Cigarettes After Sex

Cigarettes After Sex is an American dream pop band formed in El Paso, Texas, in 2008 by Greg Gonzalez. The band is known for their ethereal, limerent and often dream-like musical style, lyrics often based on the themes of romance and love, as well as Gonzalez's voice, which has been described as "androgynous".[7] While marketed as an ambient pop band, Cigarettes After Sex are also considered to be shoegaze, slowcore and indie rock.

This article is about the band. For their self-titled album, see Cigarettes After Sex (album).
Cigarettes After Sex
Greg Gonzalez of Cigarettes After Sex performing at Positivus Festival in July 2017
Background information
OriginEl Paso, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Years active2008–present
Labels
Members
Past members
  • Greg Leah
  • Steven Herrada
  • Emily Davis
  • Phillip Tubbs
Websitewww.cigarettesaftersex.com

The band's debut extended play (EP), I., was released in 2012, with the song "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby" eventually becoming a sleeper hit through commercial licensing. After the release of the standalone single "Affection" in 2015, the band released their self-titled debut studio album in June 2017 to positive reviews. The band's second studio album, Cry, was released on October 25, 2019.

History

Cigarettes After Sex was formed in El Paso, Texas, in 2008.[8][9][7] Gonzalez recorded the first EP, I., in a four-story stairway at his alma mater, University of Texas at El Paso, calling the experience "basically an accident; kind of an experiment".[7]

According to Gonzales, he had a "friendship with certain benefits" with a girl who smoked after they were together, and one night the name popped into his head.[10] Mitali Shah of Harper's Bazaar India considers the name "extremely catchy",[11] while Sarah Kidd writing for Ambient Light Blog calls it "the name that you just can't forget".

Gonzalez relocated to Brooklyn, New York, where the band's single "Affection" was recorded and released in 2015 along with a cover of REO Speedwagon's "Keep On Loving You".[12][13]

Through music recommendations, Cigarettes After Sex became popular on YouTube, leading to live performances across Europe, Asia, and the United States. The band then released their self-titled debut studio album on June 9, 2017.[14][7][15]

In August 2019 the band announced their second studio album, titled Cry, along with the single "Heavenly". The album was released on October 25, 2019.

The band released the single "You're All I Want" in 2020 and, two years later, released a single titled "Pistol", in November 2022.[16]

"Bubblegum", the band's most recent single, was released in July 2023, along with "Stop Waiting".[17]

Musical style and influences

In a feature for Noisey by Vice, Christina Cacouris describes Cigarettes After Sex as "elemental, hazy and romantic, but with a noir edge underneath Gonzalez's androgynous voice" as well as "sweet and sentimental".[7] "As the band's name suggests, it's reminiscent of lying in bed, but its ambient qualities don't prevent it from being music you can dance to."[7] Gonzalez cites Françoise Hardy as his favorite singer and Miles Davis as having great impact.[7] In an interview with Sound of Boston, he also noted films such as L'Avventura and The Double Life of Veronique were influential to the feel and sound of the music in "Affection" and their LP.[18] The band also includes the Cowboy Junkies' album The Trinity Session, Julee Cruise, and Cocteau Twins as influences.[9][19] The music blog Eardrums Music describes the band as "slow, dreamy and beautiful with gorgeous, tender vocals and very good lyrics" and compares it to Mazzy Star.[19] Music bloggers behind Swell Tone describe Cigarettes After Sex as a band producing "melancholy, slow pop that will sweetly rock any listener into a listless stupor."[20]

Reviewing "Affection" for Independentmusicnews.com, Jae Pyl concludes that "there's just such an intimacy to Cigarettes After Sex's sound that it's impossible to not let it into the pit of your belly."[13]

Members

Since inception in 2008, the group has included a number of different members and collaborators led by Greg Gonzalez:[12]

Current members
  • Greg Gonzalez – founder, lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Randall Miller – bass
  • Jacob Tomsky – drums

Former members
  • Phillip Tubbs – keyboards, electric guitar
  • Greg Leah – drums
  • Steve Herrada – keyboards
  • Emily Davis – acoustic guitar

Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[21]		 AUS
[22]		 AUT
[23]		 BEL
[24]		 FRA
[25]		 GER
[26]		 NLD
[27]		 POR
[28]		 SWI
[29]		 UK
[30]
Cigarettes After Sex 15196185423853212127
Cry
  • Released: October 25, 2019[35]
  • Label: Partisan
 1526126827293711936

Extended plays
List of EPs, with selected chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
Sales
[36]
I.
  • Released: July 21, 2012[37]
  • Label: Self-released
 2

Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Bub.
[38]		 BEL
[24]		 CAN
[39]		 FRA
[40]		 GRE
[41]		 LTU
[42]		 POR
[28]		 SWE
Heat.
[43]		 UK
Indie
[44]		 WW
[45]
"Affection"[46] 2015 —————————— Non-album single
"K."[47] 2016 ——[upper-alpha 1]———————— Cigarettes After Sex
"Apocalypse"[48] 2017 1685838731271852025174
"Each Time You Fall in Love"[50] ——————————
"Sweet"[51] ——————————
"Crush"[52] 2018 —86———————— Non-album singles
"Neon Moon"[53] ——[upper-alpha 2]————————
"Heavenly"[54] 2019 —64—57—————— Cry
"Falling in Love"[55] ——[upper-alpha 3]————————
"You're All I Want"[56] 2020 ——[upper-alpha 4]———————— Non-album singles
"Pistol"[57] 2022 ——————————
"Bubblegum"[58] 2023 ——————————
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not issued in that region.

Other certified songs
Title Year Certifications Album
"Sunsetz" 2017 Cigarettes After Sex

Demos
  • I Can See You (2009)
  • Cigarettes After Sex (Romans 13:9) (2011)

Notes
  1. "K." did not register on the Ultratop 50 Singles chart, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.[24]
  2. "Neon Moon" did not register on the Ultratop 50 Singles chart, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.[24]
  3. "Falling in Love" did not register on the Ultratop 50 Singles chart, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.[24]
  4. "You're All I Want" did not register on the Ultratop 50 Singles chart, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.[24]

References
  1. Cook, Cameron (June 8, 2017). "Cigarettes After Sex: Cigarettes After Sex". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. "Cigarettes After Sex: Cry". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. BrushedRed (March 21, 2017). "New Cigarettes After Sex Album". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  4. Lathan, Ryan (June 21, 2017). "Cigarettes After Sex: Cigarettes After Sex". PopMatters. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  5. Hadi, Eddino Abdul (June 14, 2017). "The slow burn of Cigarettes After Sex's debut album". The Straits Times. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  6. "Cry". undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  7. "The Diehard Romanticism of Cigarettes After Sex | NOISEY". NOISEY. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  8. Simpson, Dave (April 19, 2017). "Cigarettes After Sex review – breathtaking ambient-pop enigmas". The Guardian. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  9. "Cigarettes After Sex - Tickets - The Echo - Los Angeles, California - April 27th, 2016". The Echo and Echoplex. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  10. https://www.vogue.fr/fashion-culture/fashion-music/story/interview-with-cigarettes-after-sex-greg-gonzales/328
  11. https://www.harpersbazaar.in/celebrity/story/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-cigarettes-after-sex-564837-2022-12-17
  12. "Records". Cigarettes After Sex. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  13. "Review / Cigarettes After Sex / Affection". Independent Music News. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  14. "Cigarettes After Sex". Cigarettes After Sex.
  15. "Cigarettes After Sex - 10 New Artists You Need to Know: January 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  16. DeVille, Chris (November 15, 2022). "Cigarettes After Sex Share New Song 'Pistol': Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  17. Breihan, Tom (July 18, 2023). "Cigarettes After Sex – "Bubblegum" & "Stop Waiting"". Stereogum. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  18. Bedian, Knar. "Interview: Cigarettes After Sex". Sound of Boston. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  19. "New Music: Cigarettes After Sex – "Affection"". Eardrumsmusic.com. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  20. "Tune: Cigarettes After Sex – "Affection"". Swell Tone. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  21. "Cigarettes After Sex – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  22. Peak chart positions in Australia:
  23. "Cigarettes After Sex chart history". AustrianCharts.at. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  24. "Discografie Cigarettes After Sex". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  25. "Discographie Cigarettes After Sex". lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  26. "Discographie von Cigarettes After Sex" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  27. "Discografie Cigarettes After Sex". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  28. "Discography Cigarettes After Sex". portuguesecharts.com. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  29. "Cigarettes After Sex Hitparade". Hit Parade. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  30. "Cigarettes After Sex full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  31. "Cigarettes After Sex by Cigarettes After Sex on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  32. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  33. "British certifications – Cigarettes After Sex". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 22, 2023. Type Cigarettes After Sex in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  34. "French album certifications – Cigarettes After Sex" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  35. "Cigarettes After Sex by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  36. "Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100 - 10 February 2017 - 16 February 2017". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  37. "I - EP by Cigarettes After Sex on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  38. "Bubbling Under Hot 100: Week of October 15, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  39. "Canadian Hot 100: Week of October 22, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  41. Peaks on the Greek singles chart:
  42. "2022 41-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  43. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 41, 2022". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  44. Peak chart positions on UK Independent Singles chart:
  45. "Billboard Global 200: Week of October 15, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  46. "Affection – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  47. "K. – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  48. "Apocalypse – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  49. "IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 3 2023". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  50. "Each Time You Fall In Love – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  51. "Sweet – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  52. "Crush – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  53. "Neon Moon – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  54. "Heavenly (2019) | Cigarettes After Sex". 7digital. United States. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  55. "Falling In Love (2019) | Cigarettes After Sex". 7digital. United States. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  56. "You're All I Want – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  57. "Pistol – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  58. "Bubblegum – Single by Cigarettes After Sex". Apple Music. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
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