Kongos: The Kings of Sync
A&R Moneyball predicted the success of alt rock band Kongos over a year in advance of their signing to Epic Records. This “Arizona by way of South Africa and London” band’s Platinum hit single “Come With Me Now,” first caught our attention as a high-energy accordion infused rock ballad that spent ten weeks on Billboard’s Adult Alternative chart, peaking at number one. Its video has also seen over 42 million views on Vevo.
Music:
Having seen Kongos play in an intimate setting, they are one of the tightest bands out there, which
should come as no surprise since the band members are all brothers, having had plenty of time to play together as they were growing up. Adding to their appeal are the classic rock influences heard not only in their melodies but even down to the structures of their songs. This classic rock influence became clearer when we discovered that the band members’ father is John Kongos, who saw success as a musician in the UK and his native South Africa in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Sync:
Part of Kongos’ success comes from the various sync deals around “Come With Me Now,” introducing them to new audiences through greater exposure. Even if you don’t realize it, most people have probably heard this track at one point, as it has had syncs with NBC Sports, MSNBC, Syfy, HBO, CNN, Spike TV; the 2013 Rose Bowl, the 2013 Orange Bowl, NCAA Baseball Tournaments, the 2014 MLB All Star Game, the 2014 NASCAR season; the TV shows The Originals, Hemlock Grove, NCIS: New
Orleans, and Running Wild with Bear
Grylls; the film The Expendables 3; and trailers for the films Holy Motors and Horrible Bosses 2.
Future:
While Kongos has yet to break into the megastar strata, they have certainly made it into the mainstream. Although many people don’t know the band by name, the sheer volume of syncs has led to widespread sonic recognition. Their follow up track “I’m Only Joking” received more than seven million Spotify streams, keeping Kongos a band to look out for in the future. After all, it isn’t every day that you see an accordion in a rock band.
Audience Gender Breakdown
57%
43%
Female
Male
