A Great Big World
{{short description|American pop rock musical duo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = A Great Big World
| image = A Great Big World 2014.jpg
| caption = A Great Big World in 2014
| image_size = 300px
| origin = New York City, New York, United States
| genre = {{hlist|Pop rock|pop}}
| years_active = 2011–present
| label = Epic
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Christina Aguilera}}
| website = {{URL|http://agreatbigworld.com/}}
| current_members = * Ian Axel
- Chad King {{small|(born Vaccarino)}}
}}
A Great Big World is an American musical duo from New York{{cite news | last =Lovett | first =Matthew | title =Preview: A Great big World At Rumba | newspaper =Columbus Alive | date = 23 May 2013| url =http://www.columbusalive.com/content/stories/2013/05/23/preview-a-great-big-world-at-rumba.html | access-date =4 June 2013 }} made up of singer/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad King and signed to Epic Records. The group is best known for their single "This Is the New Year", which was performed by the cast in an episode of Glee and reached the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart in May 2013,{{cite magazine | last =Caulfield | first =Keith | title =Bubbling Under: Passenger's Worldwide Ride Continues | magazine =Billboard Magazine | date = 17 May 2013| url =http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/chart-alert/1562813/bubbling-under-passengers-worldwide-ride-continues | access-date =4 June 2013 }} and their worldwide hit "Say Something", particularly after recording it as a duet collaboration with Christina Aguilera. The duet peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
Career
=Early beginnings=
Ian Axel and Chad King met at New York University, where they were attending the Steinhardt Music Program.{{cite news|title=A Great Big World To Release Three Song EP May 21 |newspaper=Rock Revolt Magazine |date=4 May 2013 |url=http://www.rockrevoltmagazine.com/a-great-big-world-to-release-three-song-ep-may-21/ |access-date=7 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507183047/http://www.rockrevoltmagazine.com/a-great-big-world-to-release-three-song-ep-may-21/ |archive-date=7 May 2013 }} Both were music business students and Axel is said to have convinced King to write a song together. King agreed to work with Axel after hearing him sing. They both wrote and performed songs together prior to Axel embarking on a solo career in which he released an independent album featuring songs that were all co-written by King.
=2011–2013: Breakthrough and ''Glee''=
In 2011, their song "This Is the New Year" was licensed to various television networks and was used as the theme song for MTV's I Used to Be Fat as well as being featured on The Amazing Race, ESPN, One Tree Hill, and Good Morning America. Ian Axel and Chad King went on national tour and performed as the openers for Ingrid Michaelson, Matthew Morrison (Glee), and Five for Fighting.
The duo re-branded itself in 2012, when they took the official name A Great Big World. They released a six-song EP after obtaining funding from the crowdsource funding website Kickstarter.{{cite news | last =Gibson | first =Yolanda | title =A Great Big World Is Making Moves This New Year| newspaper =Examiner | date =7 May 2013 }}
In 2013, "This Is the New Year" was performed by the cast in an episode of Glee.
=2013–2014: ''Is There Anybody Out There?''=
File:A Great Big World Performing Live 2 (cropped).jpg
In 2013, the group signed with Epic Records and released a three-song EP under the Epic label in May 2013.{{cite news | title =A Great Big World To Release "This Is The New Year" on May 21 | newspaper =Artist Direct | date =10 May 2013 | url =http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/a-great-big-world-to-release-three-song-ep-on-may-21/10550113 | access-date =4 June 2013 }} They completed a headline tour in conjunction with their EP release.{{cite news | last =Pikka | title =Great Big World | newspaper =Annex Magazine | date =2 May 2013 | url =http://www.annexmagazine.com/great-big-world/#sthash.EBQRnOfL.ZfHT7U4Y.dpbs | access-date =7 May 2013 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130525055836/http://www.annexmagazine.com/great-big-world/#sthash.EBQRnOfL.ZfHT7U4Y.dpbs | archive-date =2013-05-25 | url-status=dead }}
In June 2013, they were picked as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and were featured on NBC's Today where they performed live their song "This Is the New Year". The song "Say Something" was featured in the final episode of the US dance competition So You Think You Can Dance on September 3, 2013, and released digitally the same day. It climbed to number 20 on iTunes in the United States the next day. The song was subsequently re-recorded featuring Christina Aguilera after she heard the song, and this version was released on November 4, 2013, and that version reached number 1 on the iTunes charts.{{cite news |url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2013/11/03/a-great-big-world-christina-aguilera-say-something/ |title=A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera, 'Say Something' |date=November 3, 2013 |work=EW.com |access-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-date=November 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106051611/http://music-mix.ew.com/2013/11/03/a-great-big-world-christina-aguilera-say-something/ |url-status=dead }} The following evening, A Great Big World and Aguilera gave the premiere live TV performance of the song on the NBC television series The Voice.{{cite web |url=http://www.ryanseacrest.com/2013/11/01/christina-aguilera-duets-with-a-great-big-world-on-say-something/ |title=Christina Aguilera Duets With A Great Big World on 'Say Something' |author=Kathleen Perricone |date=November 1, 2013 |work=RyanSeacrest.com }} The song reached No. 1 on the digital song chart the next day with 189,000 copies sold for the week.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5785918/eminem-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-celine-dion-and-avril-lavigne-in-top |title=Eminem Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne in Top Five|author= Keith Caulfield |date= November 13, 2013 |magazine=Billboard }} The video was released on November 19, 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.etonline.com/music/140996_Say_Something_Music_Video_A_Great_Big_World_Featuring_Christina_Aguilera/ |title=World Premiere: 'Say Something' Music Video |author= Robert Pace |date= November 19, 2013 |work=ETonline }} In November 2013, it was announced that A Great Big World would be performing at the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The same month, they performed for the first time at the American Music Awards with Aguilera.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5800696/a-great-big-world-christina-aguilera-combine-to-say-something-at|title=A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera Combine To 'Say Something' At American Music Awards |author= Jason Lipshutz |date= November 24, 2013 |magazine=Billboard }}
Their debut album, Is There Anybody Out There?, was released on January 21, 2014.
The group made an appearance on the song "Over You" on Ingrid Michaelson's 2014 album, Lights Out.
"Say Something" was also used in the nineteenth season of South Park (Episode 6) Titled "Tweek x Craig"
=2015: ''When the Morning Comes''=
On April 21, 2015, it was announced through the A Great Big World Facebook page that Ian and Chad were working on a second album. The group announced the release of their first single off of the new album via Instagram in mid-July. The single "Hold Each Other" was released on July 22, 2015, featuring the rapper Futuristic. The non-rap version was released on July 24, 2015. The album was released on November 13, 2015, with the title When the Morning Comes. While visiting the UK in June 2015 they recorded at Sarm Studios in London.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AGreatBigWorld/status/609764814236315649 |title=A Great Big World on Twitter: "Recording @SarmStudios in London today. New music is coming" |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2015-06-13 |access-date=2015-08-10}} Several musicians and producers collaborated on the album including Dave Eggar, Derek Fuhrmann, Gregg Wattenberg, Greg Holden, Kevin Kadish, Josh Kear, Dan Romer, and Mozella.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AGreatBigWorld/status/619601083107831808 |title=A Great Big World on Twitter: "Working with the incredible @daveeggar on some new music!" |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2015-07-10 |access-date=2015-08-10}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AGreatBigWorld/status/607652839322710017 |title=A Great Big World on Twitter: "Making some magic with these guys @DerekAEF #greggwattenberg #agreatbigalbum " |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2015-06-07 |access-date=2015-08-10}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AGreatBigWorld/status/603348188129579008 |title=A Great Big World on Twitter: ".@Dan_romer is totally blowing it " |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2015-05-26 |access-date=2015-08-10}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AGreatBigWorld/status/588856122104107008 |title=A Great Big World on Twitter: "Just finished writing a beautiful song w/ @mozellamusic. Can't wait to share what we've been working on with you all. " |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2015-04-16 |access-date=2015-08-10}}
They have been writing a musical for several years. The show is about family and is called Strokes of Genius.{{cite journal |date=14 August 2015 |title=Chad King of A Great Big World discussing about loving a man |url=http://www.out.com/music/2015/8/14/chad-king-great-big-world-discusses-singing-about-loving-man3 |journal=Out |access-date=2 September 2015}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
= Singles =
=Music videos=
Awards and nominations
class="wikitable sortable" |
Year
! Association ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |
---|
rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |2014
|Best Lyrics |"Say Something" (with Christina Aguilera) |
NewNowNext Awards
|Best New Music Group | |
{{center|2015}}
|Best Pop Duo/Group Performance |"Say Something" (with Christina Aguilera) |
See also
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://agreatbigworld.com/ Official website]
- [http://www.vevo.com/artist/a-great-big-world Official music videos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022154029/http://www.vevo.com/artist/a-great-big-world |date=2014-10-22 }} on Vevo
{{A Great Big World}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Big World, A}}
Category:American pop music duos
Category:American male musical duos
Category:Musical groups from New York City