History Music / OwlCity

Owl City's sound is generally characterized by bubbly synths combined with [[WordSaladLyrics oddball lyrics]] about [[SillyLoveSong cutesy romance]], nostalgia, [[MindScrew ethereal musings]] and puns. ''[[HurricaneOfPuns Lots]]'' [[HurricaneOfPuns of puns]]. Depending on who you ask, this combination of elements is either [[SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel endearing]] or sickening. Nevertheless, Young has otherwise enjoyed a reasonably successful career, particularly with providing theme songs for several animated features, [[ToughActToFollow though he has yet to top]] [[FirstInstallmentWins his first big hit]] in terms of commercial success. To his credit, "Good Time", his collaboration with Music/CarlyRaeJepsen, did come fairly close.

** Almost the entire music video to "Deer in the Headlights" was a shout out to ''Film/BackToTheFuture''.

** "Honey and the Bee" has a [[Film/BackToTheFuture classic]] one:

Owl City is an electronic music project created in 2007 by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Adam Young (born July 5, 1986). Young is the only constant member of Owl City, and it is undoubtedly the most well-known among his several musical projects.

Owl City's sound is generally characterized by bubbly synths combined with [[WordSaladLyrics oddball lyrics]] about [[SillyLoveSong cutesy romance]], nostalgia, [[MindScrew ethereal musings]] and puns. ''[[HurricaneOfPuns Lots]]'' [[HurricaneOfPuns of puns]]. Depending on who you ask, this combination of elements is either [[SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel endearing]] or sickening. Nevertheless, Young has otherwise enjoyed a reasonably successful career, particularly with providing theme songs to several animated features, [[ToughActToFollow though he has yet to top]] [[FirstInstallmentWins his first big hit]] in terms of commercial success. To his credit, "Good Time", his collaboration with Music/CarlyRaeJepsen, did come fairly close.

[[HeAlsoDid Aside from this]], Young has also recorded music under several other projects including the acoustic indie rock act Sky Sailing, the {{ambient}} acts Port Blue and Color Therapy, the electronic act Insect Airport, and a series of film-score-style instrumental albums inspired by historical events released under his own name. He's also dabbled in {{screamo}} across several projects; [[https://loudwire.com/owl-city-the-tornado-screamo-reaction/ yes, really]].

Owl City is an electropop project, and undoubtedly the most well-known among the several musical projects [[IAmTheBand run exclusively]] by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Adam Young (born July 5, 1986).

The project was originally created as a way for Young to deal with his insomnia; he would compose melodies in his head while at his job and then record them in a studio in his parents' basement. He gained a following uploading his songs on Website/{{MySpace}}, and after his first independent releases saw impressive success, he was signed to Universal Republic Records (now just Republic Records). His subsequent release, ''Ocean Eyes'', would make the project a household name, containing several hit songs, the most popular being "Fireflies", a sweet little song about his aforementioned insomnia and the [[GrowingUpSucks loss of childhood innocence]].

Owl City's sound is generally characterized by bubbly synths combined with [[WordSaladLyrics oddball lyrics]] about [[SillyLoveSong cutesy romance]], nostalgia, [[MindScrew ethereal musings]] and puns. ''[[HurricaneOfPuns Lots]]'' [[HurricaneOfPuns of puns]]. Depending on who you ask, this combination of elements is either [[SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel endearing]] or sickening. Nevertheless, Young has otherwise enjoyed a reasonably successful career, particularly with providing theme songs to several animated features, [[FirstInstallmentWins though he has]] [[ToughActToFollow yet to top]] [[OneHitWonder his first big hit]]. To his credit, "Good Time", his collaboration with Music/CarlyRaeJepsen, did come fairly close.

[[HeAlsoDid Aside from this, Young also has two other projects]]: the acoustic indie rock act Sky Sailing and a series of film-score-style instrumental albums inspired by historical events released under his own name.

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal : In "How I Became the Sea":

** "To The Sky" is played in ''Film/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'' -- while exploring the ''owl city.''

The project was originally created as a way for Young to deal with his insomnia; he would compose melodies in his head while at his job and then record them in a studio in his parents' basement. He gained a following uploading his songs on Website/{{MySpace}}, and after his first independent releases saw impressive success, he was signed to Universal Republic Records (now just Republic Records). His subsequent release, ''Ocean Eyes'', would make the project a household name, containing several hit songs, the most popular being "Fireflies," a sweet little song about his aforementioned insomnia and the [[GrowingUpSucks loss of childhood innocence]].

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal : In "How I Became The Sea":

** The phrase "tired eyes" has occurred in "I'll Meet You There," "Lonely Lullaby," and "Shooting Star."

** [[spoiler:Shaquille O'Neal]] in the video for "Vanilla Twilight."
** [[spoiler:Music/{{LIGHTS}}]] in the video for "Deer in The Headlights."
* CasanovaWannabe \ DoggedNiceGuy: The narrator in "Deer in The Headlights." The poor sap is supposedly so creepy girls pepper spray him ''for just saying hello'', but still believes he has a shot with women.

* ColorfulSong: "Technicolor Phase."

%%* DatingCatwoman: "I'm Coming After You"
* DarkerAndEdgier: "This Isn't The End" is far darker and more melancholy than the usual Owl City fare, dealing with a father who committed suicide, and how it affected his daughter. [[spoiler: Ultimately, however, the song does end on an optimistic note.]]
* DepravedDentist: Referenced in one verse of "Dental Care."

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: "Christmas Song." Go on, guess what it's about.

* HauntedHouse: The setting of "Plant Life."
* IAmTheBand: Owl City is just one guy.

* MindScrew: Arguably, "The Real World." Is Adam talking about some dream world he never wants to leave, or our world?

* ProductPlacement: The video for ''Good Time'' (featuring Music/CarlyRaeJepsen) features a Fiat FIAT 500 prominently.

** "The Bird and the Worm," "Tip of the Iceberg," "Explorers", "On the Wing," "The Saltwater Room," "If My Heart Was a House..." The list goes on.

* TheSomethingSong: "Christmas Song".

* SuperNotDrowningSkills: ''Explorers'' is about this trope.

* VocalEvolution: His vocals on ''Of June'' are half-whispered and have an implacable AutoTune-esque effect on them. He starts projecting more with each successive release, although his slightly raspier voice on his more recent songs imply that a few years of improper singing techniques have taken their toll on him.

* WordSaladLyrics: Pretty much any given point of any of his songs. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to see someone compile a list of increasingly silly unconnected words to be used in just one of his songs.

** During his Livestream listening party for his new album, ''The Midsummer Station'', he says that "Hello, Seattle" was the first song he wrote, and that he wrote it by writing down the first things that came to mind. If it rhymes, it goes.

%%** "Dental Care." Just... "Dental Care."
%%** Same thing with "Rugs from Me to You," even in the ''title''.

Owl City is an electropop project, and undoubtedly the most well-known among the several musical endeavors [[IAmTheBand headed exclusively]] by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Adam Young (born July 5, 1986).

The project was originally created as a way for Young to deal with his insomnia; he would compose melodies in his head while at his job and then record them in a studio in his parents' basement. He gained a following uploading his songs on Website/{{MySpace}}, and after his first independent releases saw impressive success, he was signed to Universal Republic Records (now just Republic Records). His subsequent release, ''Ocean Eyes'', would make the project something of a household name, containing several hit songs, the most popular being "Fireflies," a sweet little song about his aforementioned insomnia and the [[GrowingUpSucks loss of childhood innocence]].

* NotChristianRock: Adam is a Christian, as is obvious from a quick look through his [[http://www.ayoungblog.com/ blog]]. While many of his songs aren't focused on God, there are quite a few that do have Christian themes. These include "Meteor Shower", "Tidal Wave", "Kamikaze", and "Galaxies", though, like most Owl City songs, it can be hard to figure out what exactly the song is about on the first few listens. Additionally, he mentions Jesus in "Christmas Song", has done a [[http://owlcityblog.com/2010/10/25/my-hope-is-found/ cover]] of "In Christ Alone", and one album ("All Things Bright and Beautiful") is named after a hymn.

* TheLostWoods: Described in great [[SceneryPorn detail]] in "Plant Life" as a dream nonetheless:
-->"I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest/the trees keep the tempo and they sway in time..."

Owl City's sound is generally characterized by bubbly synths combined with [[WordSaladLyrics oddball lyrics]] about [[SillyLoveSong cutesy romance]], nostalgia, [[MindScrew ethereal musings]] and puns. ''[[HurricaneOfPuns Lots]]'' [[HurricaneOfPuns of puns]]. Depending on who you ask, this combination of elements is either [[SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel endearing]] or [[TastesLikeDiabetes sickening]]. Nevertheless, Young has otherwise enjoyed a reasonably successful career, particularly with providing theme songs to several animated features, [[FirstInstallmentWins though he has]] [[ToughActToFollow yet to top]] [[OneHitWonder his first big hit]]. To his credit, "Good Time", his collaboration with Music/CarlyRaeJepsen, did come fairly close.

The project was originally created as a way for Young to deal with his insomnia; he would compose melodies in his head while at his job and then record them in a studio in his parents' basement. He gained a following uploading his songs on [=MySpace=], and after his first independent releases saw impressive success, he was signed to Universal Republic Records (now just Republic Records). His subsequent release, ''Ocean Eyes'', would make the project something of a household name, containing several hit songs, the most popular being "Fireflies," a sweet little song about his aforementioned insomnia and the [[GrowingUpSucks loss of childhood innocence]].

%%* SnowMeansLove: "Tip of the Iceberg."

--->I've been to the dentist a thousand times / so I know the drill.\\
Golf and alcohol don't mix / and that's why I don't drink and drive.\\
When hygienists leave on long vacations / That's when dentists scream / And lose their '''patience'''.

--->If the bombs go off the sun will still be shining\\
Cause I've heard it said that every MUSHROOM cloud has a silver lining
** Adam's particularly fond of puns on his Website/{{Twitter}}. Just check a backlog, and you'll see. Here's one.

** In "Cave In," one line is "Riding a dirtbike down a turnpike/always takes its toll on me."

** "Plant Life" has this:
--->Your spirit is sweet, so pull off your sheet/and give me a ''ghost'' of a smile.
** And this:
--->Show me your teeth, 'cause you're a teddy beneath / so just grin and ''bear'' it a while.
** "To The Sky" is played in ''The Guardians of Ga'Hoole.'' While exploring the ''owl city.''

That blonde, she's a bomb / she's an atom bomb. [[note]] An ''Adam'' bomb, geddit?[[/note]]
** The segue into the first and second choruses of "The Bird and the Worm" set up and complete an awesomely lame pun.

And this gem- 'We'll take a long walk through the cornfield, and I'll kiss you between the ears. [[note]][[DontExplaintheJoke As in "ears-of-corn".]][[/note]]

* UpdatedRerelease: Several songs in ''Ocean Eyes'' can be found on earlier albums with slight changes. For example, "The Saltwater Room" was originally on the ''Maybe I'm Dreaming'' EP.
* VocalEvolution: His vocals on ''Of June'' are half-whispered and have an implacable AutoTune-esque effect on them. He starts projecting more with each successive release, although his slightly raspier voice on his more recent songs imply that a few years of improper singing techniques have taken their toll on him

Owl City is an electropop project, and undoubtedly the most well-known among the several musical endeavors [[IAmTheBand headed exclusively by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Adam Young (born July 5, 1986)]].

Owl City's sound is generally characterized by bubbly synth melodies combined with [[WordSaladLyrics oddball lyrics]] about [[SillyLoveSong cutesy romance]], nostalgia, [[MindScrew ethereal musings]] and puns. ''[[HurricaneOfPuns Lots]]'' [[HurricaneOfPuns of puns]]. Depending on who you ask, these songs are either [[SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel endearing]] or [[TastesLikeDiabetes sickening]]. Nevertheless, Young has otherwise enjoyed a reasonably successful career, particularly with providing theme songs to several animated features, [[FirstInstallmentWins though has]] [[ToughActToFollow yet to top]] [[OneHitWonder his first big hit]]. To his credit, "Good Time", his collaboration with Music/CarlyRaeJepsen, did come fairly close.

But the tide came in\\