HarvardTHUD
{{Multiple issues|{{notability|Bio|date=January 2020}}{{Self-published|date=January 2020}}}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name =
| image = HarvardTHUD logo.jpg
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = HarvardTHUD's logo
| alias =
| origin = Cambridge, Massachusetts
| genre = {{flat list|
}}
| years_active = 1999–present
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|https://harvardthud.com}}
| current_members =
| past_members =
| module = {{Infobox YouTube personality | embed=true
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| image =
| caption =
| channel_handle = HarvardUndergradDrummers
| years_active = 2009–present
| genre =
| subscribers = 383 thousand
| views = 76.5 million
| stats_update = 14 July 2022
| associated_acts =
| silver_button = yes
| silver_year = 2018
| gold_button =
| gold_year =
}}
}}
HarvardTHUD (or The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers) is an undergraduate student-led music group from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1999, the group performs with a diverse set of percussive instruments in the style of mixed percussion groups such as STOMP and the Blue Man Group.{{cite news |last=Ury |first=Faryl |title=Music Preview: The Harvard University Drummers |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/4/18/music-preview-a-dynamic-group-of/ |newspaper=The Harvard Crimson |date=18 April 2003 |access-date=19 January 2020}}{{cite news |last=Erickson |first=Bryan S. |title=THUD to End Semester with a Bang |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/4/9/thud-performance-spring-2013/ |newspaper=The Harvard Crimson |date=9 April 2013 |access-date=20 January 2020}}{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Charlotte D. |title='THUD Island' Finds a New Rhythm |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/29/thud-island-harvard-charlotte-smith/ |newspaper=The Harvard Crimson |date=29 April 2014 |access-date=20 January 2020}} In addition to traditional and ethnic percussion instruments, the group is known for making creative use out of everyday items, such as brooms and plastic SOLO cups.{{cite magazine |last=Xue |first=Katherine |title=Hit it! Meet the Harvard Undergraduate Drummers |url=https://harvardmagazine.com/2012/04/hit-it |magazine=Harvard Magazine |date=24 April 2012 |access-date=19 January 2020}} As of 2020, they are best known for their performances using boomwhackers—hollow, plastic tubes that can be struck on any surface to create a pitched tone.{{cite news |agency=Press Association |title=Meet the Harvard musicians turning classic songs into percussive masterpieces |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/meet-the-harvard-musicians-turning-classic-songs-into-percussive-masterpieces-875216.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508042928/https://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/meet-the-harvard-musicians-turning-classic-songs-into-percussive-masterpieces-875216.html |archive-date=2020-05-08 |work=BreakingNews |date=10 November 2018 |access-date=20 January 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://mashable.com/video/dont-stop-believing-boomwhacker-harvard/|title=This boomwhacker cover of 'Don't Stop Believin' is pretty bangin'|last=Piedra|first=Xavier|date=4 October 2018|work=Mashable|access-date=19 January 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/boomwhacker-orchestra/|title=Boomwhacker Orchestra|last=|first=|date=|website=Science World|access-date=20 January 2020}}
The group gained exposure for their performances on YouTube as early as 2009, but Harvard THUD wouldn't gain significant prominence outside of Harvard until late 2018, when videos of the group's performances with boomwhackers went viral. In this time, the number of their subscribers quadrupled in two months.{{Cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/harvardthud/monthly|title=HarvardTHUD's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats|last=|first=|date=|website=socialblade.com|access-date=3 June 2021}} As of June 2021, the group has 360,000 subscribers and 69,000,000 views.
The group writes their own arrangements of songs especially for their particular instrumentation. Their repertoire (and the content of their video performances) includes covers of popular songs, such as Toto's "Africa"{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGltmnWu8lk|title=Africa by Toto on Boomwhackers!|publisher=HarvardTHUD|via=YouTube |date=9 October 2018|access-date=19 January 2020}} and "Don't Stop Believin',"{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHlrb9KsyP4|title=Don't Stop Believin' on Boomwhackers!|publisher=HarvardTHUD|via=YouTube |date=25 September 2018|access-date=19 January 2020}} as well as internet meme-related songs, such as Darude - "Sandstorm"{{cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Farrell |title=Watch Harvard drumming collective THUD perform Darude's 'Sandstorm' using only Boomwhackers |url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2019/04/watch-harvards-drumming-collective-thud-re-darudes-sandstorm-using-boomwhackers-instrument-choice/ |website=Dancing Astronaut|date=2 April 2019 }}{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNNNv7AAYk|title=Darude Sandstorm on Boomwhackers!|publisher=HarvardTHUD|via=YouTube |date=15 March 2019|access-date=19 January 2020}} and "All Star" by Smash Mouth.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5PovvrthqU|title=All Star but it's on Boomwhackers feat. Kaboom Percussion|publisher=HarvardTHUD|via=YouTube |date=20 November 2018|access-date=19 January 2020}}