Icelandic folk outfit Of Monsters and Men became mainstream artists after winning a battle of the bands contest in their native country. The band assembled in 2010 and consists of Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir and Ragnar Porhallsson who both sing and play guitars. Guitarist Brynjar Leifsson, drummer Arnar Rosenkranz Hilmasson, bassist Kristjan Pall Kristjansson and keyboard player Arni Guojonsson complete the six-piece band.
Of Monsters and Mens came to be when Nanna, who started out as a solo artist Songbird, began writing songs with Ragna in 2009. The band performed at battle of the bands contest Musiktilraunir as a four piece, with Arni and Kristjan joining for the following tour of Iceland.
Of Monsters and Men were signed to Record Records in February 2011 and their debut album ’My Head is an Animal’ was released in September of the same year in Iceland, hitting number one in the country’s charts. Lead single, ‘Little Talks’ also made waves reaching the same spot.
In August 2011, a radio station in Philadelphia had begun giving airtime to ‘Little Talks’ and due to growing popularity in the US, the band signed the Universal so their album could be released worldwide.
The album went on sale worldwide in April 2012 and went to number six in the album charts and number three in the UK. ‘Little Talks’ went to number one in the US Alternative Chart. The band released their second studio album, Beneath the Skin in June 2015.
