From spending their youth growing up in Stockport to touring the world together playing all the iconic venues, Blossoms have proved you really can live the dream.
Formed back in 2013, the iconic pop group has risen to fame, becoming one of the UK’s top bands, with three chart-topping studio albums – 2016’s ‘Blossoms’, 2020’s ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ and 2022’s ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’ – as well as ‘Cool Like You’, which just missed out, peaking at number four in 2018.
The band members each grew up in Stockport, often passing by the Blossoms pub on Buxton Road – the inspiration for the band’s name. When asked about what he thought of the band using his pub’s name, the landlord said: “I don’t really mind.”
In 2019, the band went on to use the pub to host their podcast ‘Blossoms Pubcast’, to which the landlord said “they’re just a band”.
Having risen to stardom over the last 10 years, Blossoms are now touring all over the world, with the band a common feature on the UK’s festival circuit each year.
Despite rocketing to fame however, they have stayed strong to their Mancunian roots, often recounting fond memories of the band’s origins and life prior to 2014 when they were signed for the very first time to Skeleton Key Records.
Their story starts in 2012, with each of the band members involved in different bands. Lead singer, Tom Ogden, through childhood-friendship with Joe Donovan, on drums, made connections with the others and they became a tight-knit triad.
In the following few months, both percussionist Josh Dewhurst and pianist Myles Kellock joined the band and the fivesome was complete, with their very first performances as a band coming in mid-2013.
Following the release of their debut single ‘Blow’ in 2013 and their debut album, self-titled Blossoms in 2016, the band rocketed to fame, receiving nominations for British Breakthrough Act at the 2017 BRIT Awards and the Mercury Music Prize that same year.
The band have passed significant milestones together at remarkable rate, with tours in the USA and Europe always highly anticipated, alongside regular UK shows and homecomings back in Stockport.
All five members were born in Stockport’s Stepping Hill hospital. The town is very much their home, with their 2019 concert at Stockport County’s Edgeley Park – their biggest ever show at the time – being a particularly surreal moment for the band.
Alongside regular appearances at the UK’s festival circuit, this year saw a surprise set at Glastonbury when fans gifted the opportunity to see a set covering The Smiths alongside 80s legend Rick Astley – many people’s highlight of the festival’s 2023 edition.
In both 2016 and 2020, Blossoms played numerous shows at Stockport theatre The Plaza in the town centre and a documentary on the band’s Stockport heritage was also released in 2020.
STOCKPORT PLAZA ROUND 2 ❤️ 📸 by @NiallLeaPhoto pic.twitter.com/n19bLU6djo
— BLOSSOMS (@BlossomsBand) February 13, 2020
From their very first outings as a band in 2013 to now, the band has been on a wild journey. But while embracing each new opportunity they come across, their roots in Stockport and Manchester are still huge part of who they are.
With their careers so far in music being so successful, the following 10 years promise to be a wild ride for the band.
How lovely of the people of Sweden to celebrate our triumph on Radio 1 on Tuesday with the unveiling of this sign… pic.twitter.com/NO7X2Ig8ys
— BLOSSOMS (@BlossomsBand) April 1, 2016
