Five songs that completely switch styles halfway through
Genre-defying masters…
sparks
Credits: Far Out / Alamy
Sparks are an American art rock and pop duo formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1971 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael.
Renowned for their theatrical style, witty songwriting and constant musical reinvention, Sparks have enjoyed one of the longest and most inventive careers in popular music. Blending glam rock, art pop, synth-pop, new wave, chamber pop and electronic music, they have released acclaimed albums including ‘Kimono My House’, ‘Propaganda’, ‘No. 1 in Heaven’, ‘Lil’ Beethoven’, ‘Hippopotamus’ and ‘The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte’.
Their influence extends across generations of artists, while Edgar Wright’s documentary ‘The Sparks Brothers’ introduced their remarkable legacy to a new audience.
sparks News
The song that reinvented Sparks: “It just sounded so amazing”
“We thought maybe it would be a really good way for us to go”.
Gorillaz announce new album, ‘The Mountain’, share ‘The Happy Dictator’ alongside UK tour dates
The new album arrives March 20th, 2026.
Gorillaz play new album in full at London show with special guests including Johnny Marr, Joe Talbot and Sparks
Phones were banned from the concert.
More About sparks
Sparks are an American art rock duo formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael in 1971, renowned for their inventive songwriting, theatrical performances and genre-defying music.
'This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us' is Sparks' signature song, although 'The Number One Song in Heaven', 'Amateur Hour', 'When Do I Get to Sing "My Way"' and 'The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte' are also among their best-known recordings.
Sparks have continually reinvented their sound across more than five decades, influencing artists from New Order and Depeche Mode to Björk, Beck, Faith No More and Franz Ferdinand through their adventurous songwriting and fearless experimentation.