◇ image via WikipediaThe Format
The Format is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of Ozma, Guster, Harry Nilsson, Electric Light Orchestra and The Beach Boys. Those roots explain a lot about how The Format arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as fun., Steel Train, Phantom Planet, Ratboy and Copeland, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into fun., Bleachers, The Dear Hunter, Vanilla Sky and Aim and Ignite, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 41 connections around The Format, reaching back through Ozma and forward to fun.. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.
Background
The Format is an American indie rock band, formed by vocalist Nate Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Sam Means. Their style has been considered a mixture of indie, alternative, punk and folk music, with elements of 1960s and 1970s pop music. The Format chose their name to make fun of the music industry's inclination towards a cookie-cutter "format" for a hit single. Formed in 2002, the band released two studio albums before announcing a hiatus on February 4, 2008. On February 4, 2020, they announced a return from their hiatus for a tour of special shows that were later cancelled due to the pandemic. In 2025, the band reunited for a second time and announced their third studio album, Boycott Heaven, which was released on January 23, 2026.
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The Format connections
The Format grew out of Ozma, Guster, Harry Nilsson and Electric Light Orchestra, shares an orbit with fun., Steel Train, Phantom Planet and Ratboy, went on to shape fun., Bleachers, The Dear Hunter and Vanilla Sky. 41 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.
Who influenced The Format
Sounds and acts that shaped The Format.
Artists similar to The Format
Artists and scenes sharing an orbit with The Format.
- fun.artist
- Steel Trainartist
- Phantom Planetartist
- Ratboyartist
- Copelandartist
- The Early Novemberartist
- Hellogoodbyeartist
- All Get Outartist
- The Academy Is...artist
- Maeartist
- Jukebox the Ghostartist
- Dear and the Headlightsartist
- Starsartist
- Voxtrotartist
- Mates of Stateartist
- Straylight Runartist
- Ra Ra Riotartist
- Say Anythingartist
- Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsinartist
- Remember Sportsartist
- The Weakerthansartist
- Margot & the Nuclear So and So'sartist
- The New Pornographersartist
- Gusterartist
- Baysideartist
- The Honorary Titleartist
- Tokyo Police Clubartist
- Walk the Moonartist
- Grouploveartist
- Coconut Recordsartist
Bands The Format shaped
Where the influence of The Format travelled next.
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Gaps
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