American Authors
American Authors is an American rock band originally from Boston, now based in New York City. The group features Zac Barnett (lead vocals and guitar), Dave Rublin (bass), and Matt Sanchez (drums). Former member James Adam Shelley played guitar and banjo. The band formed in 2006 while the members were at Berklee College of Music and performed in Boston under the name The Blue Pages before moving to Brooklyn in 2010 and changing their name to American Authors in 2012.
They started by releasing music independently, including the single Run Back Home in 2010, and later signed with Mercury Records in 2013. They rose to fame with the singles Believer and especially Best Day of My Life from their debut album Oh, What a Life (2014). Believer won the Overall Grand Prize at the 2013 USA Songwriting Competition.
Their second album, What We Live For, came out in 2016, led by the single Go Big or Go Home (2015). They continued releasing music through 2019, including the album Seasons (2019) with songs such as Say Amen, Neighborhood, and Stay Around. In 2021, Shelley left the band and American Authors continued as a trio on an independent label. They released new music and collaborated with others, including Move with Rob Thomas and Santana, and a Christmas song.
In 2023 they released the album Best Night of My Life, with its title track and other singles. In 2024 they announced their fifth studio album, Call Your Mother, which was released on October 18, 2024, after several singles.
The band’s songs have appeared in many ads, films, and video games. Best Day of My Life has been used in commercials and film trailers, while Hit It was featured in FIFA 14.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:57 (CET).