Forming back in 2012, British band The Vamps have been propelling hits into the pop stratosphere for years. With their effortless balance between pop and rock elements, their sound is one that widely relates to all kinds of audiences. They’re catchy, but cool; sweet but have bite. And the more they keep evolving, the stronger they just become.
In honour of their new track ‘Chemicals’ dropping today, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and celebrate all the great tracks the group have made in the past. From dancefloor fillers to stadium chanters, here are our 10 favourite tracks from The Vamps.
1. ‘Can We Dance’ (2013)
Right off the bat, starting with an absolute classic. Seven years after its release, this is still one hell of a tune. The track was the group’s foray into the music world, a catchy pop hit that marked a seriously impressive debut. Written with the help of Bruno Mars (?!), the single jumped to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and made waves all around the world (in NZ, it stayed at number 19 for two entire weeks). One can’t think of The Vamps and not register this iconic bop.
2. ‘Somebody To You ft. Demi Lovato’ (2014)
Once The Vamps had started to gain a bit more momentum from ‘Can We Dance,’ there wasn’t a single they could put out that was disappointing. The fourth single from their debut album Meet The Vamps saw a revamped (ha) version with Demi Lovato. And it was massive. With a toe-tapping beat and lyrics that saw the group singing to you directly, there wasn’t a lot to hate about it. ‘Somebody To You’ earned The Vamps their fourth Top 5 single on the UK Singles Chart and became their highest charting track in both Australia and NZ (Australia 14 and NZ 17).
3. ‘Wake Up’ (2015)
Off their second album of the same name, ‘Wake Up’ saw The Vamps heading in a new musical direction. While there still reeked an element of tasty pop, it was becoming clear that the band actually held a lot of depth within them. Using a drum sample from Nine Inch Nails, the track feels absolutely larger than life. There are only a few songs that are just made to be chanted in stadiums, and ‘Wake Up’ remains to be one of our favourites.
4, ‘All Night ft. Maloma’ (2016)
The huge EDM hit was favourable for many reasons. Not only did it perfectly encapsulate the sound of the time, but it proved that The Vamps could dip their toes into any new musical territory and absolutely smash it. Teaming up with Norwegian DJ Maloma, The Vamps excelled on ‘All Night,’ making a tune that would be played across parties and festivals alike for the rest of 2016. It earned the group their first Platinum-certified single in the UK and reached Gold in both Australia and NZ. It also currently has over 460 million streams on Spotify.
5. ‘I Found a Girl ft. OMI’ (2015)
A snappy tongue-in-cheek hit about liking a girl who actually likes other girls is surprisingly one of the best The Vamps have ever made. To step into that subject matter and simply create a pop tune that respects queer female relationships instead of sexualising them is not only admirable but pretty damn clever. Based on a personal experience of one of the members, the song is flirty, fun, and has some pretty funny lyrics. And OMI adds some flavor too.
6. ‘Oh Cecilia (Breaking My Heart) ft. Shawn Mendes’ (2014)
To cover Simon & Garfunkel as you debut is a bold move, but it worked so well that it genuinely feels like an original The Vamps track. Adapted from the 1970s hit ‘Cecilia,’ The Vamps’ version only uses the chorus while building out the rest of their song on their own; and they rope in Shawn Mendes for a later, reworked version. Earning a spot in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and jumping right to number 13 here in NZ, this track really helped put the group on the map. Now, when you hear that jingle of a chorus, you not only think of the musical greats Simon & Garfunkel, but the British quartet and their catchy pop adaptation.
7. ‘Middle of the Night ft. Martin Jensen’ (2017)
A little older and wiser, and stepping into a newly refined sound, this track helped the group move from catchy teenyboppers to pop rock staples. With a booming dubstep chorus that immediately takes the song to whole new heights, it became clear that The Vamps meant serious business when it came to not only their sound but their overall look. The track is a huge tune, and a definite turning point for the band’s growth.
8. ‘Just My Type’ (2018)
The rolling, infectious tune is simply just a really good hit. Checking all the boxes, it only solidifies The Vamps more as key players in the pop world. It relates to any pop music era, making it listenable to anyone at any given time. Five years on from their debut, the band have realised that they’ve known the secret to success all along. This track could easily be off both their debut album and one they’ll release five years from now. And that’s good pop music.
9. ‘Wild Heart’ (2014)
The second single after the firework that was ‘Can We Dance,’ this track sees the band experiment more with folksier musical elements. Taking a step back from sweeping dancefloor anthems and creating something a little more acoustic sounding, the sound of The Vamps was hard to put your finger on. The track showed that the band had a lot of musical influences and they weren’t tied to any specific one, and it earned them their second consecutive top 3 hit on the UK Singles Chart.
10. ‘Married in Vegas’ (2020)
The latest single is an absolute masterpiece. With layers of synth-pop, indie-rock and familiar British rock elements, The Vamps yet again have pushed through boundaries and entered new musical terrain. A compass for where their sound is heading, the track really sees the band at its most mature. A quintessential pop rock band who have been in the game for going on 7 years and have picked up useful treasures and bits and bobs along the way. ‘Married in Vegas’ is the product of all those treasures put together.
SEE ALSO: Most Likely: The Vamps
