March 16, 2013: Performance at SXSW Festival

Vampire Weekend performed at the closing show at Stubbs on the final day of the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

March 18, 2013: Release of Double A-sided Single "Diane Young"/"Step"

Vampire Weekend released a double A-sided single featuring "Diane Young" and "Step."

March 19, 2013: Release of "Diane Young" and "Step" as a Double A-sided Single

XL Recordings officially released "Diane Young" and "Step" as a double A-sided single to promote "Modern Vampires of the City."

May 11, 2013: Musical Guest on Saturday Night Live

Vampire Weekend was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, hosted by Kristen Wiig. This marked their third appearance on the show.

May 14, 2013: "Modern Vampires of the City" Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Chart

Vampire Weekend's third album, "Modern Vampires of the City," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. This made them the first independent rock band to achieve two consecutive No. 1 debuts, following their second album, "Contra," in 2010.

May 2013: Release of "Modern Vampires of the City"

Vampire Weekend released their third album, "Modern Vampires of the City," which was recorded in various locations, including SlowDeath Studios in New York and Rostam Batmanglij's New York apartment. This was the first time the band collaborated with an outside producer, Ariel Rechtshaid.

2013: Release of Modern Vampires of the City

Vampire Weekend releases their third studio album, Modern Vampires of the City, which achieves critical acclaim and commercial success.

September 2014: Vampire Weekend Ends Modern Vampires Tour

Vampire Weekend finished their tour for their album 'Modern Vampires of the City'. This marked the beginning of a hiatus for the band.

December 2014: Modern Vampires of the City Certified Gold

Vampire Weekend's album 'Modern Vampires of the City' was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America after selling over 500,000 copies in the US.

2014: "Modern Vampires of the City" Wins Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album

"Modern Vampires of the City" earned Vampire Weekend a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.

January 2016: Vampire Weekend Supports Bernie Sanders at Iowa Rally

Vampire Weekend performed at a rally in Iowa to show their support for Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign.

January 26, 2016: Rostam Batmanglij Leaves Vampire Weekend

Rostam Batmanglij, a founding member of Vampire Weekend, announced his departure from the band. Although he left the band, he expressed intentions to continue collaborating with Ezra Koenig on future music.

April 2016: Vampire Weekend Performs as Trio for the First Time

Vampire Weekend performed live as a trio for the first time at a Bernie Sanders rally in Washington Square Park. This marked their first performance since Rostam Batmanglij left the band.

September 2016: Koenig Inspired by Kacey Musgraves

Ezra Koenig attended a Kacey Musgraves concert and was inspired by her songwriting style. He expressed admiration for the clarity and directness in her lyrics, influencing his approach to writing for Vampire Weekend's fourth album.

2016: Koenig in Talks with Columbia Records

Ezra Koenig, the lead vocalist for Vampire Weekend, reportedly engaged in discussions to sign the band with Columbia Records.

2016: Rostam Batmanglij Departure

Rostam Batmanglij leaves Vampire Weekend but continues to contribute to the band's music as a songwriter, producer, and musician.

March 2017: Koenig Provides Update on Fourth Album

Ezra Koenig used Instagram to give fans an update on their fourth studio album, revealing that he had dedicated significant time to research and writing music. He shared that the album, temporarily titled "Mitsubishi Macchiato", would have a 'spring-time' vibe and include a song called "Flower Moon".

September 2017: Koenig States Fourth Album is 80% Done

In an interview with Zane Lowe, Ezra Koenig stated that Vampire Weekend's fourth album was approximately 80% complete. He revealed Ariel Rechtshaid's role as lead producer and hinted at "guest appearances," including Rostam Batmanglij's involvement.

December 2017: Koenig Discusses Batmanglij's Contributions to the Fourth Album

Ezra Koenig confirmed Rostam Batmanglij's involvement in a few songs on Vampire Weekend's upcoming album, noting that their collaborative process remained intact despite Batmanglij's departure from the band.

January 31, 2018: Vampire Weekend to Headline End of the Road Festival

Vampire Weekend was announced as the headliner for the End of the Road music festival in the UK. This marked their return to performing at festivals after a four-year break.

August 4, 2018: Koenig Announces Completion of Fourth Album

During a performance at Lollapalooza, Ezra Koenig announced that Vampire Weekend had finished recording their fourth studio album.

2018: Sony Music Copyright Appears on Vampire Weekend Website

After the revamp of Vampire Weekend's website in 2018, a Sony Music copyright notice was discovered on the site, seemingly confirming the rumors of their signing with Columbia Records.

2019: Release of Father of the Bride

Vampire Weekend releases their fourth studio album, Father of the Bride, which continues their success and wins a Grammy Award.

September 2020: Modern Vampires of the City Ranked on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums

Rolling Stone magazine placed Vampire Weekend's 'Modern Vampires of the City' on their updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, ranking it at number 328.