{{Short description|American musician (born 1952)}} {{Other people|David Byrne}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox person | image = David Byrne San Diego.jpg | caption = Byrne in 2018 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=y|1952|5|14}} | birth_place = Dumbarton, Scotland | citizenship = {{hlist|United Kingdom|United States|Ireland}} | years_active = 1971–present | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Adelle Lutz|1987|2004|end=divorced}} * {{marriage|Mala Gaonkar|2025}} }} | children = 1 | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|musician|record producer|music theorist|visual artist|actor|writer|filmmaker}} | signature = David Byrne signature.svg | module = {{infobox musical artist | embed = yes | origin = Arbutus, Maryland, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Rock|new wave|post-punk|avant-funk|art pop|worldbeat}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}} | works = {{hlist|Solo|with Talking Heads}} | label = {{hlist|Matador|Todo Mundo|Luaka Bop|Nonesuch|Thrill Jockey|Sire|Warner Bros.}} | past_member_of = Talking Heads | website = {{URL|davidbyrne.com}} }}}} '''David Byrne''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ɜr|n}}; born May 14, 1952) is an American<!-- Scottish doesn't belong per MOS:ETHNICITY - see talk page for more --> musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the rock band Talking Heads.
Byrne was born in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and moved to the U.S. with his family as a child. He co-founded Talking Heads in 1975 in New York City. After releasing eight studio albums, including seven certified gold or platinum, Talking Heads disbanded in 1991.
Byrne has released solo recordings and worked with media including film, photography, opera, fiction, and non-fiction. He has collaborated with artists including Brian Eno, Fatboy Slim, X-Press 2, Ryuichi Sakamoto of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and St. Vincent. Byrne has received an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, a Special Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award, and was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Talking Heads.<ref>{{cite web|title=Talking Heads|url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/talking-heads|website=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=April 16, 2018|language=en|archive-date=November 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241122200326/https://rockhall.com/inductees/talking-heads/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Early life and education == David Byrne was born on May 14, 1952, in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dearscotland.com/2010/04/02/the-dumbarton-road-to-nowhere/ |title=The Dumbarton Road to Nowhere |last=Tam |first=Leo Nardo |quote=one of Scotland's most famous expats |access-date=December 21, 2012 |date=April 2, 2010 |archive-date=February 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217170440/http://dearscotland.com/2010/04/02/the-dumbarton-road-to-nowhere/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4986234/David-Byrne-stay-hungry.html |title=David Byrne: stay hungry |last=Grant |first=Richard |date=March 16, 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |quote=born in Dumbarton, Scotland (a point of pride, like his British passport) |access-date=December 21, 2012 |archive-date=June 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622155403/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4986234/David-Byrne-stay-hungry.html |url-status=live }}</ref> the elder of two children born to Tom (from Lambhill, Glasgow) and Emma Byrne. Byrne's mother was Presbyterian and his father Catholic. Two years after his birth, the family moved to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. The family left Scotland in part because there were few jobs requiring his father's engineering skills and in part because of the tensions in the extended family caused by his parents' interfaith marriage. When Byrne was eight or nine years old they moved to Arbutus, Maryland, in the United States, where his father worked as an electronics engineer at Westinghouse Electric Corporation and his mother later became a teacher.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/qa-david-byrne-52229/| title=Q&A: David Byrne| last=Dunn| first=Jancee| magazine=Rolling Stone| date=August 11, 1994| quote=I think a lot of places I lived – Glasgow; Hamilton, Ontario; and Baltimore – at the time were all industrial towns.| access-date=May 3, 2019| archive-date=May 3, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503160245/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/qa-david-byrne-52229/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vz6r1|title=BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, David Byrne|website=BBC|access-date=November 23, 2018|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213020907/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vz6r1|url-status=live}}</ref> Byrne grew up speaking with a Scottish accent but adopted an American one to fit in at school. He said: "I felt like a bit of an outsider. But then I realized the world was made up of people who were all different. But we're all here."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.carnegie.org/awards/honoree/david-byrne/ |title=2020 Great Immigrants Recipient |access-date=October 12, 2022 |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706000418/https://www.carnegie.org/awards/honoree/david-byrne/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
By high school, Byrne knew how to play the guitar, accordion, and violin. He was rejected from his middle school's choir because they said he was "off-key and too withdrawn". From a young age, he had a strong interest in music. His parents say that he would constantly play his phonograph from age three and he learned how to play the harmonica at age five.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C962640-8%2C00.html |title=Rock's Renaissance Man |magazine=Time |date=October 27, 1986 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115153738/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C962640-8%2C00.html |archive-date=January 15, 2008 }}</ref> His father used his electrical engineering skills to modify a reel-to-reel tape recorder so that Byrne could make multitrack recordings.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> Byrne graduated from Lansdowne High School in southwest Baltimore County, Maryland. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island, during the 1970–71 term and the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore during the 1971–72 term before dropping out.
== Career == === Early career: 1971–1974 === Byrne started his musical career in a high school band called Revelation. Between 1971 and 1972, he was one half of a duo named Bizadi with Marc Kehoe. Their repertoire consisted mostly of songs such as "April Showers", "96 Tears", "Dancing on the Ceiling" and Frank Sinatra songs. He returned to Providence in 1973 and formed a band called the Artistics with fellow RISD student Chris Frantz.<ref>Gittins, Ian, ''Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime: The Stories Behind Every Song'', Hal Leonard Corporation, 2004, p. 140 {{ISBN|0-634-08033-4}}, {{ISBN|978-0-634-08033-3}}.</ref> The band dissolved in 1974. Byrne moved to New York City in May that year, and in September of that year, Frantz and his girlfriend Tina Weymouth followed suit. After Byrne and Frantz were unable to find a bass guitar player in New York for nearly two years, Weymouth learned to play the instrument.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Courogen |first=Carrie |date=September 15, 2017 |title=40 Years Later, Talking Heads' Most Valuable Member Is Still Its Most Under-Recognized |url=https://www.papermag.com/40-years-late-talking-heads-most-valuable-member-is-still-its-most-under-recognized-1-2482571556.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715120115/https://www.papermag.com/40-years-late-talking-heads-most-valuable-member-is-still-its-most-under-recognized-1-2482571556.html |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2022 |website=Paper}}</ref> While working day jobs in late 1974, they were contemplating a band.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
=== Talking Heads: 1975–1991 === {{Main|Talking Heads}}
[[File:David Byrne of Talking Heads.jpg|thumb|Byrne performing with Talking Heads at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, Canada, 1978]] By January 1975, Talking Heads were practicing and playing together, while still working normal day jobs. They played their first gig in June.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bassplayer.com/article/tina-weymouth/mar-97/5958|title=Tina Talks Heads, Tom Toms, and How to Succeed at Bass Without Really Trying|last=Isola|first=Gregory|date=March 1997|work=Bass Player|access-date=May 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210190543/http://bassplayer.com/article/tina-weymouth/mar-97/5958 <!-- article has disappeared, replaced by "Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer" By Gino Robair Fri, 21 Oct 2011 as at 15 May 2013-->|archive-date=February 10, 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/talking-heads/bio Talking Heads] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716194902/http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/talking-heads/bio |date=July 16, 2018 }} ''Rock and Roll Hall of Fame''. Retrieved May 15, 2013</ref>
In May 1976, Byrne quit his day job, and the three-piece band signed to Sire Records in November of that year. Byrne was the youngest member of the band. Multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison, previously of the Modern Lovers, joined the band in 1977. The band released eight studio albums to acclaim and commercial success. Four albums achieved gold status (exceeding 500,000 in sales) and two others were certified double-platinum (exceeding two million in sales). Talking Heads were pioneers of the new wave music scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s with popular and creative music videos in regular rotation on MTV.
In 1988 the band went on hiatus during which Byrne launched a solo career and the other members pursued their own projects. Talking Heads reunited in 1991 to record the single "Sax and Violins" and officially broke up in December 1991. In 2002, Talking Heads was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where they reunited to play four tracks: "Psycho Killer", "Burning Down the House", "Life During Wartime", and a cover version of Al Green's 1974 song "Take Me to the River".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/ceremonies/2002/|title=2002 Induction Ceremony|work=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|publisher=The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum|access-date=May 15, 2013|archive-date=July 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717012938/https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/ceremonies/2002|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Solo album career: 1979–1981, 1989–present === During his time in the band, Byrne took on outside projects, collaborating with Brian Eno during 1979 and 1981 on the studio album ''My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'', which attracted acclaim for its early use of sampling and found sounds. Following this record, Byrne focused his attention on Talking Heads. ''My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'' was re-released for its 25th anniversary in early 2006, with new bonus tracks. In keeping with the spirit of the original album, stems for two of the songs' component tracks were released under Creative Commons licenses and a remix contest website was launched.
''Rei Momo'' (1989) was the second solo studio album by Byrne (the first after leaving Talking Heads), and features mainly Afro-Cuban, Afro-Hispanic, and Brazilian song styles, including popular dances such as merengue, son cubano, samba, mambo, cumbia, cha-cha-chá, bomba and charanga. His third solo studio album, ''Uh-Oh'' (1992), featured a brass section and was driven by tracks such as "Girls On My Mind" and "The Cowboy Mambo (Hey Lookit Me Now)". His fourth solo studio album, ''David Byrne'' (1994), was a more proper rock record, with Byrne playing most of the instruments, leaving percussion for session musicians. "Angels" and "Back in the Box" were the two main singles released from the album. The first one entered the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart, reaching No. 24. For his fifth studio effort, the emotional ''Feelings'' (1997), Byrne employed a brass orchestra called Black Cat Orchestra. His sixth, ''Look into the Eyeball'' (2001), continued the same musical exploration of ''Feelings'', but was compiled of more upbeat tracks, like those found on ''Uh-Oh''. The album cover and packaging for ''Feelings'' was designed by Stefan Sagmeister''.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-27 |title=The Legendary Designer Behind Album Covers for the Rolling Stones and David Byrne Gets a New York Retrospective |url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/the-legendary-designer-album-covers-gets-a-new-york-retrospective-2513999 |access-date=2026-03-17 |website=Artnet News |language=en-US}}</ref>
''Grown Backwards'' (2004), released by Nonesuch Records, used orchestral string arrangements, and includes two operatic arias as well as a rework of X-Press 2 collaboration "Lazy". He also launched a North American and Australian tour with the Tosca Strings. This tour ended with Los Angeles, San Diego and New York shows in August 2005. He also collaborated with Selena on her fifth and final studio album ''Dreaming of You'' (1995), with "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/composition/7ab34001-d0f7-416f-9914-17a9f4e16f6a-Gods-Child-Baila-Conmigo|title=God's Child (Baila Conmigo)|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2019}}</ref>
Byrne and Eno reunited for their second collaborative studio album ''Everything That Happens Will Happen Today'' (2008).<ref name="tour">{{cite web |url=http://www.everythingthathappens.com/tour.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822132005/http://www.everythingthathappens.com/tour.html |archive-date=August 22, 2008 |title=Tour Dates for David Byrne – Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno |publisher=David Byrne |date=August 4, 2008 |access-date=January 11, 2010 }}</ref> He assembled a band to tour worldwide for the album for a six-month period from late 2008 through early 2009 on the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour.<ref>{{cite web |title=DavidByrne.com – Tours |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/tours/index.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316041327/http://www.davidbyrne.com/tours/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 16, 2009 |date=March 16, 2009}}</ref> In 2012, he released a collaborative album with American singer-songwriter St. Vincent called ''Love This Giant''. The album featured both Byrne and St. Vincent on vocals and guitar, backed by a brass section. To promote the album, both artists travelled throughout North America, Europe, and Australia on the Love This Giant Tour in 2012 and 2013, with each performing pieces from their career in the album's distinctive brass band style alongside those composed for the album.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 23, 2012|title=Exclusive: Byrne & Clark Go Indie|language=en|work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/videos/2012/08/23/david-byrne-goes-indie|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref>
In January 2018, Byrne announced his first solo studio album in fourteen years. ''American Utopia'' was released in March through Todo Mundo and Nonesuch Records. He also released the album's first single, "Everybody's Coming to My House", which he co-wrote with Eno.<ref name="ns">{{cite web |url=http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/david-byrne-american-utopia-due-march-9-nonesuch-records-announced-2017-01-08 |title=David Byrne's New Album, ''American Utopia'', Due March 9 on Todomundo / Nonesuch Records |publisher=Nonesuch Records |date=January 8, 2018 |access-date=January 13, 2018 |archive-date=January 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108210740/http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/david-byrne-american-utopia-due-march-9-nonesuch-records-announced-2017-01-08 |url-status=live }}</ref> The subsequent tour – which showcased songs from ''American Utopia'' alongside highlights from his Talking Heads and solo career to date – was described by ''NME'' as being perhaps "the most ambitious and impressive live show of all time", blurring the lines "between gig and theatre, poetry and dance".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/live/david-byrnes-american-utopia-tour-might-ambitious-impressive-live-show-time |title= David Byrne's American Utopia tour might be the most ambitious and impressive live show of all time |publisher=NME |date=June 15, 2018}}</ref>
In June 2025, Byrne released a new lead single "Everybody Laughs" and announced his next solo album ''Who Is the Sky?'', with all songs being arranged by Ghost Train Orchestra. The album was released the following September via Matador, with the Who Is the Sky? Tour starting the same month. The album also features St. Vincent, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and Tom Skinner of the Smile.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/david-byrne-new-album-who-is-the-sky-world-tour-dates-1236424328/|title=David Byrne Announces New Album, 'Who Is the Sky?', and World Tour|first=Jem|last=Aswed|magazine=Variety|date=June 10, 2025|access-date=June 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Corcoran |first=Nina |date=June 10, 2025 |title=David Byrne Announces Tour and New Album, Shares Video for New Song |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/david-byrne-announces-tour-and-new-album-shares-video-for-new-song-watch/ |access-date=June 16, 2025 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Work in theatre, film, and television: 1981–present === In 1981, Byrne partnered with choreographer Twyla Tharp, scoring music he wrote that appeared on his album ''The Catherine Wheel'' for a ballet with the same name, prominently featuring unusual rhythms and lyrics. Productions of ''The Catherine Wheel'' appeared on Broadway that same year. He was chiefly responsible for the stage design and choreography of the concert film ''Stop Making Sense'' (1984), which was re-released in theatres by A24 in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-16 |title=David Byrne Puts His Big Suit Back on in A24 Promo for Re-Release of Talking Heads Concert Film ‘Stop Making Sense’ |url=https://decider.com/2023/03/16/david-byrne-big-suit-a24-promo-re-release-talking-heads-concert-film-stop-making-sense/ |access-date=2026-05-20 |work=Decider |language=en-US}}</ref> Byrne wrote the Dirty Dozen Brass Band-inspired score ''Music for "The Knee Plays"'', released in 1985, for Robert Wilson's vast five-act opera ''The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down''. [[File:David Byrne by Ron Baker.jpg|thumb|Byrne performing at ''Austin City Limits'' in Austin, Texas, 2008]] [[File:DavidByrneFestivalHall2009.jpg|thumb|Byrne at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England, 2009]] Byrne wrote, directed, and starred in ''True Stories'' (1986), a musical collage of discordant Americana for which he also produced most of the film's music. He was impressed by the experimental theatre that he saw in New York City in the 1970s and collaborated with several of its best-known representatives. He worked with Robert Wilson on "The Knee Plays" and "The Forest", and invited Spalding Gray of the Wooster Group to act in ''True Stories'', while Meredith Monk provided a portion of the film's soundtrack. Byrne also provided a soundtrack for JoAnne Akalaitis' film ''Dead End Kids'' (1986), made after a Mabou Mines theatre production. Byrne's artistic outlook has a great deal in common with the work of these artists.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Steenstra|first1=Sytze|title=Song and Circumstance|date=2010|publisher=Continuum Books|isbn=978-08264-4168-3|location=New York and London|pages=93–137}}</ref> The same year he also added "Loco de Amor" with Celia Cruz to Jonathan Demme's film ''Something Wild'' (1986).
His work has been extensively used in film soundtracks, most notably in collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su on Bernardo Bertolucci's ''The Last Emperor'' (1987), which won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Some of the music from Byrne's orchestral album ''The Forest'' was originally used in a Robert Wilson–directed theatre piece titled ''The Forest''. The play premiered at the ''Theater der Freien Volksbühne'', Berlin, in 1988. It received its New York premiere in December 1988 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). The "Forestry" maxi single contained dance and industrial remixes of pieces from ''The Forest'' by Jack Dangers, Rudy Tambala, and Anthony Capel. Byrne released his soundtrack album in 1991. Byrne also directed the documentary ''Île Aiye'' (1989) and the concert film of his 1992 Latin-tinged tour titled ''Between the Teeth'' (1994).
''In Spite of Wishing and Wanting'' is a soundscape Byrne produced in 1999 for Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus's dance company Ultima Vez. In 2003, Byrne guest starred as himself on a season 14 episode of the animated sitcom, ''The Simpsons''. Released the same year, ''Lead Us Not into Temptation'' included tracks and musical experiments from his score to film ''Young Adam'' (2003). In late 2005, Byrne and Fatboy Slim began work on ''Here Lies Love'', a disco opera or song cycle about the life of Imelda Marcos, the controversial former First Lady of the Philippines. Some music from this piece was debuted at the Adelaide Festival in Australia in February 2006 and the following year at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan on February 3, 2007.
In 2008, Byrne released ''Big Love: Hymnal'' – his soundtrack to season two of ''Big Love'', which aired in 2007. These two albums constituted the first releases on his independent record label Todo Mundo. Byrne and Brian Eno provided the soundtrack for the film ''Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'' (2010).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.film.com/movies/review-wall-street-money-never-sleeps#fbid=KdR0UiwBhKE |title=Review: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps |first=Laremy |last=Legel |date=September 23, 2010 |website=Film.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726014726/http://www.film.com/movies/review-wall-street-money-never-sleeps#fbid=KdR0UiwBhKE |archive-date=July 26, 2013 }}</ref> In 2015, he organized ''Contemporary Color'', two arena concerts in Brooklyn and Toronto, for which he brought in ten musical acts who teamed up with ten color guard groups. The concerts were made into a 2016 documentary film, directed by the Ross brothers, and produced by Byrne.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contemporarycolor.com/about/|title=About|website=Contemporary Color|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902221119/http://www.contemporarycolor.com/about/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He collaborated with businesswoman Mala Gaonkar in 2016 to co-create Neurosociety, a guided immersive theater performance.<ref>[https://arts.stanford.edu/arts-institute/the-makers-series-david-byrne/ The Makers Series – David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209042702/https://arts.stanford.edu/arts-institute/the-makers-series-david-byrne/ |date=February 9, 2023 }} Stanford Arts. Access February 9, 2023.</ref>
In October 2019, his ''American Utopia'' opened at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/american-utopia-522679/|title=broadway-production|website=Internet Broadway Database|access-date=October 20, 2019|archive-date=October 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024211541/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/american-utopia-522679/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="var-20oct2019">{{cite magazine |last1=Aswad |first1=Jem |title=Broadway Review: David Byrne's 'American Utopia' |url=https://variety.com/2019/music/reviews/david-byrne-american-utopia-broadway-review-1203376072/ |access-date=November 23, 2019 |magazine=Variety |date=October 20, 2019}}</ref> Byrne appeared in comedian John Mulaney's children's musical comedy special ''John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch'' (2019), where he performed the song "Pay Attention!" His song "Tiny Apocalypse" was also featured as the special's end credits song.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/24/david-byrne-sack-lunch-bunch-cameo-john-mulaney/|title=Behind John Mulaney's 24-hour race to get David Byrne for a 'Sack Lunch Bunch' cameo|website=EW.com|language=EN|access-date=March 5, 2020|archive-date=February 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218180325/https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/24/david-byrne-sack-lunch-bunch-cameo-john-mulaney/|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 29, 2020, after a 30-year absence, Byrne performed as the musical guest on ''Saturday Night Live (SNL)'' with John Mulaney as host. Byrne performed "Once in a Lifetime" and "Toe Jam" with the cast of the Broadway show ''American Utopia'' and appears in the "Airport Sushi" sketch singing a parody of "Road to Nowhere". This was Byrne's third appearance on ''Saturday Night Live''. He previously served as the musical guest as part of Talking Heads in 1979, and as a solo musical guest in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://popculture.com/music/2020/03/01/snl-david-byrne-triumphant-return-over-30-years-saturday-night-live/|title='SNL': David Byrne Makes a Triumphant Return After Over 30 Years With Talking Heads Classic|website=Music|date=March 2020 |language=en|access-date=March 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jambase.com/article/david-byrne-saturday-night-live-videos|title=David Byrne To Return To 'Saturday Night Live' After 31 Years|date=February 6, 2020|website=JamBase|language=en-US|access-date=March 5, 2020|archive-date=March 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303234913/https://www.jambase.com/article/david-byrne-saturday-night-live-videos|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, Byrne again collaborated with Mala Gaonkar on another immersive theater production based on his life,<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/theater-of-the-mind-invites-audiences-to-revisit-and-rethink-their-past "Theater of the Mind" Invites Audiences to Revisit—and Rethink—Their Past] ''The New Yorker''. Access February 9, 2023.</ref> "Theater of the Mind"<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/david-byrnes-theater-of-the-mind-180980778/ Take a Trip Through David Byrne's Mind] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209043447/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/david-byrnes-theater-of-the-mind-180980778/ |date=February 9, 2023 }} Smithsonian Magazine. Access February 9, 2023.</ref> transforming a 15,000 square-foot warehouse in Denver, Colorado.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Radiolab: The Theater of David Byrne's Mind on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-theater-of-david-byrnes-mind/id152249110?i=1000581927918 |access-date=March 3, 2024 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref>
Byrne appeared on the final week of ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' in May 2026 to perform “Burning Down the House” with the Why is the Sky? band and host Stephen Colbert.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-05-20 |title=STEPHEN COLBERT HELPS DAVID BYRNE BURN DOWN THE HOUSE ON ‘THE LATE SHOW’ |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-byrne-stephen-colbert-burning-down-the-house-1235566252/ |access-date=2026-05-25 |work=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Other contributions === ==== 1990–2010 ==== Byrne has contributed songs to five AIDS benefit compilation albums produced by the Red Hot Organization: ''Red Hot + Blue'' (1990), ''Red Hot + Rio'' (1996), ''Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin'' (1997), ''Onda Sonora: Red Hot + Lisbon'' (1998), and ''Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip'' (1996). He appeared as a guest vocalist guitarist for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs during their ''MTV Unplugged'' concert, though the songs in which he is featured were cut from the following album. One of them, "Let the Mystery Be", appeared as the fourth track on 10,000 Maniacs' CD single "Few and Far Between".
On March 24, 1992, he performed with Richard Thompson at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn Heights, New York. The concert was recorded and released as ''An Acoustic Evening''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jack.mauveweb.co.uk/artists/thompson/19920324.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150419222152/http://jack.mauveweb.co.uk/artists/thompson/19920324.html|url-status=dead|title=Richard Thompson & David Byrne – 24 March 1992: New York|date=April 19, 2015|archive-date=April 19, 2015|website=archive.today|access-date=November 23, 2018}}</ref> Byrne worked with Latin superstar Selena in March 1995; writing, producing and singing a bilingual duet titled "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)". This became the last song Selena recorded before she was murdered on March 31, 1995. The song was included on Selena's fifth and final studio album ''Dreaming of You''. In 1997, Byrne was the host of ''Sessions at West 54th'' during its second of three seasons and collaborated with members of Devo and Morcheeba to record the album ''Feelings''. In 2001, a version of Byrne's single "Like Humans Do", edited to remove its reference to cannabis, was selected by Microsoft as the sample music for Windows XP to demonstrate Windows Media Player.<ref>[https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/aug01/08-01DavidByrnePR.mspx David Byrne to Provide Promotional Music for Windows XP: "Like Humans Do" to Give Music Fans a Taste of the Digital Music Experience in Windows XP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212202445/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/aug01/08-01davidbyrnepr.mspx |date=February 12, 2007 }}. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref><ref>[https://www.forbes.com/2001/08/21/0821byrne.html You May Find Yourself On Windows XP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725204455/https://www.forbes.com/2001/08/21/0821byrne.html |date=July 25, 2019 }} ''Forbes'' by Davide Dukcevich, August 21, 2001. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref>
In 2002, Byrne co-wrote and provided vocals for "Lazy" by the English house duo X-Press 2, which reached No. 2 on the UK singles chart and number one on the US Dance Chart.<ref name="Drowned in Sound">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Jon |date=April 21, 2002 |title=Single Review: X-Press 2, David Byrne – Lazy |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/5416/reviews/3648- |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201105653/https://drownedinsound.com/releases/5416/reviews/3648- |archive-date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=October 2, 2019 |website=Drowned in Sound}}</ref> Byrne released an orchestral version on his 2004 album ''Grown Backwards''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lynskey |first=Dorian |date=March 12, 2004 |title=David Byrne, Grown Backwards |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/mar/12/popandrock.shopping1 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In September 2004, Byrne co-authored a CD collection and performed with Gilberto Gil at a benefit concert promoting the Creative Commons (CC) license.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://creativecommons.org/2004/09/28/wiredconcertandcdastudyincollaboration/ |title=Wired Concert and CD: A Study in Collaboration |publisher=Creative Commons |date=September 28, 2004 |access-date=April 18, 2020}}</ref> In 2006, his vocals were featured on "The Heart's a Lonely Hunter" on ''The Cosmic Game'' by electronic music duo Thievery Corporation. In 2007, he provided a cover version of the Fiery Furnaces' song "Ex-Guru" for a compilation to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of Thrill Jockey, a Chicago-based record label.
In April 2008, Byrne took part in the Paul Simon retrospective concert series at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) performing "You Can Call Me Al" and "I Know What I Know" from Simon's seventh solo studio album ''Graceland'' (1986).<ref>{{cite web|title=David Byrne joins Paul Simon on stage in New York|website=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-simon/35824|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622165612/http://www.nme.com/news/paul-simon/35824|archive-date=June 22, 2008|access-date=April 14, 2008}}, NME. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref> Later that year, Byrne and his production team turned the Battery Maritime Building, a 99-year-old ferry terminal in Manhattan, into a playable musical instrument.<ref>{{cite news |author=Thill, Scott |title=David Byrne Converts Building into Giant Instrument |url=http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/05/david-byrne-con.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519033341/http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/05/david-byrne-con.html |archive-date=May 19, 2008 |date=May 12, 2008 |work=Wired|publisher=Advance Publications |access-date=January 11, 2010 }}</ref> The structure was connected electronically to a pipe organ and made playable for a piece called ''Playing the Building''.<ref name="building">{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Randy |title=David Byrne's New Band, With Architectural Solos |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/music/30byrn.html |date=May 30, 2008 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 30, 2008 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126122524/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/music/30byrn.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This project was previously installed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2005,<ref>{{cite news |title=David Byrne Playing the Building |url=http://www.fargfabriken.se/en/archive/item/298-david-byrne |date=October 8, 2005 |access-date=January 11, 2010 |archive-date=July 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729105750/http://www.fargfabriken.se/en/archive/item/298-david-byrne |url-status=dead }}</ref> and later at the Roundhouse in London in 2009. Byrne says that the point of the project was to allow people to experience art first hand, by creating music with the organ, rather than simply looking at it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/138378 |first=Brian |last=Baiker |title=A Building for a Song |work=Newsweek |date=June 2, 2008 |access-date=November 1, 2010 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802041942/http://www.newsweek.com/id/138378 |archive-date=August 2, 2008 }}</ref> Also in 2008, he collaborated with the Brighton Port Authority, composing the music and singing the lyrics for "Toe Jam".
Byrne is featured on the tracks "Money" and "The People Tree", on N.A.S.A.'s debut and sole studio album ''The Spirit of Apollo'' (2009). In 2009, he also appeared on HIV/AIDS charity album ''Dark Was the Night'' for Red Hot Organization. He collaborated with indie rock band Dirty Projectors on their song "Knotty Pine". In the same year, Byrne performed at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee. He also was a signator of a letter protesting the decision of the Toronto International Film Festival to choose Tel Aviv, Israel as the subject of its inaugural City-to-City Spotlight strand.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/07/toronto-film-festival-boycott Toronto film festival hit by protest over Tel Aviv strand by Ben Walters, 7 September 2009]. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref>
==== 2011–present ==== In May 2011, Byrne contributed backing vocals to the Arcade Fire track "Speaking in Tongues" which appeared on the deluxe edition of their third studio album ''The Suburbs'' (2010).<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/may/24/arcade-fire-david-byrne-speaking-in-tongues|title=Arcade Fire feat David Byrne – Speaking in Tongues|work=The Guardian|date=May 24, 2011|location=London|first=Michael|last=Cragg}}</ref> Composer Jherek Bischoff's second studio album ''Composed'' (2012) features Byrne on the track "Eyes". The same year, he also released a concert recorded with Brazilian singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso in 2004 at New York City's Carnegie Hall (''Live at Carnegie Hall''). In March 2013, he debuted a fully staged production of his 2010 concept album ''Here Lies Love'' at The Public Theater in New York, directed by the Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers following its premiere at MoCA earlier in the year. That same month, he and Sakamoto released a re-recording of their 1994 collaboration "Psychedelic Afternoon" to raise money and awareness for children impacted by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mineo|first1=Mike|title=Ryuichi Sakamoto + David Byrne – "Psychedelic Afternoon"|url=http://www.obscuresound.com/2013/03/ryuichi-sakamoto-david-byrne-psychedelic-afternoon/|website=Obscure Sound|accessdate=February 1, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201194540/http://www.obscuresound.com/2013/03/ryuichi-sakamoto-david-byrne-psychedelic-afternoon/|archivedate=February 1, 2016|date=March 12, 2013}}</ref>
In May 2014, Byrne announced his involvement with Anna Calvi's extended play (EP), ''Strange Weather'', collaborating with her on two songs: a cover version of Keren Ann's "Strange Weather" and Connan Mockasin's "I'm the Man, That Will Find You".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/news/13-05-14/anna-calvi-announces-strange-weather-ep-listen-to-papi-pacify-cover/|work=Domino Recording Company|title=Anna Calvi Announces 'Strange Weather' EP, Listen to 'Papi Pacify' Cover|date=May 13, 2014|access-date=May 13, 2014|archive-date=May 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514054315/http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/news/13-05-14/anna-calvi-announces-strange-weather-ep-listen-to-papi-pacify-cover/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2016, he was featured on "Snoopies" on the Kickstarter-funded album, ''And the Anonymous Nobody...'' by hip-hop group De La Soul.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-the-anonymous-nobody-mw0002947120 |title=And the Anonymous Nobody |first=Tim |last=Sendra |date=August 2016 |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 23, 2016 }}</ref> In 2022, he co-wrote and provided vocals on the song "This Is a Life" for the original soundtrack to the 2022 film ''Everything Everywhere All at Once'', alongside the film's composers Son Lux and American singer Mitski.<ref name="Krol 2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/andre-3000-mitski-and-more-to-feature-on-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-soundtrack-3168786|title=André 3000, Mitski and more to feature on 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' soundtrack|last=Krol|first=Charlotte|date=February 24, 2022|website=NME|language=en-GB|access-date=April 10, 2022|archive-date=April 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410030814/https://www.nme.com/news/music/andre-3000-mitski-and-more-to-feature-on-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-soundtrack-3168786|url-status=live}}</ref> Byrne performed the song with Son Lux at the 95th Academy Awards, with Stephanie Hsu providing vocals in place of Mitski.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/oscars-david-byrne-stephanie-hsu-son-lux-perform-this-is-a-life-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-ceremony-1235273011/|access-date=February 27, 2023|website=Deadline Hollywood|author=Denise Petski, Anthony D'Alessandro|title=Oscars: David Byrne, Stephanie Hsu & Son Lux To Perform "This Is A Life" During Ceremony|archive-date=March 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305191929/https://deadline.com/2023/02/oscars-david-byrne-stephanie-hsu-son-lux-perform-this-is-a-life-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-ceremony-1235273011/|url-status=live}}</ref>
On July 20, 2023, the stage version of ''Here Lies Love'' made its Broadway debut.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/david-byrne-fatboy-slim-here-lies-love-broadway-1235218896/|title=David Byrne & Fatboy Slim Disco Musical 'Here Lies Love' Heading To Broadway|date=January 12, 2023|access-date=September 13, 2023|archive-date=January 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112164637/https://deadline.com/2023/01/david-byrne-fatboy-slim-here-lies-love-broadway-1235218896/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the leadup to the premiere, Broadway's musicians' union criticized the show for planning to use a pre-recorded soundtrack and no live musicians.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Paulson |first1=Michael |title=Broadway Musicians Object to David Byrne's 'Here Lies Love' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/30/theater/here-lies-love-david-byrne-musicians.html |access-date=May 31, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=May 30, 2023 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530233503/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/30/theater/here-lies-love-david-byrne-musicians.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) criticized this choice as "a direct attack on Broadway audiences — and live music".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gagliardi |first1=Tino |title=A direct attack on Broadway audiences — and live music |date=May 30, 2023 |url=https://www.local802afm.org/allegro/articles/presidents-report-june-2023/ |website=local802afm.org |access-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531014437/https://www.local802afm.org/allegro/articles/presidents-report-june-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Statements from the creative team claiming that the decision was inspired by karaoke and that the show "does not believe in artistic gatekeepes"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs4g4f1u5W0/|title=An update on the musical genesis of Here Lies Love.|author=Here Lies Love|work=Instagram|date=May 30, 2023|accessdate=May 31, 2023|archive-date=May 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531053733/https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs4g4f1u5W0/|url-status=live}}</ref> attracted further criticism from union members, who accused Byrne of "denigrating" and "tossing aside" live musicians and likened his remarks to union busting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/musicians-union-responds-after-here-lies-love-characterizes-them-as-artistic-gatekeepers|title=Musicians Union Responds After ''Here Lies Love'' Characterizes Them as 'Artistic Gatekeepers'|first=Logan|last=Culwell-Block|work=Playbill|date=May 31, 2023|accessdate=May 31, 2023|archive-date=May 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531174806/https://www.playbill.com/article/musicians-union-responds-after-here-lies-love-characterizes-them-as-artistic-gatekeepers|url-status=live}}</ref> Following this, the creative team for ''Here Lies Love'' announced that the show would employ twelve live musicians, including three actor-musicians.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/broadways-here-lies-love-changes-course-is-now-hiring-live-musicians|title=Broadway's ''Here Lies Love'' Changes Course, Is Now Hiring Live Union Musicians|first=Logan|last=Culwell-Block|work=Playbill|date=June 9, 2023|accessdate=June 9, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609221919/https://www.playbill.com/article/broadways-here-lies-love-changes-course-is-now-hiring-live-musicians|url-status=live}}</ref> At the 77th Tony Awards in June 2024, Byrne and Fatboy Slim were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score for ''Here Lies Love''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sherman|first=Rachel|date=2024-04-30|title=Tony Awards nominations 2024: the complete list|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/theater/tony-awards-nominations.html|access-date=2026-03-31|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
On April 19, 2024, Byrne released a cover version of Paramore's Talking Heads-inspired 2017 song "Hard Times". This came after Paramore themselves contributed a cover version of "Burning Down the House" to the Talking Heads tribute album ''Everyone's Getting Involved'' earlier that year. Both covers were released as A-side and B-side respectively on a limited edition twelve-inch single for Record Store Day 2024, for which Paramore were ambassadors.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2260159/david-byrne-hard-times-paramore-cover/music/ |date=April 19, 2024 |title=David Byrne – "Hard Times" (Paramore Cover) |magazine=Stereogum |access-date=June 11, 2025 |last=Deville |first=Chris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610100513/https://www.stereogum.com/2260159/david-byrne-hard-times-paramore-cover/music/ |archive-date=June 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-byrne-to-cover-paramores-hard-times-for-record-store-day-2024-3597053 |magazine=NME |last=Duran |first=Anagricel |date=March 5, 2024 |title=David Byrne to cover Paramore's 'Hard Times' for Record Store D |access-date=June 11, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422120334/https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-byrne-to-cover-paramores-hard-times-for-record-store-day-2024-3597053 |archive-date=April 22, 2024}}</ref> On January 8, 2026, Byrne released a cover version of Olivia Rodrigo's 2021 song "Drivers License" to celebrate the song's five-year anniversary: Byrne's cover version is the first in a series which will celebrate the five-year anniversary of Rodrigo's debut studio album ''Sour'' in June 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Jazz |date=January 8, 2026 |title=David Byrne Covers Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/david-byrne-covers-olivia-rodrigos-drivers-license/ |website=Pitchfork}}</ref>
== Other work == David Byrne co-founded the world music record label Luaka Bop with Yale Evelev in 1990. It was originally created to release Latin American compilations, but it has grown to include music from Cuba, Africa, the Far East and beyond, releasing the work of artists such as Cornershop, Os Mutantes, Los de Abajo, Jim White, Zap Mama, Tom Zé, Los Amigos Invisibles, and King Changó.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.luakabop.com|title=Luaka Bop|website=Luakabop.com|access-date=January 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1076395&ps=rs NPR audio interview 8 July 2000]. NPR, Retrieved June 11, 2010.</ref> In 2005, he initiated his own Internet radio station, Radio David Byrne.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.davidbyrne.com/radio/index.php |title = Radio David Byrne |publisher = David Byrne.com |access-date=January 11, 2010 }}</ref> Each month, Byrne posts a playlist of music he likes, linked by themes or genres. Byrne's playlists have included African popular music, country music classics, vox humana, classical opera and film scores from Italian movies.
Byrne serves on the board of directors of SoundExchange, an organization designated by the United States Congress to collect and distribute digital performance royalties for sound recordings.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Board of Directors |url=https://www.soundexchange.com/about/our-team/board-of-directors/ |access-date=May 19, 2022 |website=SoundExchange |language=en-US |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529161735/https://www.soundexchange.com/about/our-team/board-of-directors/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2006, Byrne released ''Arboretum'', a sketchbook facsimile of his Tree Drawings, published by McSweeney's. Byrne is a visual artist whose work has been shown in contemporary art galleries and museums around since the 1990s. Represented by the Pace/MacGill Gallery in New York. In 2010 his original artwork was in the exhibition ''The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl'' at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.<ref>[http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/david_byrne_artbio.php Visual art listing at Byrne's website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116091211/http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/david_byrne_artbio.php |date=January 16, 2014 }}. Retrieved June 11, 2010.</ref>
=== TED === David Byrne has been a speaker at the TED conferences.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_byrne|title=David Byrne {{!}} Speaker {{!}} TED|website=TED|last=Byrne|first=David|access-date=November 7, 2018|language=en|archive-date=May 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522131437/https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_byrne|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2010, he spoke at the TED conference about the effects of architecture on music.<ref>{{cite web|last=Byrne|first=David|title=How architecture helped music evolve|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/david_byrne_how_architecture_helped_music_evolve|website=Ted.com|date=June 11, 2010 |language=en|access-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/ted-talks-10-music-related-lectures-that-will-enrich-your-day-9354|title=TED Talks: 10 Music-Related Lectures That Will Enrich Your Day – NME|date=September 1, 2014|work=NME|access-date=November 7, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Later in October 2010, he performed a song from Talking Heads' eighth and final studio album ''Naked'' (1988), titled "(Nothing But) Flowers", along with English musician Thomas Dolby and the string quartet Ethel, who together made up the TED2010 house band.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Byrne|first1=David| author3=Ethel |last2=Dolby |first2=Thomas|title="(Nothing But) Flowers" with string quartet|date=October 22, 2010 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/david_byrne_ethel_thomas_dolby_nothing_but_flowers_with_string_quartet|website=Ted.com|language=en|access-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref>
== Personal life == Byrne lives in New York City. His father, Thomas, died in October 2013. His mother, Emma, died in June 2014.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 31, 2014 |title=Journal – Emma Byrne |url=http://davidbyrne.com/emma-byrne |access-date=January 25, 2017 |website=Davidbyrne.com }}{{Dead link|date=May 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Although a resident of the United States since childhood, Byrne was solely a British citizen until 2012, when he became a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081113152122/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/04/david-byrne-cant-vote-but-hopes-you-will/ "David Byrne Can't Vote But Hopes You Will"]. ''Rolling Stone''. November 4, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lynskey|first=Dorian|date=March 4, 2018|title=David Byrne: 'I'm able to talk in a social group now – not retreat into a corner'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/mar/04/david-byrne-i-am-able-to-talk-in-a-social-group-now-american-utopia|access-date=March 4, 2018|work=The Guardian}}</ref> He has also held Irish citizenship since 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=U2 X-Radio – Close to The Edge: Feat. David Byrne |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1GHhyDc30%3Fsi%3DSJsHV3HWySsg8Oy3&t=1860 |website=YouTube |language=en |format=video |date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |archive-date=April 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240408222246/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1GHhyDc30%3Fsi%3DSJsHV3HWySsg8Oy3&t=1860 |url-status=live }}</ref> Speaking of his Scottish origins in a 2014 interview with the ''Evening Standard'', Byrne said: "I have lived in the States pretty much my whole life, but from my parents and everything, there's still an affinity to maybe a Scottish sense of humour, and some of the attitudes that go with that." During the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Byrne expressed his preference for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-byrne-2-10-1237994 |title=David Byrne warns Scottish referendum voters of danger of independence |website=NME |date=August 28, 2014 |access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
Byrne describes himself as having autism but has not been professionally diagnosed. In a 2020 interview on Amy Schumer's podcast ''3 Girls, 1 Keith'', he said that he felt that his condition was a superpower as it allows him to hyperfocus on his creative pursuits.<ref>{{cite web|title=Performance With David Byrne|website=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/3oHiChsIjNTDe0X8QNDshy|access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> In 2012, he said that he felt that music was his way of communicating when he could not do it face to face because of his autism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Front Row – David Byrne: 'I identify with Susan Boyle' – BBC Sounds |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p00yq6c6 |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-GB |archive-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025210110/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p00yq6c6 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Relationships === Byrne had a brief relationship with Toni Basil in 1981,<ref name=Bowman202>{{cite book |first=David |last=Bowman |title=This Must Be the Place: The Adventures of Talking Heads in the 20th Century |url=https://archive.org/details/thismustbeplace00davi |url-access=registration |year=2001 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=978-0-380-97846-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/thismustbeplace00davi/page/202 202] }}</ref> and he dated Twyla Tharp between 1981 and 1982.<ref name=Bowman202/> While visiting Japan in 1982,<ref>Bowman, p. 235.</ref> Byrne met costume designer Adelle Lutz, and they married in 1987.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/29/magazine/same-as-he-ever-was.html |title=Same as He Ever Was |first=Marshall |last=Sella |date=April 29, 2001 |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-date=February 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219071413/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/29/magazine/same-as-he-ever-was.html |url-status=live }}</ref> They have a daughter, born in 1989, and two grandsons, born in 2018 and 2025.<ref>Bowman, p. 336.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-byrne-on-american-utopia-and-living-an-optimistic-life/ |title=David Byrne on "American Utopia," and living an optimistic life |first=Anthony |last=Laudato |date=January 5, 2020 |work=CBS News Sunday Morning |accessdate=January 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/style/malu-byrne-andrew-kuo-david-byrne-wedding.html/ |title=Their Friend Rigged the Gala Seating Chart. It Worked |first=Sadiba |last=Hasan |date=May 23, 2025 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=May 19, 2026}}</ref> Byrne and Lutz divorced in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4986234/David-Byrne-stay-hungry.html |title=David Byrne: Stay Hungry |first=Richard |last=Grant |date=March 16, 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-date=June 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622155403/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4986234/David-Byrne-stay-hungry.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After his divorce, he became romantically involved with the art curator and Gagosian Gallery sales director Louise Neri.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3612979/How-the-Talking-Head-learnt-to-sing-from-the-heart.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3612979/How-the-Talking-Head-learnt-to-sing-from-the-heart.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=How the Talking Head Learnt To Sing from the Heart |first=Robert |last=Sandall |date=February 28, 2004 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=January 15, 2014 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> He also had a relationship with the artist Cindy Sherman from 2007 to 2011.<ref>{{cite news|first=Simon |last=Hattenstone |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/jan/15/cindy-sherman-interview |title=Cindy Sherman interview |newspaper=The Guardian |date= January 15, 2011|access-date=November 2, 2011 |location=London}}</ref> In late August 2025, Byrne revealed he was engaged to businesswoman Mala Gaonkar, and on September 3, 2025, he said they would be married that week.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 20, 2025 |title=David Byrne quietly reveals engagement to entrepreneur Mala Gaonkar |url=https://www.kayofm.com/kayo-country-entertainment-news/ |access-date=September 3, 2025 |website=KAYO News |language=en |archive-date=July 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250717071952/https://www.kayofm.com/kayo-country-entertainment-news/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vadukul |first=Alex |date=September 3, 2025 |title=David Byrne says on Instagram that he will marry Mala Gaonkar 'this week' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/style/david-byrne-wedding-mala-gaonkar.html |access-date=September 3, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref>
=== Cycling === [[File:David Byrne Rocket bike rack at Stanford Museum of Art.jpg|alt=A red bike rack in the abstract shape of devil horns|thumb|A bike rack designed by Byrne outside the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University in Stanford, California]] Byrne is known for his activism in support of increased cycling and for having used a bike as his main means of transport throughout his life, especially cycling around New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/archive/art/books/bicycle_diaries/|title=Bicycle Diaries|work=davidbyrne.com|access-date=July 20, 2016|archive-date=July 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727190439/http://www.davidbyrne.com/archive/art/books/bicycle_diaries/|url-status=live}}</ref> In Los Angeles, Byrne drives a vintage Citroën DS, but in New York, he does not drive a car.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.kcrw.com/rhythmplanet/david-byrne-and-barry-white-what-cars-they-drove/|title=David Byrne & Barry White: What Cars They Drove|first=Tom|last=Schnabel|author-link=Tom Schnabel|date=November 5, 2011|work=KCRW Rhythm Planet|access-date=July 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809153034/http://blogs.kcrw.com/rhythmplanet/david-byrne-and-barry-white-what-cars-they-drove/|archive-date=August 9, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/01/ted.david.byrne/|title=David Byrne: Song lyrics are overrated|last=Sutter|first=John D.|date=April 1, 2010|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 15, 2013|archive-date=January 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114010249/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/01/ted.david.byrne/|url-status=live}}</ref> Byrne says that he began cycling while he was in high school and returned to it as an adult in the late 1970s. He likes the freedom and exhilaration cycling gives him. He has written widely on cycling, including a 2009 book, ''Bicycle Diaries''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bikeportland.org/2009/07/23/rockerbike-activist-david-byrne-announces-portland-event-21399|title=Rocker/bike activist David Byrne announces Portland event|last=Jonathan Maus|date=July 23, 2009|work=BikePortland.org|access-date=May 15, 2013|archive-date=June 9, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609143451/http://bikeportland.org/2009/07/23/rockerbike-activist-david-byrne-announces-portland-event-21399|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2009, Byrne auctioned his Montague folding bike to raise money for the London Cycling Campaign (LCC).
In 2008, Byrne designed a series of bicycle parking racks in the form of image outlines corresponding to the areas in which they were located, such as a dollar sign for Wall Street and an electric guitar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Byrne worked with a manufacturer who constructed the racks in exchange for the right to sell them later as art. The racks remained on the streets for about a year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/09/arts/design/09bike.html |first=Ariel |last=Kaminer |title=David Byrne, Cultural Omnivore, Raises Cycling Rack to an Art Form |work=The New York Times |date=August 8, 2008}}</ref> Two bike racks constructed from the Byrne Bike Rack Alphabet, a system of modular letter segments that can be combined to form various words, remain installed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).<ref>{{cite web |title=David Byrne Bike Racks |url=https://www.bam.org/visit/david-byrne-bike-racks |website=bam.org |publisher=Brooklyn Academy of Music |access-date=October 25, 2019}}</ref> In 2023, he arrived at the Met Gala on a Budnitz single-speed bicycle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 2, 2023 |title=David Byrne Rode His Bike to the Met Gala, Of Course |url=https://www.bicycling.com/news/a43769384/david-byrne-met-gala/ |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Bicycling |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Discography and other works == === Studio albums with Talking Heads === {{further|Talking Heads|Talking Heads discography}} * ''Talking Heads: 77'' (1977) * ''More Songs About Buildings and Food'' (1978) * ''Fear of Music'' (1979) * ''Remain in Light'' (1980) * ''Speaking in Tongues'' (1983) * ''Little Creatures'' (1985) * ''True Stories'' (1986) * ''Naked'' (1988)
=== Solo studio albums and collaborations === {{Main|David Byrne discography}}
<!--For main studio albums--> * ''My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'' (1981) <small>(with Brian Eno)</small> * ''Rei Momo'' (1989) * ''Uh-Oh'' (1992) * ''David Byrne'' (1994) * ''Feelings'' (1997) * ''Look into the Eyeball'' (2001) * ''Grown Backwards'' (2004) * ''Everything That Happens Will Happen Today'' (2008) <small>(with Brian Eno)</small> * ''Here Lies Love'' (2010) <small>(with Fatboy Slim)</small> * ''Love This Giant'' (2012) <small>(with St. Vincent)</small> * ''American Utopia'' (2018) * ''Who Is the Sky?'' (2025) <small>(with Ghost Train Orchestra)</small>
=== Soundtracks and music for theater === {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" | Year ! rowspan="2" | Album details ! colspan="2" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" | Notes |- !| US !| UK |- | 1981 | '''''The Catherine Wheel''''' * Released: November 1981 * Labels: Sire | align="center" | 104 | align="center" | — | Music for the 1981 Twyla Tharp dance production ''The Catherine Wheel''. |- | 1985 | '''''Music for "The Knee Plays"''''' * Released: May 1985 * Labels: ECM | align="center" | 141 | align="center" | — | Music for Philip Glass and Robert Wilson's opera ''The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down'' (1984). Re-released as ''The Knee Plays'' in 2007. |- | 1986 | '''''Sounds from True Stories''''' * Released: 1986 * Labels: Sire | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Soundtrack to the film ''True Stories''. |- | 1987 | '''''The Last Emperor''''' * Released: 1987 * Labels: Virgin | align="center" | 152 | align="center" | — | Score to the film ''The Last Emperor'', composed with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su. |- | 1991 | '''''The Forest''''' * Released: June 1991 * Labels: {{hlist|Luaka Bop|Warner Bros.}} | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Music for the 1988 Robert Wilson theatre piece ''The Forest''. |- | 1999 | '''''Your Action World''''' * Released: January 1, 1999 * Labels: Self-released | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Music for Byrne's art presentation of ''Your Action World''. |- | 1999 | '''''In Spite of Wishing and Wanting''''' * Released: 1999 * Labels: Self-released | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Music for the Wim Vandekeybus dance production ''In Spite of Wishing and Wanting''. |- | 2003 | '''''E.E.E.I. (Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information)''''' * Released: July 2, 2003 * Labels: Self-released | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Music for Byrne's speaking tour and PowerPoint presentation. |- | 2003 | '''''Lead Us Not into Temptation''''' * Released: September 30, 2003 * Labels: Thrill Jockey | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Soundtrack to the film ''Young Adam''. |- | 2008 | '''''Big Love: Hymnal''''' * Released: August 19, 2008 * Labels: {{hlist|Todo Mundo|HBO|Playtone}} | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Soundtrack to the second season of ''Big Love''. |- | 2010 | '''''Here Lies Love''''' * Released: April 6, 2010 * Labels: Todo Mundo/Nonesuch | align="center" | 96 | align="center" | 76 | With Fatboy Slim. A disco song cycle occasionally given staged performances. |- | 2019 | '''''American Utopia on Broadway Original Cast Recording''''' * Released: October 25, 2019 * Labels: Nonesuch | align="center" | — | align="center" | — | Original cast recording of the Broadway production of ''American Utopia''. |} * "—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart, albums not released in a particular territory, or chart information is not available.
=== Film and television === '''Concert films''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role !class="unsortable" |Notes |- | 1984 || ''Stop Making Sense'' || Himself || Concert film from Talking Heads tour; also composer |- | 1992 || ''Between the Teeth – Live'' || Himself || VHS release; also composer |- | 2004 || ''David Byrne Live at Union Chapel'' || Himself || |- | 2010 || ''Ride, Rise, Roar'' || Himself || Concert documentary<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/film/index.php |title=David Byrne website film listing |website=Davidbyrne.com |access-date=June 25, 2010 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029225146/http://www.davidbyrne.com/film/index.php |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | 2020 || ''American Utopia'' || Himself || |} '''Other film and television''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role !class="unsortable" |Notes |- | 1979 || ''Saturday Night Live'' || Himself || Episode: "Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads" |- | 1986 || ''True Stories'' || The Narrator || Feature film; also director, writer, composer |- | 1987 || ''The Last Emperor'' || — || Feature film; composer |- | 1988 || ''Married to the Mob'' || — || Feature film; composer |- | 1989 || ''Heavy Petting'' || — || Documentary; interviewed subject |- | 1989 || ''Ile Aiye'' (''The House of Life'') || — || Documentary; composer |- | 1989 || ''Saturday Night Live'' || Himself || Episode: "Woody Harrelson/David Byrne" |- | 1995|| ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' || Himself || Episode: "Fire Drill" |- | 2003 || ''Young Adam'' || — || Feature film; composer |- | 2003, 2012 || ''The Simpsons'' || Himself (voice) || Episodes: "Dude, Where's My Ranch?", "How I Wet Your Mother" |- | 2007 || ''Big Love'' || — || 12 episodes; composer |- | 2011 || ''This Must Be the Place'' || Himself ||Feature film |- | 2016 || ''Contemporary Color'' || — || Feature film; composer |- | 2019 || ''John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch'' || Himself || Children's musical comedy special |- | 2020 || ''Saturday Night Live'' || Himself || Episode: "John Mulaney/David Byrne" |- | 2025 || ''Étoile'' || Himself || (S01:E05) "The Rat" |}
== Tours == * Rei Momo Tour (1989–1990) * Uh-Oh Tour (1992) * David Byrne Tour (1994) * Feelings Tour (1997–1998) * Look into the Eyeball Tour (2001–2002) * Grown Backwards Tour (2004–2005) * Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour (2008–2009) <small>(with Brian Eno)</small> * Love This Giant Tour (2012–2013) <small>(with St. Vincent)</small> * American Utopia Tour (2018) * Who Is the Sky? Tour (2025–2026)
== Awards and nominations == {{main|List of awards and nominations received by David Byrne}}
== Bibliography == Sources:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/david_byrne_artbio.php |title=Byrne's bibliography on Byrne's Website |website=Davidbyrne.com |access-date=June 25, 2010 |archive-date=January 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116091211/http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/david_byrne_artbio.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> * ''True Stories'' (1986) * Preface for [https://aperture.org/shop/occupied-territory-2997/ ''Occupied Territory''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026161215/https://aperture.org/shop/occupied-territory-2997/ |date=October 26, 2019 }} by Lynne Cohen, Aperture Foundation (1987) * ''Strange Ritual'', Chronicle Books (1995) * ''Your Action World'' (1999) * ''The New Sins (Los Nuevos Pecados)'' (2001) * ''David Byrne Asks You: What Is It?'' Smart Art Press (2002) * ''Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information'' with DVD (2003) * ''Arboretum'' (2006) * ''Bicycle Diaries'' (2009) * ''How Music Works'' (2012) * ''American Utopia'' (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2020 |title=American Utopia: David Byrne: Bloomsbury Publishing |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/american-utopia-9781635576689/ |access-date=November 19, 2024 |website=Bloomsbury Publishing}}</ref> * ''A History of the World (in Dingbats): Drawings & Words'' (2022)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{Citation |author1=Gittins, Ian |year=2004 |title=Talking Heads Once in a Lifetime: The Stories Behind Every Song |publisher=Carlton |isbn=978-1-84442-671-3 |ref=none}} * {{Citation |author1=Howell, John |author2=Byrne, David |year=1992 |title=David Byrne |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |isbn=978-1-56025-031-9 |ref=none}} * {{Citation |author1=Steenstra, Sytze |year=2010 |title=Song and Circumstance: The Work of David Byrne from Talking Heads to the Present |publisher=Continuum |isbn=978-0-8264-4168-3 |ref=none}}
== External links == {{Sister project links|b=no|n=no|v=no|wikt=no|species=no|s=no|d=Q336640}} * {{Official website}} * [https://arbutus.world/ Arbutus Foundation] – a charity founded by Byrne * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000197364|title=David Byrne|access-date=January 8, 2017}} * {{discogs artist}} * {{IMDb name|126154}} * {{Charlie Rose view|4012}} * [https://www.npr.org/2023/11/01/1209679558/david-byrne-talking-heads-stop-making-sense David Byrne interview] on ''Fresh Air'', November 1, 2023
{{David Byrne|state=expanded}} {{Navboxes | title = Awards for David Byrne | list = {{AcademyAwardBestOriginalScore 1981-2000}} {{DramaDesk Music 2001–2025}} {{Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score 1970–1989}} {{Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media}} {{GMSA for Best Song Written and/or Recording Created for a Film}} {{Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award}} {{2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}} {{Special Tony Award}} }} {{Talking Heads}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Byrne, David}} Category:David Byrne Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American keyboardists Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American keyboardists Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:Alternative rock singers Category:American actors with disabilities Category:American alternative rock musicians Category:American bloggers Category:American dance musicians Category:American experimental musicians Category:American film score composers Category:American lead guitarists Category:American male bloggers Category:American male cyclists Category:American male film actors Category:American male film score composers Category:American male guitarists Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American multi-instrumentalists Category:American music industry executives Category:American musical theatre composers Category:American male musical theatre composers Category:American new wave musicians Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock keyboardists Category:American rock singers Category:American rock songwriters Category:American surrealist artists Category:American world music musicians Category:American writers about music Category:Art pop musicians Category:Art pop singers Category:Atomic Bomb! Band members Category:Autistic actors Category:Autistic musicians Category:American autistic people Category:Autistic writers Category:Bessie Award winners Category:Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Category:Creative Commons-licensed authors Category:Cycling advocates Category:Cyclists from New York (state) Category:Experimental pop musicians Category:Film directors from Maryland Category:Film directors from New York City Category:Golden Globe Award–winning musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Guitarists from Maryland Category:Guitarists from New York City Category:Luaka Bop artists Category:Male actors from Maryland Category:Male actors from New York City Category:Matador Records artists Category:Naturalised citizens of Ireland Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Nonesuch Records artists Category:People from Arbutus, Maryland Category:People from Dumbarton Category:Record producers from New York (state) Category:Rhode Island School of Design alumni Category:Rock songwriters Category:Scottish emigrants to Canada Category:Scottish emigrants to the United States Category:Singer-songwriters from Maryland Category:Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Category:Singers from New York City Category:Singers with disabilities Category:Sire Records artists Category:Talking Heads members Category:Thrill Jockey artists Category:Warner Records artists Category:Writers from New York City