Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Joseph Nelson, known under the stage name Banners (styled as BANNΞRS), is an English musician from Liverpool. He released his debut EP Banners in January 2016 through Island Records, following three singles released in 2015: "Ghosts", "Shine a Light" and "Start a Riot". In 2019, Banners released his debut album Where The Shadow Ends.
History
Banners grew up singing in Liverpool Cathedral Choir and performed with the choir in various locations throughout Europe before deciding to start a solo career. He contacted Canadian producer Stephen Kozmeniuk to work on his sound. He signed with Island Records in 2015. Nelson released his debut single "Ghosts" in March 2015 under the stage name Raines. A music video for the song was directed by Christopher Ranson.
His second single, "Shine a Light", was released in August 2015 under the new moniker Banners. The song appeared on the soundtrack for the FIFA 16 video game. A music video for the song was directed by Christopher Ranson and released in October 2015. "Shine a Light" has charted on Billboard Canada Rock and Rock Airplay charts.
In early December 2015, Spotify included Banners on its Spotlight list, which highlights 15 artists to watch in 2016. On 4 December, Banners released his third single "Start a Riot". The song has charted on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.
Banners' debut self-titled EP, produced by Kozmeniuk, was released on 15 January 2016 through Island Records. In addition to the three previously released songs, it included two new tracks: "Gold Dust" and "Back When We Had Nothing". The EP debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart. On 22 January 2016, Capitol Records released a soundtrack album for the TV series The Royals, which included Banners' song "Half Light". On 27 January 2016, Banners made his television debut performing "Shine a Light" on ABC's show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. From 29 February to 31 March 2016, he joined American bands POP ETC and The Moth & The Flame for his first U.S. tour.
On 3 June 2016, Banners released "Half Light" as a single.
On 24 July 2016, Banners performed at WayHome Music & Arts Festival. His single "Into the Storm", released on 16 September 2016, has peaked at number 16 on the Canada Rock chart. Banners premiered a song titled "Holy Ground" on 17 November on Billboard. The song was released as a single the following day.
In popular culture
On 29 May 2017, the single "Start a Riot" was featured on the last episode of the second season of the TV series Lucifer. On 31 May 2017, Banners began touring with band Milky Chance in the US.
The single "Shine a Light" was featured on the 7th episode of the first season of the TV series The Good Doctor, as well as being part of the soundtrack of the 2017 movie The Space Between Us. The single was also featured near the end of the 2018 movie Love, Simon but was not included in the soundtrack of the same name.
In April 2018, the single Someone to You was used in commercials for season 16 of the U.S. TV competition American Idol. Banners later appeared on the season to perform two duets with contestants Ron Bultongez and Alyssa Raghu. First he sang his own "Someone to You" with Bultongez and then Coldplay's "Yellow" with Raghu. Both failed to make it to the live Top 14 stage of American Idol.
In 2018 the single “Half Light” was featured in the trailer of the TV series “New Amsterdam”.
In March 2019, the single "Got It In You" was featured in the 17th episode of the second season of the US TV series The Good Doctor. His song "Someone to You" is used in the 2019 movie After.
In May 2020, the single "Someone to You" was used in the trailer of the TV series Love, Victor as well as a commercial for T Mobile.
Discography
Albums
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where The Shadow Ends |
| — |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:48 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Rule The World" | 3:32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Supercollide" | 3:34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Got It In You" | 3:40 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "No One Knows Us (featuring Carly Paige)" | 3:15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6. | "Where The Shadow Ends (with Young Bombs)" | 4:17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7. | "Light Up" | 3:24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. | "Wild Love" | 3:11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9. | "Safe" | 3:06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10. | "Too Soon" | 3:36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11. | "Heads and Tails" | 3:46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:48 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Rule The World" | 3:32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Supercollide" | 3:34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Got It In You" | 3:40 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "No One Knows Us (featuring Carly Paige)" | 3:15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6. | "Where The Shadow Ends (with Young Bombs)" | 4:17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7. | "Light Up" | 3:24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. | "Wild Love" | 3:11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9. | "Safe" | 3:06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10. | "Too Soon" | 3:36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11. | "Heads and Tails" | 3:46 |
Extended plays
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Banners |
| 67 |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Start a Riot" | 3:35 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Shine a Light" | 3:45 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Gold Dust" | 4:15 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Ghosts" | 4:10 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "Back When We Had Nothing" | 3:43 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Empires on Fire |
| — |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Someone to You" | 3:39 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Firefly" | 3:29 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Empires on Fire" | 3:39 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Into the Storm" | 3:40 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "Holy Ground" | 4:18 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Start a Riot" | 3:35 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Shine a Light" | 3:45 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Gold Dust" | 4:15 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Ghosts" | 4:10 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "Back When We Had Nothing" | 3:43 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1. | "Someone to You" | 3:39 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | "Firefly" | 3:29 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | "Empires on Fire" | 3:39 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | "Into the Storm" | 3:40 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | "Holy Ground" | 4:18 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | CANRock | CANCHR | CANHAC | USRock | USRock Airplay | |||
| "Ghosts" | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Banners |
| "Shine a Light" | 71 | 5 | 25 | 34 | — | 43 | ||
| "Start a Riot" | — | 32 | — | — | 24 | — | ||
| "Half Light" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| "Into the Storm" | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | Empires on Fire | |
| "Holy Ground" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Someone to You" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Let Go" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| "Got It In You" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Where The Shadow Ends |
| "Where The Shadow Ends" (with Young Bombs) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||
Other song releases
- 2016: "Gold Dust"
- 2016: "Back When We Had Nothing"
- 2016: "Start a Riot (Thundatraxx Remix)"
- 2016: "Start a Riot (Dave Edwards Remix)"
- 2017: "Someone to You (Acoustic)"
- 2017: "Firefly"
- 2017: "Empires on Fire"
- 2017: "Firefly (Acoustic)"
- 2017: “Empires on Fire (Acoustic)”
- 2018: “Someone To You - The DJ Mike D Mix” with DJ Mike D
- 2018: “Let Go”
- 2019: “Got It In You (Acoustic)”
- 2019: “No One Knows Us (Acoustic)” with Carly Paige
- 2020: “Where The Shadow Ends (Acoustic)”
- 2020: “Always Yours”
