History
History
2005–2008: Beginnings
Hurts performing in January 2010
Anderson (born 14 May 1985 in Manchester) and Hutchcraft (born 30 August 1986 in Richmond, North Yorkshire) met outside Manchester's 42nd Street nightclub in November 2005, standing by while their friends got involved in a fight. Too drunk to join in, they began discussing music instead; realising they had similar tastes, they decided to start a band. Over the next few months, they exchanged music and lyrics via e-mail, before forming Bureau in March 2006. They performed their first gig as a quintet in May at The Music Box in Manchester, and were shortly afterwards signed to independent record label High Voltage Sounds. They released their first double A-side single "After Midnight"/"Dollhouse" in November, which was made Single of the Week on Xfm. In 2007, Bureau disbanded and Hutchcraft and Anderson formed the band Daggers soon after. They signed to Label Fandango and in October released another double A-side single, "Money"/"Magazine", which, despite failing to chart, was nominated for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize.
Throughout 2008, Daggers continued to build a following and began working with producers Biff Stannard and Richard X, but after a disastrous A&R showcase in London in September, Theo and Adam returned to Manchester to reflect on the band's future. They recorded a mournful ballad called "Unspoken" together and they immediately realised that this was the sound that they wanted to develop as a duo. After informing the rest of the band that it was finished, they went on a short break to Verona in Italy, where they claim they discovered a musical genre called "Disco Lento". Daggers split on 30 January 2009.
2009–2012: Happiness
Now called Hurts, the duo recorded an amateur music video for a song called "Wonderful Life", with a female dancer who had responded to an advert they placed in a post office in Manchester. After they uploaded the video to their YouTube channel on 21 April 2009, it quickly went viral and has since had over 38 million views. In July, the band was signed to Sony subsidiary RCA Records as well as RCA imprint Major Label Records, run by their old friend Biff Stannard.
Although Hutchcraft and Anderson had decided to not do any gigs until they had enough songs, they began uploading demos to their Myspace page, and on 27 July 2009, they were named Band of the Day by The Guardian. On 7 December, they made the longlist of the Sound of 2010, an annual poll of music critics and industry figures conducted by the BBC. Following spot plays on BBC Radio 1 of "Wonderful Life", Hurts were invited to record at London's Maida Vale Studios on 9 December for Huw Stephens' radio show, where they performed "Illuminated" and "Silver Lining".
Hurts performing in October 2010
2010 began with Hurts finishing fourth on the Sound of 2010 poll, behind Ellie Goulding, Marina and the Diamonds, and Delphic. On 7 January, Zane Lowe premiered the song "Blood, Tears & Gold" as his "Hottest Record in the World", and another self-made music video debuted online three days later. Having released a limited edition 12" vinyl picture disc of the Arthur Baker remix of "Wonderful Life" on 18 January, Hurts performed their first ever gig as Hurts on 22 January at the Michalsky Stylenite in Berlin, followed by St Phillips Church in Salford on 22 February. This was quickly followed by gigs at Wiltons Music Hall, London, and in Berlin and Cologne in Germany.
In March, "Wonderful Life" was released to radio in various European territories; as manager Matt Vines explained to Music Week, the aim was to launch the band simultaneously across Europe and Asia. "It's an internationally focused campaign. We're looking at tours across Europe to back up the work we are doing in the UK." The single became a radio hit in countries such as Denmark, Cyprus and Russia throughout the spring. On 10 March, their first UK single "Better Than Love" was premiered on Huw Stephens' show on BBC Radio 1. After a nationwide tour with the NME Radar tour, the song was released on digital download, CD and vinyl formats on 24 May, and debuted at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart.
Following success on Greek radio, Hurts were invited to perform at the MAD Video Music Awards ceremony in Athens in front of 11,000 people on 15 June. Also in June, Kylie Minogue recorded a verse and backing vocals for the song "Devotion", which was to be included on the band's album. Hurts recorded a performance of Kylie's 1994 hit "Confide in Me" for newspaper The Sun's website, and has since been a regular inclusion on their gig setlists. Kylie later returned the compliment by recording a performance of "Wonderful Life" in Radio 1's Live Lounge.
Throughout the summer, Hurts performed at several music festivals including V Festival and T in the Park in the UK, Pukkelpop in Belgium, and SWR3 New Pop Festival in Germany. "Wonderful Life" was released in Germany on 6 August and it debuted at number two on the German Singles Chart. It was released in the UK on 23 August, where it debuted at number 21, becoming their first UK top 40 hit. The album Happiness, which had been recorded at Sunshine Dance Studios in Manchester and Pellerin in Gothenburg with producer Jonas Quant, was released on 6 September. It debuted at number four in the UK Albums Chart, selling 25,000 copies in its first week on sale, which made it the fastest selling debut album by a band in 2010.
In October, Hurts embarked on their first full headline UK tour, performing in Brighton, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and London. Their third UK single "Stay" was released in November, reaching number 50 in the chart. Meanwhile, in Germany, "Wonderful Life" was certified platinum for sales in excess of 500,000 copies, and they were awarded the BAMBI award for Best International Newcomer. They were also nominated at the MTV Europe Music Awards in the Best Push Artist category. Hurts ended 2010 by supporting Scissor Sisters on their UK arena tour in December, and released a Christmas single called "All I Want for Christmas Is New Year's Day" for free download on iTunes.
Happiness climbed back into the UK Top 30 albums chart in February 2011 following a second nationwide headline tour, several TV appearances including on The Graham Norton Show, and winning Best New Band at the NME Awards on 23 February, where they also performed "Wonderful Life". A fourth single from the album, "Sunday", was released in the UK on 27 February and it debuted at number 57, whilst the second single in Germany, "Stay", reached number three. In March, Hurts were awarded Best International Newcomer at the ECHO Awards in Germany. A fifth single, "Illuminated", was released in the UK on 9 May, entering the chart at number 159, though it had already reached number 68 in September 2010, following its use on trailers for television channel Sky1.
On 26 June, Theo and Adam performed on the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival, and their full set was broadcast on a loop on the BBC Red Button channel. Readers of music magazine NME voted their performance as the best of the festival, putting them ahead of headliners U2, Coldplay, and Beyoncé. They were later voted "Band of the Summer" by the same magazine. In June 2011 they announced a remix of the track "Lonely Lisa" by French singer Mylène Farmer.
"Blood, Tears & Gold" was released as the third single in Germany on 7 October, peaking at number 39. A deluxe CD/DVD edition of Happiness was released on 31 October. The album eventually sold 400,000 copies in Germany, earning it double platinum status. It sold 150,000 copies in the United Kingdom, and spent a year on the UK Top 200 albums chart.
Hurts embarked on their first full European tour in October 2011, performing in Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, North Macedonia, and the UK. They said in interviews that they planned to start writing and recording for their second album after they have completed the tour, but that they might find it more difficult than their first. On 4 November 2011, Hurts played their last show of their 'Happiness Tour' at Brixton Academy where Kylie Minogue joined them on stage to perform "Devotion" and "Confide in Me". Hurts have confirmed more festival shows for summer 2012. In 2012, Hurts played the Summerwell Festival, Romania (11 August), Open Air Zofingen, Switzerland (12 August) and the Pildyk Friends Festival, Lithuania (14 August).
2012–2015: Exile
Hurts performing in July 2014
In September 2012, Hurts confirmed that recording of their next album was underway, with producer Jonas Quant. Their second studio album, Exile, was available on 11 March 2013. A video-teaser on iTunes contained a new track from Exile called "The Road", which was released on 14 December 2012 on YouTube. In autumn 2013 the video got a nomination for UK Music Video Awards as the Best Music Ad – TV or Online. An audio-only video of "The Road" was also uploaded.
The lead single from the album, "Miracle", premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 4 January 2013. A music video directed by Chris Turner was uploaded to YouTube on 4 February, but was permanently removed shortly after. A second video was shot and appeared online on 28 February. The single reached number 23 in Germany and number 120 in the UK.
Exile was released on 8 March 2013, achieving a top ten position in ten countries worldwide, debuting at number three in Germany and number nine in the UK. "Blind" was released as the second single on 20 May, and "Somebody to Die For" followed as the third on 21 July. With the release of "Somebody to Die for" they included a cover version of "Ohne Dich" from the German band Selig. The band continued their Exile Tour across Europe in October and November 2013 and March 2014.
2015 – 2017: Surrender
In May 2015, Hurts released a new single titled "Some Kind of Heaven". The release was produced with long-term collaborator Jonas Quant.On 6 October 2015, Hurts released the music video for "Wish", directed by Bryan Adams. Surrender was released on 9 October 2015. At the end of the tour for the album, Hurts released a video for the song "Nothing Will be Bigger Than Us". The video consisted of live concert footage of the Surrender tour in Moscow and London.
2017–2018: Desire
"Beautiful Ones", the first single from Desire, was released on 21 April 2017, the one-year anniversary of the death of American musician Prince, whom Hurts have cited as an inspiration. The song is assumed to be inspired by the Prince song "The Beautiful Ones", from his 1984 breakthrough album Purple Rain. The video for the song was shot in Kiev and was also released on 21 April 2017. In the video, which plays out in reverse, Hutchcraft portrays a drag queen who is chased and beaten by a group of men after one of them mistakes him for a woman in a nightclub and subsequently feels that his masculinity has been insulted. On 1 September, the band released another single, "Ready to Go". The video was filmed in Horwich, Greater Manchester. On 22 September, a single titled "Hold On to Me" was released.
Desire was released on 29 September 2017. During the tour for the album, Hurts liked the welcome they received from fans in Russia so much that they extended the tour to include a return to Russia at the end of it. The second part of the tour also saw the duo perform in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and China. The final concert took place in Bucharest on 22 September 2018.
2020–present: Faith
In May 2020, Hurts blacked out their pictures on their social media profiles and posted links to a Telegram profile, on which they released puzzles leading to the release of a lyric video for "Voices", the first single from their upcoming fifth album. With lyrics inspired by "isolation, desperation, and mania", Hutchcraft said that "Voices" had become "oddly prescient" during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 June, they revealed that the upcoming album would be titled Faith and released its second single, "Suffer". On 16 July, they released a third single called "Redemption" and announced that the album was released on 4 September.
Numb
Hurts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One time, one time for your mind one time
Two time for your mind one time
Two time two times for you mind one time
Trying not lose my mind
They say the whole world gone crazy see no lies
told my bros to slow down put some value in they life
They say I don’t even matter either way we all dying
It’s war going outside
On my mind
In your heart
In your home
In your race
In your hood
In your town
On the world
Better get it understood
Or go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid, go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
I speak the truth to take the pain out
They Hate to see you think they rather go and ablow your brains out
So now civilians be riding with them thangs now and
And Like a song of freedom they might just let
em sang out..huh
Tryna open up my eyes
Never said I’m perfect said I’m learning and I’m trying
I don’t really understand half the things that I be seeing
Bout to run for my life, shout to greedo, cuz it’s free em
Lot of niggas locked down lost they freedom, what is freedom
From the struggle, seen down mommas stressing how to feed em
Tryna shine in a world where it’s like nobodu see em
That’s why black lives matter fuck the systems we been feeding
Someone tell me if I’m lying
It’s war going outside
On my mind
In your heart
In your home
In your race
In your hood
In your town
On the world
Better get it understood
Or go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid, go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
Go stupid
Go numb, numb
Go stupid,
Go numb
Numb
The lyrics to Hurts's song "Numb" convey a sense of frustration and a call to action in response to the injustices and struggles in society. The repetition of "one time for your mind" and "two times for your mind" suggests that the artist is emphasizing the importance of paying attention and reflecting on the issues at hand.
The lyrics highlight the belief that the world has become chaotic and that it's important to acknowledge this truth. The artist encourages his friends to slow down and find value in their lives, suggesting that amidst the craziness, it's crucial to take a step back and focus on personal growth and well-being.
The lyrics also touch on mortality, noting that regardless of one's individual significance, everyone is ultimately destined to die. However, the artist challenges this notion by asking someone to confirm if he is lying. This could be interpreted as a refusal to accept the inevitability of death or a plea to consider the value of one's life.
The song then delves into the themes of war and conflict, speaking to the troubled state of the world. The artist expresses that these issues weigh heavily on his mind and infiltrate various aspects of life, such as in the heart, home, race, hood, town, and the world. This emphasizes that the impact of these problems is deeply pervasive.
Ultimately, the artist urges the listener to gain a clear understanding of the situation or risk becoming mindlessly complacent. The repeated phrase "go stupid, go numb" can be seen as a call to action, suggesting that it's important to awaken and take action against the systems and struggles that oppress communities. Additionally, the lyrics link the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, highlighting the need to challenge and dismantle oppressive systems that have long been feeding into the suffering of marginalized communities.
Overall, "Numb" can be interpreted as an introspective and thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to confront the realities of the world and take steps towards effecting positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
One time for you mind one time
Acknowledging and giving attention to your thoughts and emotions, even if just for a moment
One time, one time for your mind one time
Repeating the importance of acknowledging your thoughts and emotions
Two time for your mind one time
Doubling the emphasis on recognizing and understanding your thoughts and emotions
Two time two times for your mind one time
Increasing the importance of paying attention to your inner self
Trying not lose my mind
Struggling to maintain mental stability and sanity
They say the whole world gone crazy see no lies
Acknowledging the chaos and madness prevalent in the world without denying its existence
Told my bros to slow down put some value in they life
Encouraging friends to take a step back and prioritize meaningful aspects of life
They say I don’t even matter either way we all dying
Recognizing the belief that one's individual significance is insignificant in the face of mortality
He said tell him me if I’m lying
Challenging others to prove him wrong and provide evidence against his assertions
It’s war going outside
Describing the intense conflict and struggle happening in the external world
On my mind
Constantly occupying his thoughts and preoccupying his mental space
In your heart
Affecting the deepest emotions and feelings within oneself
In your home
Infiltrating and influencing the sanctuary of one's personal space
In your race
Impacting the experiences and challenges faced by individuals of a particular race
In your hood
Penetrating the communities and neighborhoods where people reside
In your town
Disrupting the dynamics and atmosphere of the local area
On the world
A global phenomenon affecting societies and nations worldwide
Better get it understood
Emphasizing the importance of comprehending and recognizing the gravity of the situation
Or go stupid
Suggesting that failing to grasp the significance will result in foolish actions or choices
Go numb, numb
Becoming emotionally desensitized and detached from the prevailing circumstances
Go stupid, go numb
Indulging in ignorance and apathy as a response to the overwhelming challenges
I speak the truth to take the pain out
Expressing honesty and candor as a means of alleviating emotional distress
They Hate to see you think they rather go and ablow your brains out
Opposing forces disapprove of critical thinking and would rather resort to violence and control
So now civilians be riding with them thangs now and
Ordinary people resort to carrying weapons and joining the conflict themselves
And Like a song of freedom they might just let em sang out..huh
Similar to a liberating anthem, there is hope that they will allow those calling for freedom to be heard
Tryna open up my eyes
Making an effort to gain a deeper understanding and awareness of the world
Never said I’m perfect said I’m learning and I’m trying
Recognizing personal imperfections but actively striving to improve and grow
I don’t really understand half the things that I be seeing
Expressing confusion and a lack of comprehension regarding many of the things witnessed
Bout to run for my life, shout to greedo, cuz it’s free em
Preparing to escape imminent danger and escape from the oppressive forces, echoing the phrase 'free them'
Lot of niggas locked down lost they freedom, what is freedom
Highlighting the numerous individuals incarcerated and the questioning the true meaning of freedom
From the struggle, seen down mommas stressing how to feed em
Witnessing mothers facing immense hardships and anxieties in providing for their children
Tryna shine in a world where it’s like nobody see em
Striving to stand out and succeed in a society where their efforts often go unnoticed
That’s why black lives matter fuck the systems we been feeding
Expressing the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and rejecting the oppressive systems that have been perpetuated
Someone tell me if I’m lying
Inviting others to challenge his views and provide alternative perspectives
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Julian Hurtado
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HurtsArmenia
I breathe
I breathe again
My mind
Is set to stun again
And make you dull again
[Pre-Chorus]
Not all of my scars are visible
Not all of my thoughts are pitiful
My exaltation's chemical, uh
I know that I'm stuck inside a rut
But now that I've taken twice as much
Oh, oh yeah
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you, uh
I'm numb
[Verse 2]
I breathe
I breathe again
I need to find some release
Until the fever ends
And I slip away again
[Pre-Chorus]
Not all of my scars are visible
Not all of my pain is physical
This apathy is beautiful
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
[Bridge]
I'm numb
I'm numb
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
[Outro]
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
Now I feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
@HurtsArmenia
I breathe
I breathe again
My mind
Is set to stun again
And make you dull again
[Pre-Chorus]
Not all of my scars are visible
Not all of my thoughts are pitiful
My exaltation's chemical, uh
I know that I'm stuck inside a rut
But now that I've taken twice as much
Oh, oh yeah
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you, uh
I'm numb
[Verse 2]
I breathe
I breathe again
I need to find some release
Until the fever ends
And I slip away again
[Pre-Chorus]
Not all of my scars are visible
Not all of my pain is physical
This apathy is beautiful
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
[Bridge]
I'm numb
I'm numb
[Chorus]
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I just feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
[Outro]
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
Now I feel nothing at all
And I'm not stopping till I detach from you
I'm so numb
@user-th3oq8ue8j
Невероятное звучание 💫Сразу слышно, что песня написана с душой и личными эмоциями👍
@user-xe8zh2iu1q
This album is brilliant!
@user-tm5zh1wh6w
Вкусная подача, умело завернутая в агрессивное электро с придыханием Тео. Да - это то, что мне нужно было сейчас 🌶
@vhyleara9756
This song expresses exactly how you feel at the end of a relationship when you're left with nothing but shattered dreams.
@user-xk2vs1wb1m
Превосходноооо!!!😘
@user-ts9fp5ig9z
This is everything I’ve ever wanted and even more than I could’ve imagined
@DrippyJB
Amo este Álbum. Esa vibra oscura pero eléctrica que tiene me encanta 💕
@agnieszkkwiatkowska263
I Love Them from the bigining...this album is just stuning!!!
@nikanikoletta4032
Сегодня познакомилась с этими ребятами....это нереально круто!!!!