Relient K is an American pop punk band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, by Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes. Associated with the Christian rock scene, the band made its name with songs like Be My Escape and Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, blending humor with sincere lyrics about faith.
Relient K was born in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, when Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes, still in high school and later students at Malone University, formed a band with bassist Brian Pittman. The name comes from Hoopes's car, a Plymouth Reliant K, with the spelling deliberately changed to avoid any trademark conflict. After a self titled debut album in 2000, the band established itself in the Christian rock and pop punk scene with lyrics mixing goofy humor and sincere questions about faith.
The band followed with a string of standout albums through the 2000s, from Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (2003) to Mmhmm (2004), carried by the single Be My Escape, Relient K's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100. Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007) featured Deathbed, an eleven minute ballad sung with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, while Forget and Not Slow Down (2009) explored the aftermath of a breakup. The band has remained active since Air for Free (2016), its most recent studio album to date.
- Origin
- Canton, Ohio, USA
- Style
- Pop punk, Christian rock
- Active since
- 1998
- Good to know
- The band's name comes from Matt Hoopes's Plymouth Reliant K, with the spelling changed to avoid a trademark conflict
- Discography
- Eight studio albums between Relient K (2000) and Air for Free (2016)
How did Relient K get started?
Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes met in high school and later at Malone University, in Canton, Ohio. In 1998, they formed Relient K with bassist Brian Pittman and released a self titled debut album in 2000, still marked by direct pop punk energy and humor tinged lyrics.
Success came with Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (2003) and especially Mmhmm (2004), whose single Be My Escape became the band's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 and earned two Dove Award nominations.
What makes Relient K distinctive?
Relient K has always cultivated a distinctive tone, able to swing from deliberately absurd songs to serious ballads about faith, breakups, or death. Deathbed, on the album Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007), is the most striking example: this eleven minute track, featuring Jon Foreman of Switchfoot in the role of Jesus, tells the story of a man's final moments as he dies of cancer and looks back on his life.
Where should you start with Relient K?
Be My Escape and Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, both from Mmhmm (2004), remain the most obvious entry points to discover the band. From there, listen to Deathbed to gauge the depth of their lyrics, before exploring the album Forget and Not Slow Down (2009) as a whole.
songs
Be My Escape
The first single from the album Mmhmm (2004), certified gold in the United States and Relient K's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100. Live version captured in Nashville.
Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
A song of regret and reconciliation written by Matt Thiessen, also taken from Mmhmm (2004), nominated for a Dove Award in 2006.
Deathbed (feat. Jon Foreman)
An eleven minute ballad on the album Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007), where Jon Foreman of Switchfoot lends his voice to the character of Jesus facing a dying man.
Discography
- 2016Air for Free
- 2013Collapsible Lung
- 2009Forget and Not Slow Down
- 2007Five Score and Seven Years Ago· album featuring Deathbed with Jon Foreman
- 2004Mmhmm· album carried by Be My Escape and Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
- 2003Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
- 2001The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek
- 2000Relient K
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Relient K?
Relient K is an American pop punk band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, by Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes. Associated with the Christian rock scene, the band is known for songs like Be My Escape and Who I Am Hates Who I've Been.
Is Relient K a Christian band?
Yes, Relient K has been associated with the Christian rock scene since its founding, addressing faith with an often light and sometimes deliberately absurd tone, without ever brushing aside the serious questions.
What is Relient K's best known song?
Be My Escape, released in 2004 on the album Mmhmm, remains their biggest hit: the band's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 and certified gold.
Where does the name Relient K come from?
The name comes from guitarist Matt Hoopes's car, a Plymouth Reliant K, with the spelling deliberately changed to avoid a conflict with the car brand.
What is the song Deathbed about?
Deathbed, on the album Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007), tells in the first person the final moments of a man dying of cancer, with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot in the role of Jesus.
Where can you listen to Relient K?
Relient K's songs are available on their official YouTube channel and on the usual streaming platforms; their site relientk.com centralizes their latest news.