Music fans have a habit of clinging to the idea of a "band." We like the image of four or five best friends against the world, huddled in a garage. But if you look at Jonathan Pierce, he’s basically spent the last decade dismantling that myth.
Most people still think of The Drums as a group. They remember the blonde-haired boys in the "Let's Go Surfing" video, whistling on a beach. Honestly, that version of the band has been dead for a long time.
Today, The Drums is just one person.
Jonathan Pierce—or Jonny Pierce, as he’s mostly known now—is the songwriter, the producer, and the only permanent member. It wasn’t a hostile takeover, exactly. It was more like a slow, painful shedding of skin. If you want to understand the music he's making in 2026, you have to look at why everyone else walked away, or why he eventually stopped trying to keep them.
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The Myth of the "Surf Rock" Gang
Back in 2009, The Drums were the biggest thing in indie. They were everywhere. NME was obsessed with them. They had this 1950s Americana aesthetic mixed with 1980s post-punk reverb.
The lineup seemed solid: Jonny Pierce on vocals, Jacob Graham on synths, Adam Kessler on guitar, and Connor Hanwick on drums. They looked like a gang. But Pierce has since admitted that he was the primary songwriter from day one. He even admitted to maintaining a "collaborative façade" because he was scared of being vulnerable. If the music was a "band" effort, he could hide behind the others if it failed.
Kessler left first, right as they were becoming massive. Then Hanwick. By the time they released Encyclopedia in 2014, it was just the two founders: Jonny and Jacob.
When Jacob Graham Left The Drums
This was the big one. Jacob and Jonny met at Bible camp when they were kids. They had been in a synth-pop band called Elkland together (which was signed to Columbia and actually opened for Erasure). They were "bosom buddies," as some interviews put it.
But in 2016, Jacob left. He wanted to do puppetry. Seriously.
When Jacob walked away, it forced Jonny to realize something: he had been writing through other people’s eyes for years. He’d try to write a song and wonder, "Will Jacob like this?" or "Will Connor think this is cool?" Once he was alone, he started making music that was much darker and more explicit.
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The "Jonny" Era and Radical Honesty
The 2023 album, titled simply Jonny, is probably the most uncomfortable thing he’s ever made. The cover is a naked self-portrait taken in his father’s old office—a place he associates with a very "cult-like" religious upbringing in upstate New York.
It’s a far cry from whistling about surfing.
He’s talked a lot about how he used to "romanticize pain." In the early days, he’d write a devastating lyric about loneliness but bury it under a sunny, up-tempo beat. Now, he’s trying to be more direct. He took a child psychology course during the pandemic to figure out why he felt so disconnected from himself.
The music reflects that. You’ve got songs like "Dying" (which features Rico Nasty, an wild collaboration nobody saw coming) and "Little Jonny," where he literally sings to his younger self.
What Most People Get Wrong About Him
There's this common misconception that Jonny Pierce is difficult to work with. People see the revolving door of touring musicians and assume he’s a diva.
But if you listen to him talk now, it sounds more like he’s just stopped apologizing for being the sole creator. He’s realized that The Drums isn't a democracy; it’s an art project. He once told Miami New Times that he finally "dropped the pretense."
There’s a freedom in that. He doesn't have to argue about a synth line anymore.
Why the Sound Changed (and Why It Stayed the Same)
Even though he's alone, the "Drums sound" is still there. Why? Because he was always the one creating it.
- The Reverb: Still heavy.
- The Basslines: Still driving and melodic, influenced by New Order.
- The Lyrics: More "adult," as he puts it. Less about teenage longing, more about trauma recovery.
He’s moved from Brooklyn to a cabin upstate, then to LA, then back to New York. The physical movement mirrors the internal shift. He’s no longer trying to be the "king of the hill" or a indie pop star. He’s just trying to survive his own head.
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Moving Forward with The Drums
If you're looking to dive into the current state of Jonathan Pierce's work, don't start with the hits. Everyone knows "Money."
Instead, look at the 2024 deluxe release of Jonny. It’s got tracks like "The Impossible" that show a guy who is finally comfortable being "uncomfortably" honest. He’s not hiding behind a group of cool-looking guys in matching shirts anymore.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to understand the evolution, listen to Abysmal Thoughts (the first solo-Drums record) immediately followed by the Jonny album. You can hear the ego dropping away in real-time. Also, keep an eye on his social media; he’s been known to stop mid-show and give long, unscripted monologues about self-love. It’s a bit jarring if you’re just there to dance, but it’s the most "him" he’s ever been.