The Wants began playing shows in the New York City underground music scene in 2017. They signed with the London-based record label Council Records, an imprint of Johnny Greenwood’s Octatonic label. The Wants played SXSW 2019 and then The Great Escape 2019, followed by a series of short tours in the UK and France in the lead-up to the release of their debut album, Container. Their touring cycle for Container was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Nevertheless, the record received critical acclaim from outlets like NME and Mojo and has maintained an organic listenership.

During this downtime, The Wants worked on what would become Bastard. They opened for Nation of Language in the US and returned to playing local shows in New York City. They have shared the stage with notable acts like Dry Cleaning, Nation of Language, Bambara, Bodega, Lithics, Working Men’s Club, Model/Actress, Public Practice, Xeno & Oaklander, and others.

Their new record Bastard is out Friday, June 13th, 2025, on STTT. https://thewantsnyc.bandcamp.com/

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