The Afters
Encyclopedia
The Afters are a Christian rock
band founded by Joshua Havens and Matt Fuqua. Havens and Fuqua first worked together in a Starbucks
coffee shop in Mesquite, Texas
, where they played for customers, before deciding to form a band. They added Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, who were also employed at the same Starbucks
, under their original name of Blisse. Their song "Never Going Back to OK" was the most-played song on R&R magazine's
Christian CHR
chart for 2008.
, which was released independently in 2001. This album contains songs also released on their major label debut album I Wish We All Could Win
. In 2002 they released a live concert DVD filmed at a local Dallas
club called The Door.
and signed to a four-record deal. After this, word of the band got to Epic Records
, which signed the band to a deal for mainstream promotion and distribution. Their first major label album, I Wish We All Could Win, was released on February 22, 2005. The first single from the album was "Beautiful Love
" written by Josh Havens about a time when his wife was abroad doing humanitarian aid. The single's music video led The Afters to a 2005 MTVu "Streaming Woodie" award. In addition, "Beautiful Love" became the theme song for the MTV show, "8th and Ocean" about the life of female and male fashion models living in Miami, Florida. The song was also featured in the 2006 film, "Just My Luck". Furthermore, the song "Until The World" featuring the album was the theme song for the American drama television series that aired on the ABC Family Network "Beautiful People", created by "Michael Rauch".
. In an update posted on their official website, the band went into the studio in August 2006 to start recording their second album, Never Going Back to OK
. It was originally scheduled to be released on December 26, 2007 as per a post on their MySpace
blog, but was ultimately delayed and released on February 26, 2008.
The first single from the album, the title track "Never Going Back to OK" premiered on October 16, 2007 on Total Axxess
. It was also released as a streaming file on The Afters' MySpace page on November 10, 2007. The song hit the R&R magazine
charts in December 2007. It reached No. 1 on the R&R
CHR chart in March 2008 and R&R magazine ranked it as the most played song on U.S. Christian CHR radio in 2008.
In spring of 2008, the band began their own headlining tour along with Falling Up, Ruth
, and Everyday Sunday
.
radio, and also received an appearance on MTV's The Hills
. In January 2011 The Afters joined the Rock And Worship Roadshow national tour headlined by MercyMe
. Light Up the Sky was produced by Dan Muckala.
, Lifehouse
, Vertical Horizon
, Styxx, Anna Nalick, Better Than Ezra
, Howie Day
, Everclear
, Jeremy Camp
, TobyMac
, Newsboys
, Hawk Nelson
, Family Force 5
, Casting Crowns
, Sanctus Real
, Leeland
, Mainstay
and others.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band founded by Joshua Havens and Matt Fuqua. Havens and Fuqua first worked together in a Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
coffee shop in Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite is a city located within the Dallas/Ft.Worth area of Texas. As of the 2010 US Census, the population was 139,824.-History:The city was founded May 22, 1873, by a Texas & Pacific Railway engineer who purchased land along the Texas & Pacific line outside of Dallas...
, where they played for customers, before deciding to form a band. They added Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, who were also employed at the same Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, under their original name of Blisse. Their song "Never Going Back to OK" was the most-played song on R&R magazine's
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
Christian CHR
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
chart for 2008.
Screaming Mimes (1999-2000)
As a precursor to Blisse, Matt and Josh performed several shows around Dallas as The Screaming Mimes, a reference to a St. Francis of Assisi quote "Witness at all times. Sometimes use words." The songs during this period were largely the same as they would be performed and recorded as Blisse. While Brad was a founding member of the group, he took time away from the band to perform with his own blues project, playing lead guitar. Shows at the Door in Deep Ellum were filled in by Dallas bassist Eric Kitchens and bassist/filmmaker Niko Red Star.Blisse (2000-2002)
Under the name Blisse, the band recorded a six-song EP in 2000. From this they made enough money to cut their first album, When the World Is WonderfulWhen the World Is Wonderful
When the World Is Wonderful was the first album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album was released under the band's previous name of "Blisse".-Track listing:#"Until the World"#"The Way You Are"#"Take My Hand"#"You"#"One More Day"...
, which was released independently in 2001. This album contains songs also released on their major label debut album I Wish We All Could Win
I Wish We All Could Win
I Wish We All Could Win is the debut album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album contains their Dove Award-nominated hit single "Beautiful Love". The album is notable for having two tracks on it used as theme songs...
. In 2002 they released a live concert DVD filmed at a local Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
club called The Door.
I Wish We All Could Win (2002–2006)
The band changed its name after discovering that another "Blisse" already existed. Settling on "The Afters", they continued to play local clubs in the Dallas area. They were eventually discovered by INO RecordsINO Records
INO Records, also known as Fair Trade Services, is an American record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, specializing in Contemporary Christian music . It is distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and was owned by Integrity Media until June 2011. When Integrity Media sold its assets...
and signed to a four-record deal. After this, word of the band got to Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, which signed the band to a deal for mainstream promotion and distribution. Their first major label album, I Wish We All Could Win, was released on February 22, 2005. The first single from the album was "Beautiful Love
Beautiful Love
Beautiful Love is the hit single from the debut album by Christian rock band The Afters, I Wish We All Could Win. The song was later used by MTV as the theme song to its reality show 8th and Ocean.- Critical success :...
" written by Josh Havens about a time when his wife was abroad doing humanitarian aid. The single's music video led The Afters to a 2005 MTVu "Streaming Woodie" award. In addition, "Beautiful Love" became the theme song for the MTV show, "8th and Ocean" about the life of female and male fashion models living in Miami, Florida. The song was also featured in the 2006 film, "Just My Luck". Furthermore, the song "Until The World" featuring the album was the theme song for the American drama television series that aired on the ABC Family Network "Beautiful People", created by "Michael Rauch".
Never Going Back to OK (2006–2008)
The Afters are currently promoted through INO Records and Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. In an update posted on their official website, the band went into the studio in August 2006 to start recording their second album, Never Going Back to OK
Never Going Back to OK
Never Going Back to OK is the second album by Christian rock group The Afters, released on February 26, 2008.The first single from the album is the title track, "Never Going Back to OK". The track has been released as a streaming file on their MySpace website and for purchase on iTunes...
. It was originally scheduled to be released on December 26, 2007 as per a post on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog, but was ultimately delayed and released on February 26, 2008.
The first single from the album, the title track "Never Going Back to OK" premiered on October 16, 2007 on Total Axxess
Total Axxess
Total Axxess is a contemporary Christian music radio program. The afternoon show is broadcast nationwide on WAY-FM Network and other affiliated Contemporary Christian music radio stations. The program is based out of Nashville, Tennessee. The show is produced by CHRSN. The show began in January 2004...
. It was also released as a streaming file on The Afters' MySpace page on November 10, 2007. The song hit the R&R magazine
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
charts in December 2007. It reached No. 1 on the R&R
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
CHR chart in March 2008 and R&R magazine ranked it as the most played song on U.S. Christian CHR radio in 2008.
In spring of 2008, the band began their own headlining tour along with Falling Up, Ruth
Ruth (band)
Ruth is a four piece Christian indie band from Battle Ground, Washington. Ruth's debut album, Secondhand Dreaming, was released June 26, 2007.-Formation:...
, and Everyday Sunday
Everyday Sunday
Everyday Sunday is a band from Columbus, Ohio made up of Trey Pearson , Micah Kuiper, Tyler Craft, and Nick Spencer. The old band released 2 CDs on Flicker Records including Stand Up and Anthems for the Imperfect...
.
Light Up the Sky (2009-present)
The Afters stated in their Twitter account that they started recording their next album on October 27, 2009. The album, called Light Up the Sky, was released on September 14, 2010. The album's first single, the title track, has reached No. 1 on Billboard's Christian CHRChristian CHR
Christian CHR is a radio format that is common in the United States and Australia focusing on playing current and recent music as determined by the Christian Top 40....
radio, and also received an appearance on MTV's The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
. In January 2011 The Afters joined the Rock And Worship Roadshow national tour headlined by MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
. Light Up the Sky was produced by Dan Muckala.
Tours
The Afters have toured and played shows with artists such as MercyMeMercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
, Lifehouse
Lifehouse (band)
Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
, Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1991. The band is best known for a string of hits in 1999 and early 2000s, including "You're a God", "Everything You Want", and "Best I Ever Had ". Their most recent album, Burning the...
, Styxx, Anna Nalick, Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock trio based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Formation and early success:Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988 by its four original members - vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin; Joel Rundell, the lead guitarist; bassist Tom Drummond; and drummer, Cary...
, Howie Day
Howie Day
Howard Kern "Howie" Day is an American singer-songwriter. Beginning his career as a solo artist in the late 1990s, Day became known for his extensive touring and in-concert use of samplers and effects pedals in order to accompany himself...
, Everclear
Everclear (band)
Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...
, Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp is a contemporary Christian musician from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released seven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold and two are live albums, and 17 number-one hit songs...
, TobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
, Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
, Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson is a Christian rock band from Peterborough, Ontario. The band has become very popular in the Christian music scene and was voted "Favorite New Artist" by CCM Magazine in their February 2006 Reader's Choice Awards. In 2006 Hawk Nelson won a No...
, Family Force 5
Family Force 5
Family Force 5 is a Christian crunk rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They consist of Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds, Jacob "Crouton" Olds, Joshua "Fatty" Olds, Nathan "Nadaddy" Currin, and Derek "Chap Stique" Mount...
, Casting Crowns
Casting Crowns
Casting Crowns is a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning Contemporary Christian/Christian Rock band. Casting Crowns was started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida as part of a youth group. He now serves as a lead vocalist...
, Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real is an American Christian rock band formed in Toledo, Ohio, in 1996. The group is composed of Matt Hammitt , Chris Rohman , Dan Gartley , Pete Prevost , and Mark Graalman...
, Leeland
Leeland
Leeland is a Christian rock band from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland is composed of Leeland Mooring , Jack Mooring , Casey Moore , Shelly Mooring and Mike Smith...
, Mainstay
Mainstay
Mainstay is a Christian rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band was formed in 2003 and is signed to BEC Recordings. While a lot of the band's music has decidedly Christian lyrics and messages, their music appeals to a large secular fanbase as well. Their music style has been compared to...
and others.
Band members
- Joshua Havens - vocals / keyKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Matt Fuqua - vocals and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Jordan Mohilowski - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Dan Ostebo - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s - Brad Wigg - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s / bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s and vocals (former) - Marc Dodd - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s (former) - Niko Red Star - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(former)
Studio Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Rock |
US Christ |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Alt. |
|||||
| 2001 | When the World Is Wonderful When the World Is Wonderful When the World Is Wonderful was the first album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album was released under the band's previous name of "Blisse".-Track listing:#"Until the World"#"The Way You Are"#"Take My Hand"#"You"#"One More Day"...
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2005 | I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win is the debut album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album contains their Dove Award-nominated hit single "Beautiful Love". The album is notable for having two tracks on it used as theme songs...
|
— | — | 24 | 40 | — | |||
| 2008 | Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK is the second album by Christian rock group The Afters, released on February 26, 2008.The first single from the album is the title track, "Never Going Back to OK". The track has been released as a streaming file on their MySpace website and for purchase on iTunes...
|
41 | 10 | 1 | — | 9 | |||
| 2010 | Light Up the Sky
|
— | — | 11 | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
EPs
- Never Going Back to OK - EP (2008)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
| US Hot 100 |
US Adult Top 40 |
US Christ Hot Christian Songs Christian Songs is a Billboard chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.... |
US Heat |
|||
| 2005 2005 in music -Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:... |
"Beautiful Love Beautiful Love Beautiful Love is the hit single from the debut album by Christian rock band The Afters, I Wish We All Could Win. The song was later used by MTV as the theme song to its reality show 8th and Ocean.- Critical success :... " |
55 | 29 | 37 | - | I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win is the debut album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album contains their Dove Award-nominated hit single "Beautiful Love". The album is notable for having two tracks on it used as theme songs... |
| "You" | - | - | 4 | - | ||
| 2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
"All That I Am" | - | - | 13 | - | |
| "Someday" | - | - | 25 | - | ||
| 2008 2008 in music 2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such... |
"Never Going Back to OK" | - | - | 16 | - | Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK is the second album by Christian rock group The Afters, released on February 26, 2008.The first single from the album is the title track, "Never Going Back to OK". The track has been released as a streaming file on their MySpace website and for purchase on iTunes... |
| "Keeping Me Alive" | - | - | - | - | ||
| "We Are the Sound" | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2009 2009 in music The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year... |
"Ocean Wide" | - | - | 23 | - | |
| 2010 2010 in music 2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music... |
"Light Up the Sky" | - | - | 1 | 17 | Light Up the Sky |
| 2011 | "Lift Me Up" | - | - | 6 |
GMA Dove Award wins
GMA Dove Award wins and nominations
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Dove Awards of 2006 The 37th Annual GMA Dove Awards, also called the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards, were held on April 5, 2006 recognizing accomplishments of Christian musicians for the year 2005. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Rebecca St. James and Kirk Franklin... |
New Artist of the Year | |
| Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Beautiful Love Beautiful Love Beautiful Love is the hit single from the debut album by Christian rock band The Afters, I Wish We All Could Win. The song was later used by MTV as the theme song to its reality show 8th and Ocean.- Critical success :... ") |
||
| Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year (I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win I Wish We All Could Win is the debut album from the Christian rock band The Afters. The album contains their Dove Award-nominated hit single "Beautiful Love". The album is notable for having two tracks on it used as theme songs... ) |
||
| 2009 Dove Awards of 2009 The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 23, 2009 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2008. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Rebecca St... |
Song of the Year ("Never Going Back to OK") | |
| Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Never Going Back to OK") | ||
| Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year (Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK Never Going Back to OK is the second album by Christian rock group The Afters, released on February 26, 2008.The first single from the album is the title track, "Never Going Back to OK". The track has been released as a streaming file on their MySpace website and for purchase on iTunes... ) |