The story of Boys Like Girls, however, was forged from the very beginning in the damp basements, garages, and VFW halls of the Massachusetts coastline over tattered lyric books, guitars, drums, and a collective dream. A half billion Spotify streams later it‘s clear this was a fairy tale in its first act, and the world was about to find out. What followed was the self-titled debut album Boys Like Girls [2006]—nearing Multi-Platinum RIAA certification—and its chart-topping successor Love Drunk [2009]—which bowed at #1 on the Top Rock Albums Chart and Top 10 on the Billboard 200. There was a slew of successful singles including Platinum-certified hits “The Great Escape” and “Love Drunk”, as well as Gold-certified hits “Hero/Heroine” and “Thunder”. There was the Platinum-certified, BMI award-winning Hot 100 duet with Taylor Swift, “Two Is Better Than One”. There were sold-out shows, international tours, and unforgettable moments from Madison Square Garden to Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. But by 2012 lead singer and song-writer Martin Johnson was beginning to feel the universe pulling him into a new arena. Collaboration was nothing new to Johnson, but for the first time he began writing and producing music not intended for his own band. What followed was another string of wild successes with hits from Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Blink-182, Avril Lavigne, Jason Derulo, Daughtry, Christina Perri, Gavin Degraw, Pentatonix, and more. This—along with Johnson’s bandmates’ own successful musical endeavors—lead to a years-long hiatus for Boys Like Girls. In 2016 the band would return to the road for the 10th Anniversary tour of their debut record. While fans across America were ecstatic for the reunion they’d been waiting for, internally it felt more like a farewell. “It was important to us to leave it all out there for the fans,” Johnson says. “To really give them the ‘thank you’ they deserved.” “At a certain moment, your songs are no longer yours,” Martin observes. ” In 2019 Boys Like Girls plotted another return to the road—this time to Australia and Asia. However, their plans would be delayed due to the global events of 2020. After making good on their promise to return in 2022 + 2024 and punctuating the tour by playing at the lauded Las Vegas When We Were Young Festival, Boys Like Girls meant more than ever not only to the band’s members, but to the fans as well. “We got out there, and it was euphoric for all of us,” smiles Martin. “Getting rowdy with the guys again, it felt like everything I was chasing with a solo project or by making music for other people had been fulfilled by Boys Like Girls. I realized how fun, youthful, and beautiful it was to be on stage with my best friends. Seeing the state of the audience, it was deeply nostalgic, but there were also all of these kids who had never seen us. “It’s been so fun since that clarity and freedom came back into play,” he goes on. We weren’t thinking about what genre we were playing. We were just rocking. As a kid I thought I was right about everything. Now, I’ve had enough failures that I know how to doubt myself. ” As 2025 unfolds, the band is more inspired than ever, ready to deliver new music. Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or discovering their sound for the first time, this year promises to deepen the connection that has defined their legacy.
You may also like the following events from The Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater:
Also check out other
Music events in Decatur,
Entertainment events in Decatur,
Festivals in Decatur.
