The War on Drugs

The Profile

The War on Drugs is an American rock band from Philadelphia formed in 2005 by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile. Led by Granduciel after Vile’s departure, the group blends heartland rock, shoegaze, and synth-driven textures, earning wide acclaim with Lost in the Dream (2014) and the Grammy-winning A Deeper Understanding (2017).

Formed in Philadelphia in 2005 by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile; Vile later departed while the band continued under Granduciel’s leadership; signed to Atlantic Records for A Deeper Understanding (2017); A Deeper Understanding won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album; style mixes indie rock, heartland rock, shoegaze, and synth atmospheres.

Four DeBaser reviews chart The War on Drugs from widescreen shoegaze-heartland blends to 80s-tinted road music. Lost in the Dream is praised as healing immersion. A Deeper Understanding splits opinions: profound emotion for some, a ‘rip-off’ for others, with label-era context noted. I Don’t Live Here Anymore glows with melancholic neon and highway speed in slow motion.