Latest Release
- DEC 13, 2024
- 1 Song
- Light up the Sky · 2010
- The Beginning & Everything After · 2018
- Well Done - Single · 2018
- Light up the Sky · 2010
- Live on Forever · 2016
- Life Is Beautiful · 2013
- Life Is Beautiful · 2013
- I Wish We All Could Win · 2005
- God Is With Us - Single · 2023
- Light up the Sky · 2010
Essential Albums
- Music and message fuse seamlessly on the Afters’ Never Going Back to OK. The boisterous Christian foursome scored a career-launching hit with 2005’s “Beautiful Love,” and their sophomore album is a worthy follow-up, matching substantial talent with youthful brashness and optimism. The tracks grab the listener immediately thanks to high-gloss production (courtesy of Dan Muckala) and exciting melodies. Tunes like “The Secret Parade,” “Tonight,” “We Are the Sound” and “Forty-Two” gush with geyser-like force, driven by Matt Fuqua’s quick-chopping guitar and Mark Dodd’s clattering drums. Lead singer Josh Havens matches the high-flying mood of his bandmates, infusing such blazing rockers as “Keeping Me Alive” and the title track with unbridled idealism. Piano-centered ballads such as “Ocean Wide” catch the band’s more reflective side. The Afters take some interesting detours, offering some gorgeous Beatles-esque vocal harmonies on “The Secret Parade” and exploring thoughtful Paul Simon-style poetics on “Summer Again.” While most of the songs examine God’s role in the lives of believers, the band gets playful with modern love in “Myspace Girl.” Buoyant in sound and positive in content, Never Going Back to OK finds the Afters clearly headed in the right direction.
Artist Playlists
- From Starbucks to star Christian rockers.
Compilations
About The Afters
Texas natives The Afters have emerged as one of the leading bands of contemporary Christian music, known for blending pop and rock influences in their songs. ∙ Lead singer Josh Havens and guitarist Matt Fuqua met in 1999 while working as baristas at a coffee shop, where they wrote songs between shifts and played them for customers. ∙ While performing at Dallas clubs under the name Blisse, the band self-released their first album, 2001’s When the World is Wonderful, which gained attention from major labels. ∙ Their debut single, 2005’s Gold-certified “Beautiful Love,” crossed over to the Pop chart and was used as the theme song for MTV’s reality show 8th and Ocean. ∙ Four of their LPs reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart, including their sophomore release, 2008’s Never Going Back to OK, which peaked at No. 1. ∙ Nominated for eight Dove Awards, they’ve won three, including Short Form Video of the Year for the title track of their 2016 album, Live on Forever. ∙ The Afters’ chart-topping LP Fear No More hit the No. 3 spot on leading Christian music site Freeccm’s Top 10 Christian Albums of 2019 list.
- FROM
- Mesquite, TX, United States
- FORMED
- 2005
- GENRE
- Christian