{{Short description|American rock band}} {{Lead too short|date=October 2018}} {{More citations needed|date=July 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Night Game | image = The Night Game - Rock am Ring 2018-3363.jpg | caption = The Night Game live at Rock am Ring 2018 | origin = Boston, Massachusetts, United States | genre = {{hlist|Pop rock|alternative rock}} | years_active = 2017–present | associated_acts = {{hlist|Boys Like Girls|Gotye|Kygo}} | label = {{hlist|Interscope|Vertigo|Real Johnson}} | website = {{URL|thenightgame.com}} | current_members = * Martin Johnson | past_members = * Kirin J. Callinan }}
'''The Night Game''' is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2017. Founded by American musician Martin Johnson, the group is composed of Johnson and multi-instrumentalist Kirin J. Callinan. They released their debut single, "The Outfield", in April 2017, followed by the release of their self-titled debut studio album, ''The Night Game'', in September 2018. In March 2021, their second studio album, ''Dog Years'', was released.
==Career== ===2016–2019: Beginnings and ''The Night Game''=== Started by Johnson in 2016, The Night Game began writing music and playing small shows under the moniker "Impossible Color".<ref>{{cite web|last=Daniel Kirby|title=The Night Game – Live at The Satellite 3/28/2017|date=April 15, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52rIGEErO8I&t=1145s|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=February 23, 2018}}</ref> Eventually Johnson changed the project's name to "The Night Game" based on a Paul Simon song.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liberty |first1=Cami |last2=Levin |first2=Madden |title=The Night Game: Interview |url=http://www.unclearmag.com/music/2018/3/29/the-night-game-interview |website=Unlcear Magazine |accessdate=February 6, 2020}}</ref> Johnson performed with a full band, including Australian artist Kirin J. Callinan. During the production of the band's first album Johnson recalls "being angry at music", noting that it became "an office job" and thought about quitting.<ref name=Behindthesong> {{Cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL_fL4Iic6c&list=PLnMf7rD33Dmy8sxX5lmAe3M3gsI5VL7Wl&index=3 |title="once in a lifetime" (behind the song) |date=February 3, 2020 |publisher=YouTube |author=The Night Game}}</ref> For the first half of the production the music sounded very different being more in the singer-songwriter genre, most of these songs were eventually cut with only one song, "Once in a Lifetime" making it onto the actual album.<ref name=Behindthesong/>
The group released their debut single, "The Outfield", on April 12, 2017. The song premiered on ''Billboard'',<ref name="billboard">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/martin-johnson-night-game-the-outfield-interview-7759750/|website=Billboard.com|title=Martin Johnson's The Night Game Debut Song 'The Outfield' & Interview|access-date=May 26, 2017}}</ref> and in an interview with the company, Johnson spoke about the single and the beginnings of the group. "This song felt like the best introduction to what I'm trying to do and a really good way to segue into the project, it felt anthemic, without being a throat jammer." He also stated, "I didn't want to force something out into the universe without feeling like it was a genuine extension of my personality," he explained. "For once in my life, I had the luxury of time, so I just went into the studio and took the time it takes."
Australian music producer Francois Tetaz helped write, record, and produce "The Outfield" and introduced the band to Belgian-Australian recording artist Gotye, who provided backing vocals in the song.<ref name="billboard"/>
It was only two weeks following their release of "The Outfield" that the single was recognized by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer via Spotify. Mayer took a liking to the song, exclaiming: "I heard this song. Then I listened to it again to make sure I heard what I thought I had. Then I asked them to open up for half the upcoming summer shows. This is that stuff we listen to new music for."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BTxJaIPFvj3/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/johnmayer/1509028728113920247 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=@johnmayer on Instagram: "I heard this song. Then I listened to again to make sure I heard what I thought I had. (Yep.) Then I asked them to open up for half the…"|website=Instagram.com|language=en|access-date=February 23, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
The band accepted the offer and marketed the opportunity as "The First Tour", performing thirty shows as the opening act on Mayer's The Search for Everything World Tour, followed by independent dates during July and August 2017.<ref name="altpress">{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/boys_like_girls_martin_johnson_the_night_game|website=Altpress.com|title=Boys Like Girls frontman Martin Johnson unveils new band, the Night Game—listen – News – Alternative Press|accessdate=May 26, 2017}}</ref> During the tour, they performed a full set of songs each night, though only having one single out for public consumption. This caused many new listeners to pay more attention to the band, asking and demanding more music, as the group gained a mass following via social media.
Following "The First Tour" accompanying Mayer, Johnson started to bring other works to the surface, starting with the music video release for "The Outfield" on August 22, 2017, directed by British musician Dev Hynes.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Night Game – The Outfield|date=August 22, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_tg0FWsSBA|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=February 23, 2018}}</ref> Johnson then collaborated with Norwegian DJ Kygo on the song "Kids in Love", which released on October 20, 2017 on the album ''Kids in Love''. An original band version of the track was released on February 2, 2018 as well.
Towards the end of 2017, Johnson followed up the success of "The Outfield" with a brand new song and video for "Once in a Lifetime".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Night Game – Once In A Lifetime|date=November 16, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox0hG51uQcs|via=YouTube|accessdate=February 23, 2018}}</ref> The video and single were released on November 16, 2017. The video was directed by the band's photographer/videographer Michael Hili.
Within the first month of 2018, Johnson announced via social media that the band would embark on the American Nights Tour in the Spring of that year, with the support of musical guest The Band Camino. The sixteen-date tour spanned across the United States, with debut appearances at Innings Music Festival, Shaky Knees Music Festival, BottleRock Napa Valley, and Firefly Music Festival.
On February 23, 2018, The Night Game released their fourth studio single, "Bad Girls Don't Cry". The band released their fifth single, "American Nights", on May 25, 2018. In addition to the single release, they also announced their self-titled debut album, released on September 7, 2018.
===2020–present: ''Dog Years''=== On May 18, 2020, The Night Game announced a new record called ''Dog Years'' that would be released in eleven installments. The first, "Magic Trick", was released May 29, 2020, and its music video debuted on YouTube on June 23, 2020. The second single, "One Phone Call", was issued on July 10, 2020.
==Members== * Martin Johnson – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming * Kirin J. Callinan – lead guitar (former)
==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''The Night Game'' (2018) * ''Dog Years'' (2021)
===Singles=== '''As lead artist''' * "The Outfield" (2017)<ref name="vice">{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-night-games-song-the-outfield-is-future-classic-straight-out-of-the-gates/|title=The Night Game's Song "The Outfield" Is a Future Classic|date=April 11, 2017|website=Noisey.vice.com|access-date=October 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-outfield-single/1270939454|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319223206/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-outfield-single/1270939454|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 19, 2018|title=The Outfield – Single by The Night Game on Apple Music|website=iTunes Store|date=August 18, 2018|accessdate=March 21, 2018}}</ref> * "Once In a Lifetime" (2017)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/once-in-a-lifetime-single/1288358034|title=Out In a Lifetime – Single by The Night Game on Apple Music|website=iTunes Store|date=September 29, 2017|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> * "Kids in Love" (2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/kids-in-love-single/1354098802|title=Kids In Love – Single by The Night Game on Apple Music|website=iTunes Store|date=February 2, 2018|access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref> * "Bad Girls Don’t Cry" (2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bad-girls-dont-cry-single/1350042694|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403182052/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bad-girls-dont-cry-single/1350042694|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 3, 2018|title=Bad Girls Don't Cry – Single by The Night Game on Apple Music|website=iTunes Store|date=February 23, 2018|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> * "American Nights" (2018) * "Magic Trick" (2020) * "One Phone Call" (2020) * "I Feel Like Dancing" (2020) * "A Postcard from the City of Angels" (2020) * "Companion" featuring Elle King (2020) * "Beautiful Stranger" (2021)
'''As featured artist''' {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br />Bub.<br /><ref name="Bubbling">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kygo/chart-history/hbu/|title=Kygo Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles)|website=Billboard.com|accessdate=March 24, 2021}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/10/aria-chart-watch-444/|title=ARIA Chart Watch #444|website=Auspop.com.au|date=October 28, 2017|access-date=October 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028145925/https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/10/aria-chart-watch-444/|archive-date=October 28, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| BEL<br />(FL)<br />Tip<br><ref name="bel">{{cite web|title=Discografie The Night Game|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Night+Game|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| CAN<br /><ref name="CAN-singles">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kygo/chart-history/can/|title=Kygo – Chart History: Canadian Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| GER<br /><ref name="GER">{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artist_search=The+Night+Game&do_search=do|title=Offiziellecharts.de – The Night Game|publisher=GfK Entertainment Charts|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NOR<br /><ref name="NOR">{{cite web | url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Night+Game | title=Discography The Night Game | publisher=Hung Medien | website=Norwegiancharts.com| accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| POR<br><ref name="POR">{{cite web|url=https://portuguesecharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Night+Game|title=Discography The Night Game|publisher=Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| SWE<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?search=the+night+game&cat=s|title=Discography The Night Game|website=Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien|accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| SWI<br /><ref name="SWI">{{cite web | url=http://swisscharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Night+Game | title=Discographie The Night Game | publisher=Hung Medien | website=Swisscharts.com | accessdate=April 3, 2018 | language=gsw | format=select "Charts" tab}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK<br /><ref name="UK">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/48059/kygo/|title=Kygo > UK Charts|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Kids in Love"<br>{{small|(Kygo featuring The Night Game)}} | 2017 | 22 || 94 || 10 || 73 || 90 || 8 || 83 || 19 || 33 || 99 | ''Kids in Love'' |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons cat inline|The Night Game}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Night Game}} Category:Alternative rock groups from Massachusetts Category:Musical groups established in 2016 Category:2016 establishments in Massachusetts Category:Interscope Records artists Category:Vertigo Records artists