Gorillaz is an English virtual band that was founded in 1998 by London-based artist Jamie Hewlett and musician Damon Albarn. 4-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and Russel Hobbs make up the majority of the band (drums). Music videos, interviews, comic strips, and little cartoons depict their world. Various featured artists have collaborated on Gorillaz’s songs, with Albarn serving as the only constant musical contributor.
The genres of art pop, alternative rock, hip hop, electronic, trip hop, pop, dark pop, rap rock, indie rock, bedroom pop, dance-rock, new wave, funk, worldbeat, and experimental rock have all been used to define Gorillaz by writers and critics. It has been said that the band’s aesthetic and overall philosophy are postmodern. Gorillaz merge hip-hop with Britpop, according to AllMusic, while The Guardian called them “a sort of dub/hip-hop/lo-fi indie/world music hybrid.” The band’s early work, according to PopMatters, foretold “the blending of hip-hop, rock, and electronic elements in mainstream music,” which gained importance over the following ten years.