10,000 Maniacs

Formed in 1981 in Jamestown, NY, 10,000 Maniacs served as the social conscience of the college-rock movement of the ’80s. Against a backdrop of folk-inspired pop and rock, vocalist Natalie Merchant sang elegant, poetic lyrics that touched on political causes and serious personal matters, including child abuse (“What’s the Matter Here”) and unexpected pregnancy (“Eat for Two”). 10,000 Maniacs found further success in the ’90s, including with 1992’s Our Time In Eden, a lush-sounding album that incorporated flourishes like horns on “Candy Everybody Wants.” Merchant left the group in 1993 for a solo career, months before the MTV Unplugged album produced the band’s biggest hit, a cover of the Patti Smith Group’s “Because the Night.” Longtime band associate Mary Ramsey took over on lead vocals, starting with 1997’s Love Among the Ruins, launching a second act for 10,000 Maniacs that has included albums such as 2015’s Twice Told Tales (a collection of traditional folk songs) and steady tour dates.