The War on Drugs — Music Videos

Open-road rock with intricate detail

The War on Drugs are an American rock band formed in Philadelphia and led by singer, guitarist and songwriter Adam Granduciel. Their music combines the drive of classic American rock with layered keyboards, extended guitar lines and a patiently developed atmosphere. Songs often begin with a steady pulse and gradually reveal new details, creating a feeling of movement that can be both outward-looking and deeply introspective.

A developing album sound

Early releases established the band's interest in repetition and texture. Lost in the Dream, released in 2014, brought a wider audience to that approach, followed by A Deeper Understanding in 2017 and I Don't Live Here Anymore in 2021. Songs such as Red Eyes, Under the Pressure and Thinking of a Place show how the group can build a large emotional space from a persistent rhythm, a memorable melodic fragment and carefully overlapping instrumental parts.

An ensemble built for immersion

The band's arrangements depend on the conversation between guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and saxophone rather than on one continuous lead voice. Listen for a small keyboard figure or guitar echo that changes the character of a repeated passage. Granduciel's grainy singing keeps the songs personal even when the sound becomes expansive. Their catalog rewards both immediate enjoyment of a strong groove and slower attention to the details that make each recording unfold.