The Icelandic blues/rock band Kaleo keeps making the headlines. Its song ‘Way Down We Go’ ranks third on the year-end Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Not since 2012 have new rock artists earned such a high position on the chart, but that year, Gotye’s ‘Somebody that I Used to Know’ landed in first place.
According to Billboard, Kaleo’s inroads at all rock formats aided the band’s fortunes.
‘Way Down We Go’ ends in 27th place on the year-end Adult Alternative Songs chart, while Kaleo’s ‘No Good’ ranks 42nd on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart of the year, but it ranked as high a 9th place on that chart in July.
The band members grew up in Mosfellsbær, near Reykjavík, and were childhood friends. In an interview with Iceland Review, published in the May/June issue this year, Jökull Júlíusson, Kaleo’s lead singer, spoke about their decision to move to Austin, Texas, in February of last year, their success in the US, the creative process and their broad appeal to people of all ages.
Below, you can watch Kaleo play ‘Way Down We Go’ and ‘No Good.’
