A Great Big World: The Emotive Pop Duo

A Great Big World is an American pop duo from New York City, best known for their emotionally resonant piano-driven songs. Their breakthrough came with the global hit "Say Something," a collaboration with Christina Aguilera that soared to multi-platinum status and topped charts worldwide.

Early career

The duo, consisting of Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, formed in New York City after meeting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. They began writing and performing together, self-releasing their debut EP, Hero, in 2011 and building a dedicated local following through energetic live shows.

Breakthrough

Their major breakthrough arrived in 2013 after their song "Say Something" was featured on an episode of the television show So You Think You Can Dance. This exposure led to a record deal with Epic Records and a re-recording of the track as a duet with Christina Aguilera, which became a worldwide phenomenon in 2014.

Key tracks

Say Something — This Grammy-winning duet with Christina Aguilera became a global smash, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieving multi-platinum certifications in several countries.

This Is The New Year — An earlier, anthemic single that gained traction after being featured on the TV show Glee, helping to establish the duo's uplifting signature sound.

Rockstar — A popular track from their 2014 debut album Is There Anybody Out There? that showcases their knack for catchy, theatrical pop melodies.

Fall On Me — A powerful 2019 single featuring Christina Aguilera, marking a successful reunion and demonstrating their continued chemistry in crafting soaring ballads.

Following their explosive debut, A Great Big World released their second studio album, When The Morning Comes, in 2015. They have continued to write and release music independently, including the 2022 album Particles, maintaining their focus on heartfelt lyrics and piano-based pop arrangements that connect deeply with their audience.

Fans of A Great Big World's introspective and anthemic pop style may also enjoy the music of Fun, who share a similar grand, emotive scale in their songwriting. The piano-pop sensibility connects with the work of The Script, known for their blend of pop-rock and heartfelt narratives. Listeners might also appreciate the vocal harmonies and pop craftsmanship of OneRepublic, another group skilled at crafting radio-friendly anthems.

The music of A Great Big World maintains a strong presence on adult contemporary and pop radio stations featured on this website. Their catalog, from massive hits to deeper album cuts, provides the perfect emotive soundtrack for a variety of online radio streams and independent music radio stations.

You can hear the powerful pop songs of A Great Big World on radio stations featured across our network. Discover their music and listen to their evolving discography through the curated radio stations available on onairium.com.