Gorillaz

Virtual hip-hop band with four animated members. Created by Blur's Damon Albarn (1968– ) and Tank Girl comic artist Jamie Hewlett (1969– ) in 1998, the band plays a unique mix of hip-hop, new-wave, and horror music and has achieved several dance hits, for example ‘Clint Eastwood’ (2001), and ‘DARE’ (2005).

‘Clint Eastwood’, their first international hit, was followed by their self-titled album debut (2001), which also included the singles ‘19-2000’, ‘Rock the House’, and ‘Tomorrow Comes Today’. They followed with Demon Days (2005), featuring, along with ‘DARE’, the singles ‘Feel Good Inc’ and ‘Dirty Harry’.

Animated band members are 2D (vocals and keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass), Noodle (guitar and vocals), and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). Their debut single was ‘Ghost Train’ (2000), which was later released as a B-side to ‘Rock the House’. Their EP Tomorrow Comes Today (2000) generated a cult following in the UK; part of the appeal was the mystery behind the creators of the virtual band. G-Sides, a B-sides album, followed Gorillaz in 2002. The band's interactive web site, 3-D animated videos, and DVDs add to their mass appeal. The group was recorded in the 2001 Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful virtual band.