Bug Hunter (band)
{{Short description|American folk pop band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Bug Hunter
| image = Cody Hunter playing in Manchester 2.jpg
| caption = Lead singer, Cody Hunter, playing in Manchester, in 2024
| origin = Seattle, Washington
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| discography =
| years_active = 2015–present
| label =
| website = {{URL|bughunterbug.com}}
| current_members = * Cody Hunter
- Jesse Gallaway
- Kyle Hodgkinson
| past_members = * Moe Hussein
- Marcus Alcantara
}}
Bug Hunter is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2015 by lead vocalist and guitarist Cody 'Bug' Hunter. It began as a solo project by Hunter and later formed as a full band, with members consisting of Hunter, Moe Hussein, Marcus Alcantara, Jesse Gallaway, and Kyle Hodgkinson.
History
In the spring of 2012, Cody Hunter began writing songs as a college student while taking music classes.{{cite web |url=https://bughunterbug.bandcamp.com/album/surge-of-confidence|title=Surge of Confidence {{!}} Bug Hunter|website=Bandcamp|date=November 20, 2015|accessdate=November 24, 2023}} Hunter later accumulated 70 written songs and began performing at open mics in Seattle, Washington in 2014.{{cite web |last1=Stowe|first1=Jesse|last2=La Torre|first2=Michael|url=https://www.altrevue.com/post/2018/11/19/advance-review-and-artist-spotlight-bug-hunter|title=Advance Review and Artist Spotlight - Bug Hunter|website=Alt Revue|date=November 19, 2018|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} While working a full-time job, Hunter recorded some of these songs in his home's closet,{{cite web |last=Dhavvan|first=Elijah|url=https://www.thecentralvirginian.com/local-events/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event%2F104121818n-bug-hunter-and-the-narcissist-cookbook|title=Bug Hunter and The Narcissist Cookbook|website=Central Virginian|date=July 27, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} and independently released Surge of Confidence under the name Bug on November 20, 2015. Hunter later recruited guitarist Moe Hussein, drummer Marcus Alcantara, and bassist Jesse Gallaway, renaming the band Bug Hunter and releasing their debut studio album Torn Between a Couple on March 20, 2017.
On July 17, 2017, Bug Hunter released the single "Dear McCracken", which received attention on streaming platforms and became the band's first song to amass over a million streams on Spotify. This led to the band starting a Kickstarter campaign to fund their second studio album The Rough Draft, which would contain the single.{{cite web |last=Montgomery|first=Teresa|url=http://theartsstl.com/bug-hunter-some-of-my-best-friends-are-people/|title=Bug Hunter: Some of My Best Friends Are People|website=The Arts STL|date=July 10, 2023|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} It reached 103% of its $4,500 goal and was later released on November 20, 2018.{{cite web |last=Ray|first=Dan|url=https://danstunesseattle.com/2018/11/27/if-you-want-to-feel-like-someone-understands-listen-to-bug-hunters-the-rough-draft/|title=If you want to feel like someone understands, listen to Bug Hunter's The Rough Draft|website=DAN'S TUNES|date=November 27, 2018|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} The band then released the single "Take It Back" on September 20, 2019,{{cite web |last=Bryant|first=Kassandra|url=https://danstunesseattle.com/2019/10/21/bug-hunter-addresses-suicide-with-new-single-take-it-back/|title=Bug Hunter addresses suicide with new single "Take It Back"|website=DAN'S TUNES|date=October 21, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} appearing on their third studio album Bigger Than Myself alongside later singles "Pebbles" and "Pinecones". Bug Hunter once again used Kickstarter to fund it, receiving 154% of a $10,000 goal and releasing the album on August 20, 2020. The band's lineup changed during this time, with Gallaway filling Hussein's position as guitarist and Kyle Hodgkinson joining the band to replace Alcantara as a drummer.{{cite web |author=Florida Courier|url=https://www.flcourier.com/local-events/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/105424356n-bug-hunter-and-the-narcissist-cookbook|title=Florida Courier Events - Bug Hunter and The Narcissist Cookbook|website=Florida Courier|language=en|date=September 10, 2024|accessdate=August 3, 2024}}
Bug Hunter released "2 Bed, 2 Bath (and a Ghost)", the lead single off Happiness (Without a Catch), on April 29, 2022. The album's corresponding Kickstarter campaign achieved 221% of its goal, funding the album with $33,200. Two more singles were released in 2023 in promotion of it: "Shocking Plot Twist" and "Platonic Best Friend". Their fourth studio album was released on September 8, 2023.{{cite web |last=Montgomery|first=Teresa|url=http://theartsstl.com/bug-hunter-happiness-without-a-catch-self-released/|title=Bug Hunter {{!}} Happiness (Without a Catch) (self-released)|website=The Arts STL|date=September 13, 2023|accessdate=November 6, 2023}} Hunter has additionally co-hosted several seasons of the podcast Jam Mechanics with The Narcissist Cookbook.{{cite web |last=Jones|first=Dawn|url=https://v13.net/2024/02/the-narcissist-cookbook-interview-matt-johnston-takes-listeners-behind-the-music/|title=The Narcissist Cookbook Interview: Matt Johnston Takes Listeners Behind The Music|website=V13 Media|language=en|date=February 4, 2024|accessdate=March 23, 2024}}
Discography
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
!Title !Album details |
| scope="row"| Torn Between a Couple
|
|
|---|
| scope="row"| The Rough Draft
|
|
| scope="row"| Bigger Than Myself
|
|
| scope="row"| Happiness (Without a Catch)
|
|
{{col-2}}
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Title
!Year !Album |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Dear McCracken"
| 2017 | The Rough Draft |
| scope="row" | "Take It Back"
| 2019 | Bigger Than Myself |
| scope="row" | "Making Up Words" (Acoustic)
| rowspan="4" | 2020 | rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album singles}}{{efn|Acoustic performances of songs previously featured on Torn Between a Couple.}} |
| scope="row" | "The Key To Being Lonely" (Acoustic) |
| scope="row" | "Pebbles"
| rowspan="2" |Bigger Than Myself |
| scope="row" | "Pinecones" |
| scope="row" | "2 Bed, 2 Bath (and a Ghost)"
| 2022 | rowspan="3" |Happiness (Without a Catch) |
| scope="row" | "Shocking Plot Twist"
| rowspan="2" | 2023 |
| scope="row" | "Platonic Best Friend" |
| scope="row" | "Disc Golf"
| 2024 | rowspan="1" {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
{{notelist}}
{{col-end}}