Gorillaz is a band formed in 1998 based on the unique idea of having all of the band members be cartoon characters. Their breakthrough single “Clint Eastwood” gained them popularity in the early 2000s. Their newest album, “The Mountain”, released February of 2026, marks a new phase for the band with newer sounds.
Coach Chris Brown first heard of Gorillaz around 2005, when “Demon Days” came out. Both the album and one of the songs on it, “Dare”, were number one on the charts at the time and were being played all the time on the radio. This was most people’s introduction to the band’s music.
“It was something different that I hadn’t heard before,” said Brown.
Something about the band’s personality and creativity stuck with people for decades, and they are still bringing in fans today. In fact, some students’ introduction to their music was hearing “Clint Eastwood” in DreamWorks’ “Trolls.”
Junior Mackenzie Dunn has been a fan since seventh grade. She prefers their older music to their newer music.
“I love the vibes they kind of give off. For every album, it’s a little bit different, and they approach larger issues with a lot of passion,” said Dunn.
