Icon For Hire

Icon for Hire is a rock band that started in Decatur, Illinois and built a career by mixing heavy guitars with pop gloss and a lot of direct fan interaction. Over the years they have gone from early Myspace buzz to charting albums, label battles, and big crowdfunding wins that kept them fully in control of their music.

How The Band Got Started

The band’s story begins in 2007, when vocalist Ariel Bloomer met guitarist Shawn Jump and discovered that he played guitar. That simple detail turned into a writing partnership. The two started working on songs together and quickly realized they wanted a full band instead of a studio-only project.

When they needed a drummer, Jump brought in his friend Adam Kronshagen, someone he had played with in the local party scene before getting sober. Bassist Joshua Davis joined later that year, and the group officially formed in November. They chose the name Icon for Hire as a tongue-in-cheek nod to how the music business treats artists like replaceable parts.

The band’s first show took place at a local club in front of friends and family. According to Ariel, their sound was still rough, but the enthusiasm was obvious. That willingness to throw themselves onstage before everything was perfectly dialed in became part of their identity.

EPs, Early Touring, And The Tooth & Nail Years

In the late 2000s, Icon for Hire built momentum with constant touring around the Midwest and two self-released EPs. The first, a self-titled EP in 2008, introduced their blend of rock riffs and slick hooks. The second, The Grey in 2009, continued to sharpen their sound and gave them more material to sell at shows.

Their online presence turned out to be just as important as the gigs. In late 2009, Tooth & Nail Records discovered the band through Myspace, then a major platform for unsigned groups. Label representatives came to see them live and, after that visit, Icon for Hire signed with Tooth & Nail in July 2010.

They spent the last quarter of 2010 in the studio with producers Rob Hawkins and Aaron Sprinkle working on their first full-length album, Scripted. Released in August 2011, the album landed on several Billboard charts. It reached No. 7 on Hard Rock Albums, No. 5 on Christian Albums, No. 16 on Alternative Albums, No. 22 on Rock Albums, and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 95. It reportedly sold over 4,300 copies in its first week, setting a new first-week mark for a debut on the label.

The lead single “Make a Move” gained attention with a video premiere on the Guitar World site and a strong run on Christian rock radio, peaking at No. 13 on the relevant R&R/Billboard chart. Alongside these numbers, the band kept touring, bringing the songs to festivals and club stages.

In 2013, Icon for Hire returned with a second full-length, the self-titled album Icon for Hire. The record leaned further into electronic textures and polished production while keeping heavy guitar work at the core. It reached No. 66 on the Billboard 200 and continued to expand their audience.

Breaking From The Label And Going Independent

By 2015, cracks between the band and Tooth & Nail had become too large to ignore. On June 6, Icon for Hire announced that they had ended their contract with the label. They cited creative, ideological, and technical differences, and made it clear that they wanted full control over their direction.

To mark the new chapter, they released the song “Now You Know” and continued writing on their own. Later that year, drummer Adam Kronshagen left the band to focus on his family. Rather than slowing down, the group decided to embrace independence fully.

On March 15, 2016, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new album titled You Can’t Kill Us. The plan was to release songs in small batches to backers throughout the year. The campaign’s goal was set at $2,016, but fans pushed well past that number, pledging over $127,000. The album finally arrived on November 25, 2016, and reached No. 180 on the Billboard 200. The single “Supposed To Be” received its own video, featuring fans who had backed the project appearing alongside the band.

Amorphous, The Reckoning, And Ongoing Work

Icon for Hire doubled down on direct support from fans for their next project. In 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, they announced another Kickstarter for the album Amorphous. The goal was modest, but the response was huge. More than 3,200 backers pledged over $263,000, surpassing their earlier campaign by a wide margin.

Amorphous was released on February 19, 2021. Reviews highlighted the record’s combination of rock aggression, electronic flourishes, and lyrics about identity, mental health, and resilience. The band followed it with a virtual release show streamed from their own site and later issued an extended edition with additional tracks and acoustic versions.

On September 30, 2022, Icon for Hire released their next studio album, The Reckoning. Alongside the album, they rolled out singles such as “Gatekeepers” and joined European tours including a run opening for The Rasmus. They also continued headlining their own tours, such as the “Ready for Combat” run in 2022.

Touring has remained a crucial piece of their identity. Over the years they have joined lineups with bands like Red, P.O.D., Emery, Stitched Up Heart, and many others, as well as playing the Vans Warped Tour in both 2014 and 2015. These constant road miles helped turn casual listeners into dedicated supporters, which is a big part of why their crowdfunding efforts hit such high numbers.

Members

Current Members:

• Ariel Bloomer – vocals, lyrics, visual direction.
• Shawn Jump – guitar, songwriting, production ideas.

Former Members:

• Joshua Davis – bass, early member who played on their initial run of shows and recordings.
• Adam Kronshagen – drums, part of the original lineup through the first albums, later departed to focus on family.

Discography (Selected)

• Icon for Hire (EP, 2008)
• The Grey (EP, 2009)
• Scripted (2011, debut full-length on Tooth & Nail; charted across Hard Rock, Alternative, Rock, Christian, and Billboard 200)
• Icon for Hire (2013, self-titled second album, reached the Billboard 200)
• You Can’t Kill Us (2016, independently released, funded through Kickstarter)
• Still Can’t Kill Us: The Acoustic Sessions (2018, acoustic reimagining and companion release)
• Amorphous (2021, fan-funded independent album)
• Amorphous (Extended Edition) (2021, expanded with extra songs and acoustic versions)
• The Reckoning (2022, studio album paired with extensive touring)