From Debut to Stardom
Florence Welch and Isabella “Machine” Summers began working together as teenagers. They initially experimented with names such as Isabelle Machine and Florence Robot before settling on the far more memorable Florence + the Machine.
The full band formed in 2007, and their debut album, Lungs, arrived in 2009. It contained several tunes that would define their sound, including Dog Days Are Over, which remains one of their most recognisable tracks.
However, Dog Days Are Over isn’t the song most associated with their commercial success. That honour belongs to You’ve Got the Love, their cover of Candi Staton‘s You Got the Love. The change from “You Got” to “You’ve Got” gave Florence + the Machine a distinct title to search for.
There was also You’ve Got the Dirtee Love, a live collaboration with rapper Dizzee Rascal. This version reached number two in the U.K. singles chart, making it one of the band’s highest-charting releases.
The BBC Effect: From Introducing to the Big Stage
How did Florence + the Machine become such a prominent name in British music? One important part of the story is the support they received from the BBC.
The BBC’s Introducing platform helps bring emerging artists to wider attention, while its coverage of festivals such as Glastonbury gives performers access to enormous audiences. For a British artist, getting that kind of exposure can make a real difference to a career.
Florence + the Machine benefited from strong BBC support, as did Dizzee Rascal.
Of course, BBC support isn’t the whole story. An artist still needs distinctive songs, compelling performances, and an audience willing to come back for more. But exposure from a broadcaster with the BBC’s reach can certainly help turn a promising act into a household name.
Some might argue that this kind of backing explains much of Florence + the Machine’s success. Others would say the music speaks for itself. As ever, the truth probably sits somewhere between the two—and there’s no shortage of opinions when it comes to who gets promoted in the music industry.
Ceremonials and the Search for Another Hit
Following the success of Lungs, the band released Ceremonials in 2011. It produced two major singles, Shake It Out and Spectrum, and helped establish Florence Welch’s dramatic vocals and the band’s sweeping, atmospheric arrangements as their trademark sound.
The first two albums sold millions of copies worldwide, but sustaining that level of commercial success is difficult for any act. Florence + the Machine continued releasing albums and attracting attention, although their later records didn’t produce the same run of mainstream hits as their breakthrough years.
If I were advising them as an aspiring A&R man, I’d suggest considering another carefully chosen cover. A great interpretation can introduce a band to new listeners while giving existing fans something unexpected.
They once promised not to perform Fleetwood Mac‘s The Chain again after their 2010 Glastonbury performance. They did, however, record Stand by Me by Ben E. King for the Songs from Final Fantasy XV soundtrack in 2016. It didn’t become the major chart success they might have hoped for.
Still, Florence Welch’s voice and the band’s grand, dramatic sound give them plenty of possibilities when it comes to reinterpreting a familiar tune. And with a strong catalogue and a loyal audience, they don’t necessarily need another cover to justify their place in modern British music.
Florence + the Machine’s Tunes and Guitar Lessons
For guitarists, Florence + the Machine offer a different lesson from more riff-driven rock bands. Their songs often rely on atmosphere, dynamics, repeated chord patterns, and arrangements that build towards an enormous chorus.
Learning tunes such as You’ve Got the Love, Dog Days Are Over, and Shake It Out is a useful way to explore how relatively straightforward musical ideas can become powerful through rhythm, vocal delivery, and arrangement.
Explore the playlist above, learn the tunes, and add a little Florence + the Machine drama to your repertoire.
Florence + the Machine Tunes | Related Pages
Stand By Me | Chords + TAB
You can learn Stand By Me by Ben E. King using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, TAB, and backing tracks.
| A | A | F#m | F#m |
When the night has come, and the land is dark…
You’ve Got The Love | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play You’ve Got The Love by Florence + the Machine using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, TAB, and backing tracks.
| G#m | F# |
Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air…
Florence + the Machine on the web
