Cannons

Cannons are a Los Angeles-based indie pop and synth-pop trio formed in 2013, consisting of vocalist Michelle Joy, lead guitarist Ryan Clapham, and keyboardist/bassist Paul Davis. Their formation story is as unconventional as their sound: Joy joined the band in response to a Craigslist ad, and the three recorded their first song together without ever meeting in person.^[1][2] Joy had moved to Los Angeles from Florida without knowing anyone in the city; after posting on Craigslist seeking bandmates, she met Clapham and Davis at Aroma Cafe in Studio City. The three eventually became neighbors in the same apartment complex.^[2]

Clapham and Davis were childhood friends from Santa Clarita whose early musical bond formed around heavy metal acts including Pantera and Slayer, before they gradually evolved toward the dreamy, synth-driven sound that defines the band today.^[2] That evolution produced a distinctive aesthetic that blends 70s funk rhythms, 80s synth-pop, deep house textures, and cinematic analog production. Davis draws influences from film scores and video game music, while Clapham gravitates toward the whimsical atmosphere of 70s and 80s pop and rock. Joy's voice has been compared to Stevie Nicks for its warmth, and her vocal style draws on influences including Sade, Cocteau Twins, Fleetwood Mac, Fiona Apple, and Alanis Morissette.^[1]

The band released a string of independent recordings before signing to Columbia Records. Their breakthrough came with the 2020 single "Fire for You," which was featured in Netflix's Never Have I Ever and American Horror Story, reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in early 2021, and earned RIAA platinum certification.^[1] Their follow-up single "Loving You" (from Heartbeat Highway, 2023) also reached number one at Alternative Radio, making Cannons one of the few acts to score back-to-back chart-toppers in the format. The band has accumulated over 680 million global streams and performed at Coachella.^[1]

Joy has described her songwriting approach as one of discovery: she treats songs as "mantras," singing lines she does not yet fully understand and trusting that their meaning will become clear over time.^[3] This instinct toward emotional openness defines much of the band's work and became especially pronounced on their fifth studio album.

Their fifth studio album, Everything Glows (March 2026), was born from a period of significant personal difficulty for Michelle Joy, who navigated fatigue, an anemia diagnosis, surgery, and a divorce in quick succession.^[4] The band channeled that experience into their most emotionally searching work, exploring themes of heartbreak, codependence, and ultimately liberation. Critics described it as "a powerful and entrancing fifth album" and praised it for finding "beauty in moments that feel messy or unresolved."