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The Postal Service

Indie pop / Electro-pop·Music·established·United States
WELL LOVED
Quality and recognition well-matched
LISTENERS
1.3M
YT SUBS
30K
CHAMPIONS
0

The Postal Service is an American indie pop/electro-pop group formed in Seattle around 2001, a collaboration between Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) and Jimmy Tamborello, with Jenny Lewis on background vocals. They are best known for their sole studio album 'Give Up' (2003, Sub Pop Records), which remains a touchstone of 2000s indietronica. The band's name also sparked a notable trademark dispute with the real United States Postal Service, later resolved through a licensing/promotional arrangement.

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NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS (8)
  • Resolved a widely publicized trademark/cease-and-desist dispute with the actual U.S. Postal Service into a licensing and promotional partnership
  • Received a 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition reissue of 'Give Up' with critical retrospective coverage from Pitchfork
  • Legal trademark battle with United States Postal Service resolved through promotional agreement
  • Such Great Heights featured on Garden State soundtrack
  • 20th anniversary reunion tour in 2023 after 18-year hiatus
  • Pitchfork 9.3/10 review for 'Give Up'
  • Sole studio album 'Give Up' (2003) became one of Sub Pop's best-selling releases and a defining indie/electro-pop record of the 2000s
  • Appeared in a promotional video alongside high-profile artists including Weird Al, Big Freedia, Huey Lewis, and Japanese Breakfast, indicating continued cultural relevance
WHAT FANS SAY (4)

They mean more than the world to me.

Last.fm user · lastfm

such great heights is timeless

Last.fm user · lastfm

i have this on cd and there's nothing quite like hearing those opening beeps of Such Great Heights pinging from left to right whilst driving on an dark road

Last.fm user · lastfm

Thank you for this imagery, it sounds like that was so special to experience. I am enjoying my listen to this song even more now from this comment.

Last.fm user · lastfm
SIMILAR ARTISTS (8)
FREQUENTLY ASKED (5)
Q:Is The Postal Service underrated?

The Postal Service has a Quality-to-Fame Gap Score of 10 out of 100. they have notable achievements including resolved a widely publicized trademark/cease-and-desist dispute with the actual u.s. postal service into a licensing and promotional partnership.

Q:What genre is The Postal Service?

The Postal Service works in Indie pop / Electro-pop originating from United States (Seattle, Washington). As a music artist at the "established" level, The Postal Service has a Wikipedia presence and is categorized within the broader Indie pop scene. They operate independently of major label systems.

Q:How many monthly listeners does The Postal Service have?

The Postal Service has approximately 1.3M monthly listeners on Spotify. They also have 30K YouTube subscribers. A substantial audience, though the gap analysis identifies areas where recognition still lags behind quality.

Q:Who are similar artists to The Postal Service?

Fans of The Postal Service often also enjoy The Shins, Belle and Sebastian, Bright Eyes, Owl City, Death Cab for Cutie. These artists share common ground in the Indie pop space and/or the United States music scene. If you appreciate The Postal Service's approach to indie pop / electro-pop, these artists offer similar qualities.

Q:Why isn't The Postal Service more famous?

With a Gap Score of 10/100, The Postal Service's artistic quality significantly exceeds their current level of recognition (established). Contributing factors: they operate without major label backing, which limits access to radio play, editorial playlists, and mainstream press coverage.

The Postal Service — WELL LOVED | WHYNOTFAMOUS