TV Girl

TV Girl is an American indie pop band from San Diego, California, consisting of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon.[1][2] As of 2023, the group is now based in Los Angeles.[3]

TV Girl
TV Girl performing in 2017
TV Girl performing in 2017
Background information
OriginSan Diego, California, U.S.
GenresIndie pop, hypnotic pop
Years active2008–present
Members
  • Brad Petering
  • Jason Wyman
  • Wyatt Harmon
Past members
  • Trung Ngo
  • Joel Williams
  • Dan Komin
Websiteamericasfavoriteindieband.com

In 2010, TV Girl first attracted attention when they sampled Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo version of "Hello It's Me" on their song "If You Want It" from their self-titled debut EP.[3][4] Rhino Entertainment, which owns full rights to the original song, issued a takedown notice on the band and the song was excluded from their debut EP Bandcamp page later.[5]

TV Girl's 2012 mixtape The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle was released and given away for free with an accompanying downloadable coloring book.[1] This mixtape would have been their debut album, but Petering and Ngo expressed that this work didn't feel official enough to be their first album and felt that the term mixtape was more appropriate.[1]

TV Girl's 2014 debut album French Exit was called "remarkably solid" by Bandwagon Magazine.[6]

Artistry

Influences

TV Girl frequently samples songs and media from the 1960s in their music. An example of this is seen in the song "Lovers' Rock," where the backing track is created from a looped sample of the intro to The Shirelles' single "The Dance is Over", which was originally released in 1960. In a post to Reddit, Petering writes he "..never gets tired of seeking out old and obscure music. I listen to lots of music and I find my loops and sounds that way."[7]

Musical style and songwriting

TV Girl is generally regarded as indie pop,[1] or sometimes as hypnotic pop.[8] Similarly to trip hop, the band blends elements of hip hop and electronic music. This is due to their use of sampling, keyboards, and reverb effects.[9][10] The duo was upset when their music was labeled "sundrenched California pop," pointing out that there are no lyrical allusions in their music that warrant the title.[1]

Lyrically, a majority of TV Girl's discography revolves around love and relationships. One example of this could be the song “Lover's Rock”, a love ballad named after the reggae sub-genre of lover's rock. Their subject matter is nostalgic and sad, but simultaneously sarcastic and humorous.[1] Some motifs in the duo's lyrics include women, heartbreak, cynicism, memories, cigarettes, hair, women's first names, and loneliness.

Growth through TikTok virality

In 2021, Brad Petering, the lead singer of the band, acknowledged the positive impact TikTok has had on the band itself, and in particular, their album French Exit.[11]

Additionally, in 2023, TV Girl's song "Blue Hair" from their 2018 album Death of a Party Girl went viral on TikTok.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Collaborative albums
  • Maddie Acid's Purple Hearts Club Band (2018) (with Madison Acid)
  • Aestheticadelica (2020) (with Bloodbath64)
  • Summer's Over (2021) (with Jordana)
  • Ace of Tre (2023) (with Varial Heel)

Mixtapes
  • The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle (2012)

Extended plays
  • TV Girl (2010)
  • Benny and the Jetts (2011)
  • Lonely Women (2013)
  • The Night in Question: French Exit Outtakes (2020)[14]

Singles
  • "Girls Like Me" (2011)
  • "Diet-Coke" (2012)
  • "Average Guy (Blame)" (2013)
  • "She Smokes in Bed" (2013)
  • "Natalie Wood" (2015)

Other charted and certified songs
List of songs, with year released, selected chart positions, certifications and album
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Rock
[15]		 IRE
[16]		 LTU
[17]		 UK
[18]		 UK
Indie
[19]
"Lovers Rock" 2014 2182428430 French Exit
"Cigarettes out the Window" 2016 ——54——[upper-alpha 1] Who Really Cares
"Not Allowed" ——92——[upper-alpha 2]
"Blue Hair" 2018 119599—38 Death of a Party Girl
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory

Demos
  • Blurry Girls (Demos, Unreleased Songs, and Other Ephemera) (2012)[23]

Produced albums
  • Posthumous Release (2013) (by Coma Cinema)[24]
  • Ace Of Tre (2023) (by Varial Heel)

Notes
  1. "Cigarettes out the Window" did not enter the UK Independent Singles Chart, but peaked at number 13 on the UK Independent Singles Breakers Chart.[21]
  2. "Not Allowed" did not enter the UK Independent Singles Chart, but peaked at number 17 on the UK Independent Singles Breakers Chart.[22]

References
  1. Taylor, John (August 9, 2012). "Discovery: TV Girl". Interview Magazine. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  2. Abrams, Jonny. "Interview: TV Girl". Rocksucker. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  3. "If You Want It". Pitchfork. October 22, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  4. "TV Girl - Apple Music". Retrieved October 3, 2023 – via Apple Music.
  5. Crain, William (December 21, 2021). "Beats and Samples: TV Girl". San Diego Reader. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  6. Sheridan, Christopher (September 12, 2014). "Album Review: Tv Girl – French Exit". Bandwagon Magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  7. Petering, Brad. "Brad from Hit Band TV Girl, ask me anything". Reddit. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  8. "TV Girl". Spotify. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  9. Medlock, Dylan (June 4, 2018). "TV Girl plays it frustratingly safe". The B-Side. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  10. Ramirez, Julian (October 13, 2017). "A Night of Electronic Excellence at Beat Kitchen with TV Girl". Third Coast Review. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  11. "TV Girl just wants you to vibe". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  12. Smoot, Donnavan (March 28, 2023). "TikTokers discuss complexities of friendship with trending 'in their eyes' audio". In The Know.
  13. "Friends! Gather around for I have wonderful news! The acclaimed "TV Girl Traveling All-Star Band" is "taking the show on the road" this year in support of our forthcoming album "Grapes Upon The Vine," An album which will be coming out, oh I don't know, some time between now and then I suppose. You heard it here first! Don't "get caught with your trousers down" and miss your chance to secure a coveted ticket. (!) Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 AM, and all relevant links have been helpfully wrangled together, just follow the "link in bio"!". Retrieved June 29, 2023 – via Instagram.
  14. "The Night in Question: French Exit Outtakes by TV Girl". Retrieved July 28, 2023 – via Genius.
  15. Peaks on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart:
  16. "Discography TV Girl". irish-charts.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  17. Peaks in Lithuania:
  18. "TV Girl". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  19. Peaks in UK Independent Singles Chart:
  20. "British certifications – TV Girl". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2023. Type TV Girl in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  21. "Official Independent Singles Breakers Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  22. "Not Allowed - TV Girl - Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  23. "Blurry Girls (Demos, Unreleased Songs, and Other Ephemera) by TV Girl" – via Genius.
  24. "Posthumous Release, by Coma Cinema". Retrieved July 28, 2023 – via Bandcamp.
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