Hurts

Bureau, Daggers, Hurts

Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson met in November 2005 outside the 42nd Street nightclub in Manchester. As Bureau they played a first gig in May 2006 and signed to High Voltage Sounds; as Daggers in 2007 they put out "Money"/"Magazine" on Label Fandango, nominated for the Popjustice 20 Pound Music Prize. After a disappointing London A&R showcase in September 2008 they recorded the ballad "Unspoken", the sound they thought right for a duo, and on January 30, 2009 Daggers split and they became Hurts. The black-and-white "Wonderful Life" video went on YouTube on April 21, 2009 and spread virally; they signed to RCA and its imprint Major Label, run by Biff Stannard, in July 2009. The Guardian made them New Band of the Day on July 27, 2009, they recorded a BBC Radio 1 session for Huw Stephens at Maida Vale on December 9, 2009, and they were fourth in the BBC's Sound of 2010.

Their first gig as Hurts was at the Michalsky StyleNite in Berlin on January 22, 2010. They toured on the NME Radar tour and supported Scissor Sisters, played the John Peel stage at Glastonbury on June 26, 2011, voted best performance of the festival by NME readers, and ended the Happiness tour at Brixton Academy on November 4, 2011 with Kylie Minogue on stage. They won the BAMBI for best international newcomer in 2010, the ECHO for best international newcomer in 2011, and NME's best new band. Exile (March 8, 2013) reached 9 in the UK and 3 in Germany; Surrender followed on October 9, 2015, Desire on September 29, 2017 and Faith on September 4, 2020. In January 2024 a rap version of "Wonderful Life" credited to 6PM Records, Luciano, Hurts and SIRA entered at number 1 on the German singles chart, and "Wonderful Life '25" with Purple Disco Machine remixes came out on May 23, 2025. Anderson stepped back from live performance in 2025, and the summer 2026 shows listed by Wikipedia were Hutchcraft alone.