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The Chills

Indie rock / Jangle pop·other·established·New Zealand
WELL LOVED
Quality and recognition well-matched
LISTENERS
513
YT SUBS
6.2M
CHAMPIONS
0

The Chills are a New Zealand indie rock/jangle pop band formed in Dunedin in 1980, central to the 'Dunedin Sound' movement and Flying Nun Records scene. Fronted throughout its history by singer-songwriter Martin Phillipps (who died in July 2024), the band built a cult reputation with early singles like 'Pink Frost' and 'Heavenly Pop Hit,' a major-label stint via Slash/Warner Brothers around 1990's 'Submarine Bells,' and a later career revival on Fire Records.

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NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS (5)
  • Signed to Slash/Warner Brothers for 1990 album 'Submarine Bells'
  • Central figures of the influential 'Dunedin Sound' movement on Flying Nun Records
  • Possible John Peel sessions connection indicating UK radio recognition
  • Subject of 1992 documentary/TV item 'The Chills: For As Long As It Takes'
  • Career revival in the 2010s via UK label Fire Records with albums 'Silver Bullets' and 'Snow Bound'
WHAT FANS SAY (4)

probably the greatest band of all time. i don't think there could ever be music any better than this

Last.fm user · lastfm

My band support the chills once, and I've seen them play a couple of times as well and martin really was a gentle soul. He was in such good spirits when I saw them last year, such a shame. Rip ❤️

Last.fm user · lastfm

RIP TO THE KIWI LEGEND

Last.fm user · lastfm

Rip Martin 💔, was looking foreward to hear more music from you guys. Such a true talent, he'll be missed greatly.

Last.fm user · lastfm
SIMILAR ARTISTS (5)
FREQUENTLY ASKED (5)
Q:Is The Chills underrated?

The Chills has a Quality-to-Fame Gap Score of 25 out of 100. they have notable achievements including signed to slash/warner brothers for 1990 album 'submarine bells'.

Q:What genre is The Chills?

The Chills works in Indie rock / Jangle pop originating from New Zealand (Dunedin, Otago). As a other artist at the "established" level, The Chills has a Wikipedia presence and is categorized within the broader Indie rock scene. They are signed to a major label.

Q:How many monthly listeners does The Chills have?

The Chills has approximately 513 monthly listeners on Spotify. They also have 6.2M YouTube subscribers. This places them in the niche tier — a small but dedicated fanbase.

Q:Who are similar artists to The Chills?

Fans of The Chills often also enjoy Flying Nun Records acts, Guided by Voices, Straitjacket Fits, The Bats, The Clean. These artists share common ground in the Indie rock space and/or the New Zealand other scene. If you appreciate The Chills's approach to indie rock / jangle pop, these artists offer similar qualities.

Q:Why isn't The Chills more famous?

With a Gap Score of 25/100, The Chills's artistic quality significantly exceeds their current level of recognition (established). Contributing factors: with 513 monthly listeners, they haven't yet crossed the algorithmic threshold where streaming platforms begin recommending them organically; being based in New Zealand, they face additional barriers to visibility in the English-language-dominated global music industry.

The Chills — WELL LOVED | WHYNOTFAMOUS