Banners (musician)
Michael Joseph Nelson,[1][2] known under the stage name Banners (styled as BANNΞRS), is an English musician from Liverpool, based in Toronto, Ontario.[3] He has released three EPs and one full-length album, Where the Shadow Ends, which was released in 2019.
Banners | |
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Birth name | Michael Joseph Nelson |
Also known as | Raines |
Origin | Liverpool, United Kingdom |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2015–present |
Labels |
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Website | www |
History
Nelson grew up singing in Liverpool Cathedral Choir and performed with the choir in various locations throughout Europe before deciding to start a solo career.[4][5] In 2015, he relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from his native Liverpool,[6] and contacted Canadian producer Stephen Kozmeniuk to work on his sound.[1] Nelson released his debut single "Ghosts" in March 2015 under the stage name Raines.[4] A music video for the song was directed by Christopher Ranson.[7]
His second single, "Shine a Light", was released in August 2015 under the new moniker Banners.[8] A music video for the song was directed by Christopher Ranson and released in October 2015.[7] "Shine a Light" peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Canada Rock chart, and number 71 on the Canadian Hot 100.[9]
In December 2015, Spotify included Banners on its Spotlight list, which highlights 15 artists to watch in 2016.[10][11] On 4 December, Banners released his third single "Start a Riot".[12][13] The song peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.
Banners signed with Island Records in 2016.[5][6] His debut self-titled EP, produced by Kozmeniuk, was released on 15 January 2016 through Island Records. In addition to the three previously released singles, it included two new tracks: "Gold Dust" and "Back When We Had Nothing".[14] The EP debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart. On 22 January 2016, Capitol Records released a soundtrack album for the TV series The Royals, which included Banners' song "Half Light".[15] On 27 January 2016, Banners made his television debut performing "Shine a Light" on ABC's show Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[16] From 29 February to 31 March 2016, he joined American bands POP ETC and The Moth & The Flame for his first U.S. tour.[17] On 3 June 2016, Banners released "Half Light" as a single.[18][19]
On 24 July 2016, Banners performed at WayHome Music & Arts Festival.[20] On July 31, 2016, he performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago.[21] His single "Into the Storm", released on 16 September 2016,[22] peaked at number 16 on the Canada Rock chart. The single "Holy Ground" was released as a single on November 18, 2016.[2] The song's music video stars Ashley Greene.[6] On 31 May 2017, Banners began touring with band Milky Chance in the US. On November 3, 2017, Banners released his second EP, Empires on Fire.[23]
On October 4, 2019, Banners released his debut album, Where the Shadow Ends, on Island Records, featuring "Someone to You" and the singles "Where the Shadow Ends" with Young Bombs and "Got It In You".[24] In September and October 2019, he went on a five-week headline tour across North America.[25] In 2020, the single "Someone to You" received a resurgence in streaming following hundreds of thousands of TikTok creations, giving the song more than 200 million streams.[26][27]
On May 1, 2020, Banners released his third EP, Always Yours, on Island Records, with acoustic versions of previously released tracks, along with the new title track.[28]
In popular culture
His song "Ghosts" was featured on season 5 episodes of both Suits and Teen Wolf. On 29 May 2017, the single "Start a Riot" was featured on the last episode of the second season of the TV series Lucifer.
The single "Shine a Light" was featured on the 7th episode of the first season of the TV series The Good Doctor, on the video game FIFA 16, the soundtrack of the 2017 movie The Space Between Us, and the 2018 film Beautiful Boy.[5] The single was also featured near the end of the 2018 movie Love, Simon but was not included in the soundtrack of the same name.[9]
In April 2018, Banners appeared on season 16 of the U.S. TV competition American Idol to perform two duets with contestants Ron Bultongez and Alyssa Raghu. He sang his own "Someone to You" with Bultongez and Coldplay's "Yellow" with Raghu.
In 2018 the single "Half Light" was featured in the trailer of the TV series New Amsterdam, and on an episode of the TV series The Royals.[5]
In 2019, the single "Got It in You" was featured in the 17th episode of the second season of the US TV series The Good Doctor and in an episode of America's Got Talent. "Someone to You" is used in the 2019 movie After,[29] in the trailer of the TV series Love, Victor, in a 2017 episode of Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,[30] and in a commercial for T-Mobile. It was also used in late 2020, season 17 of Grey's Anatomy, for the return of Derek Shepherd.
Discography
Albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CAN [31] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Where the Shadow Ends |
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Extended plays
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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CAN [31] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Banners |
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67 |
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Empires on Fire |
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— |
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Always Yours |
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Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [32] |
CAN Rock [31] |
CAN CHR [31] |
CAN HAC [31] |
US Rock [33] |
US Rock Airplay [34] | |||
"Ghosts"[35] | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Banners |
"Shine a Light"[36] | 71 | 5 | 25 | 34 | — | 43 | ||
"Start a Riot"[13] | — | 32 | — | — | 24 | — | ||
"Half Light"[37] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
"Into the Storm"[22] | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | Empires on Fire | |
"Holy Ground"[38] | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Someone to You"[39] | 2017 | 72 | — | — | — | 15 | — | Empires on Fire and Where the Shadow Ends |
"Let Go" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
"Got It in You" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Where the Shadow Ends |
"Where the Shadow Ends" (with Young Bombs) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Other song releases
- 2016: "Gold Dust"[40]
- 2016: "Back When We Had Nothing"[41]
- 2016: "Start a Riot (Thundatraxx Remix)"[42]
- 2016: "Start a Riot (Dave Edwards Remix)"[43]
- 2017: "Someone to You (Acoustic)"[44]
- 2017: "Firefly"[45]
- 2017: "Empires on Fire"[46]
- 2017: "Firefly (Acoustic)"[47]
- 2017: “Empires on Fire (Acoustic)”[48]
- 2018: “Someone To You - The DJ Mike D Mix” with DJ Mike D [49]
- 2018: “Let Go”[50]
- 2019: “Got It In You (Acoustic)”[51]
- 2019: “No One Knows Us (Acoustic)” with Carly Paige[52]
- 2020: “Where The Shadow Ends (Acoustic)”[53]
- 2020: “Always Yours”[54]
References
- "Banners". Island Records. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- Havens, Lyndsey (17 November 2016). "Banners Shares Dreamy New Track 'Holy Ground': Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- Zyzda, Rachel (6 February 2018). "A Chat With: BANNERS". Anchr Magazine. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Donelson, Marcy. "Banners | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- Gokhman, Roman (12 February 2018). "Q&A: Banners on the cusp of making a big splash". Riff Magazine. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Dickinson, Chrissie (16 February 2017). "That ethereal Banners sound is no accident". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Diller, Nathan (9 October 2015). "Banners Battles Darkness in Epic 'Shine A Light' Video". Spin. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- McDermott, Emily (11 November 2015). "Exclusive Video Premiere: 'Shine a Light,' Banners". Interview. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- Johns, Lauren (30 June 2020). "Underrated Artist Review: Banners". The Standard. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Klinkenberg, Brendan (3 December 2015). "15 Artists Spotify Thinks Will Be Huge Next Year". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Banners Named Spotify Spotlight Artist to Watch in 2016". Island Records. 7 December 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Banners Premieres New Single "Start A Riot"". Island Records. 4 December 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Start a Riot – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Banners Releases Self-Titled EP". Island Records. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "The Royals (Original Television Soundtrack) by Various Artists". iTunes (US). Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Watch Banners Perform "Shine A Light" on Jimmy Kimmel Live". Island Records. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- "Tickets are now on sale for my first tour in the USA! ..." Facebook. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- Ryan, Gavin (3 June 2016). "New Music Releases For 3 June 2016". Noise11. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- "Banners - My New Single Is Out...tomorrow. Stay tuned". Facebook. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- Murphy, Sarah (9 February 2016). "WayHome Reveals 2016 Lineup". Exclaim. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Long, Zach (23 March 2016). "Lollapalooza 2016 lineup". Timeout. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "Into the Storm – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- Scott, Jason. "BANNERS ignites 'Empires on Fire' with new EP". B-Sides and Badlands. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "BANNERS New Album Out Now". Alternative Addiction. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "BANNERS and Youngbombs Release New Title Track, "Where the Shadow Ends"". Alternative Addiction. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- Scott, Jason. "BANNERS Enjoys Streaming Hit In Pandemic Times". American Songwriter. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "Banners Grateful for "Someone to You" TikTok Exposure, Shares Favorite B-Side From Coldplay". B-Sides TV. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "Banners Drops New EP, "Always Yours"". Alternative Addiction. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- After (2019) - IMDb, retrieved 11 December 2019
- "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World Soundtrack". tunefind.com. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- "Chart Search". Billboard. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- "Banners – Chart history: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- "Someone to You": "Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart: February 6, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- "Banners – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- "Banners – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- "Ghosts – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Shine a Light – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- "Half Light – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- "Holy Ground - Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- "Someone to You - Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- "Gold Dust – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Back When We Had Nothing – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Start a Riot (Thundatraxx Remix) – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Start a Riot (Dave Edwards Remix) – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Someone To You (Acoustic) – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Firefly - Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Empires on Fire - Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- "Firefly (Acoustic) – Single by Banners". iTunes (GB). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- Empires On Fire - Acoustic, retrieved 11 June 2020
- Someone To You - The DJ Mike D Mix, retrieved 11 June 2020
- Let Go, retrieved 11 June 2020
- Got It In You (Acoustic), retrieved 11 June 2020
- No One Knows Us - Acoustic, retrieved 11 June 2020
- Where The Shadow Ends - Acoustic, retrieved 11 June 2020
- Always Yours, retrieved 11 June 2020