Gorillaz is perhaps a band that needs no introduction. It is one of the most famous bands around, with platinum records and a loyal fan base. Yet, what makes Gorillaz so unique, aside from their insistence to use cartoon avatars, is the fact that their music is very hard to categorize.
Breaking Barriers
The band itself is a brainchild of two iconoclasts, comic book artist James Hewlett and Blur’s Damon Albarn. Upon its establishment, Gorillaz has been hell-bent on breaking a number of musical barriers deemed impossible to overcome. Making use of multiple elements from a wide range of different genres, the band has made itself unlike any other band.
This was done by maximizing the potential of artist collaborations. Take any Gorillaz album and you will see that almost all the tracks feature another artist working with the band. Their collaborators range from the legendary Bobby Womack to the incomparable Lou Reed. They have also made tracks with Mos Def and Snoop Dogg, both icons of hiphop and rap. Obviously, with a list of partners as diverse as that, one would have a hard time pinning down a single specific sound for the band.