Hum is an American alternative rock band formed in Champaign, Illinois in 1989, quietly one of the most influential heavy guitar acts of the '90s. You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995) — home of the radio hit Stars — is the classic, and 2020's surprise comeback Inlet holds its own next to it. Dig into Hum vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Hum formed in Champaign, Illinois in 1989. They released their major-label debut You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995) on RCA, with the single Stars receiving alternative rock radio play. After commercial disappointment of Downward Is Heavenward (1998), the band went on hiatus in 2000. They reunited for occasional performances across the 2000s and 2010s before the surprise release of Inlet (2020) on their own Earth Analog Records, which earned critical attention and cemented their position as a foundational influence on subsequent shoegaze, post-rock, and heavy alternative rock acts. Drummer Bryan St. Pere died on August 14, 2021 of an unspecified illness.
Hum's sound combines alternative rock, space rock, shoegaze, post-hardcore, and heavy indie rock with extremely dense distorted guitar work, atmospheric production, and Talbott's distinctive vocal delivery. Their work is widely cited as foundational to contemporary heavy alternative rock and shoegaze, with extensive influence on acts including Cloakroom, Nothing, Title Fight, and many others.
RCA pressings of the 1990s Hum catalog are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions of You'd Prefer an Astronaut and Downward Is Heavenward have been released, including extensive 25th anniversary repressings.
Listeners new to Hum typically start with You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995) or Inlet (2020).
