# 3OH!3
**3OH!3** (pronounced "three oh three") is an American electronic music duo from [Boulder, Colorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/boulder-colorado), formed in 2004 by Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte and named for the 303 area code of their home region.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/12/new-band-303) The Library of Congress authority record lists the group's locale as Boulder, Colorado and its field of activity as electronic dance music.[3](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2009125260) The duo reached its commercial peak between 2008 and 2010 on the strength of the albums *Want* and *Streets of Gold* and three Billboard Hot 100 top-ten entries, and it has released six studio albums while continuing to tour and record into the 2020s.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Members and origin | Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte, who met at the University of Colorado; formed in Boulder in 2004 and named for area code 303[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/) |
| Studio albums | Six: *3OH!3* (2007), *Want* (2008), *Streets of Gold* (2010), *Omens* (2013), *Night Sports* (2016), *NEED* (2021)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) |
| Biggest Hot 100 hits | "Don't Trust Me" No. 7 (37 weeks); "Blah Blah Blah" with Ke$ha No. 7 (20 weeks); "My First Kiss" with Ke$ha No. 9 (18 weeks)[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/) |
| Album peak | *Streets of Gold* debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 in summer 2010 and topped the U.S. Dance chart[6](https://consequence.net/artist/3oh3/) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) |
| Labels | Independent debut, then Photo Finish Records (a division of Atlantic), then Fueled by Ramen from 2016[5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) |
| Streaming reach | About 5.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify at retrieval[7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F) |
| Recent activity | 2023 pop-punk collaboration, 2025 singles "Slushie" and "Hit Me Harder", and a "MY FRIENDS" single dated July 24, 2026[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [8](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3oh-3/260388828) |
## History and formation
Foreman and Motte met while attending the University of Colorado in Boulder and founded the duo in 2004, during the Myspace era.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/) Both were summa cum laude graduates of the university; before forming the band, Motte hosted a radio deejay show and Foreman performed as an MC in the local hip hop scene.[9](https://news.pollstar.com/2009/07/24/3oh3/) They began by playing Colorado venues such as the Fox Theatre in Boulder and the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins.[5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/)
The self-titled debut album appeared independently in 2007 and produced the single "Electroshock", after which the duo signed with Photo Finish Records, a division of Atlantic.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/) The breakthrough came with the second album, *Want* (2008), produced by Matt Squire and released on Photo Finish.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) The 2008 Vans Warped Tour turned the duo from a regional act into a national one: by the account of their agent quoted by Pollstar, about 300 people watched their first-day set, and 6,000 to 7,000 gathered by the final date in Los Angeles.[9](https://news.pollstar.com/2009/07/24/3oh3/)
## Musical style and influences
The duo's sound combines crunk beats, electro, hip hop, and pop. Motte described it plainly in an interview: "Oh, it's crunkcore, for sure. Happy hop," and the pair said they deliberately combined electronic and hip-hop elements.[10](https://www.altpress.com/3oh3-comeback-magazine-cover-interview/) Critics reached for their own labels. The Guardian's 2009 profile suggested "rave crunk" and "hip-hop techno" for a sound built on squelchy synths, electro-fied bass, Auto-Tuned vocals, and tongue-in-cheek fratboy humor, and placed the duo in a lineage of genre hybrids such as hip-house and rap metal.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/12/new-band-303) Pollstar described crunked-out beats and aggressive rapping mixed with electronica, dance rhythms, and some emo pop, with risqué, tongue-in-cheek lyrics that made the duo hard to categorize.[9](https://news.pollstar.com/2009/07/24/3oh3/) AllMusic summarizes the formula as humorous raps, indie electronic beats, and youthful mischief from a genre-bending Boulder duo.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
## Discography
The six studio albums trace the duo's evolution from Myspace-era electro-crunk to later pop work.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
- ***3OH!3*** (2007), independent debut featuring the single "Electroshock".[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/)
- ***Want*** (2008), produced by Matt Squire on Photo Finish; includes "Starstrukk", whose remix featuring [Katy Perry](https://www.edgepedia.org/katy-perry) reached the top ten in the UK, Ireland, Finland, Poland, and Australia.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [6](https://consequence.net/artist/3oh3/)
- ***Streets of Gold*** (2010), the highest-charting album, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and topping the U.S. Dance chart.[6](https://consequence.net/artist/3oh3/) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
- ***Omens*** (2013), featuring the single "You're Gonna Love This".[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
- ***Night Sports*** (2016), the first album for [Fueled by Ramen](https://www.edgepedia.org/fueled-by-ramen), which the band signed with that year.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
- ***NEED*** (2021), preceded by the single "Lonely Machines" with the hyperpop act 100 gecs and "I'm So Sad", and including "Vampire's Diet" featuring [Bert McCracken](https://www.edgepedia.org/bert-mccracken) of the Used.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
Guest features ran in both directions. Ke$ha featured the duo on "Blah Blah Blah", and Katy Perry joined them for the "Starstrukk" remix; "Follow Me Down" was written for the film *Alice in Wonderland*, and "I Know How to Say" featuring Kesha was written for Disney's *Mars Needs Moms*. [Lil Jon](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-jon) sampled the duo's music on "Hey" from his 2010 album *Crunk Rock*.[5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/)
## By the numbers
Billboard's chart history records three Hot 100 top-ten hits for the duo.[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/) "Don't Trust Me" entered the Hot 100 on November 15, 2008, peaked at number 7 on May 30, 2009, and spent 37 weeks on the chart. "Blah Blah Blah", credited to Ke$ha featuring 3OH!3, peaked at number 7 and spent 20 weeks from January 23, 2010. "My First Kiss", credited to 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha, peaked at number 9 and spent 18 weeks from May 22, 2010. "Touchin On My" reached number 49 in a two-week run from June 5, 2010.[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/)
Two chart discrepancies appear in the sources and are reported here as such. Billboard's chart database gives "Don't Trust Me" a peak of number 7, while the band's framing in an Alternative Press interview states a number 1 peak; Billboard's database is used here.[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/) • [10](https://www.altpress.com/3oh3-comeback-magazine-cover-interview/) Similarly, Consequence states "My First Kiss" peaked at number 7, while Billboard's record gives number 9.[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/) • [6](https://consequence.net/artist/3oh3/)
On streaming, the duo's Spotify page showed about 5.8 million monthly listeners (5,796,934 at retrieval).[7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F) The band's own Spotify bio describes "DONTTRUSTME", "STARSTRUKK" and "My First Kiss" as platinum-certified anthems; this certification claim comes from the band's bio rather than an independent certification database.[7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F)
## Live performances and touring
Festival stages drove the duo's rise. After breaking out on [Warped Tour](https://www.edgepedia.org/warped-tour) 2008, 3OH!3 appeared at Reading and Leeds in the UK in summer 2009 and at MTVU Spring Break in Panama City Beach in March 2009.[5](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/) On that 2008 tour, Katy Perry and her band occasionally joined the duo on stage, a guest spot that prefigured her featured vocal on the "Starstrukk" remix.[9](https://news.pollstar.com/2009/07/24/3oh3/) The band's Spotify bio lists appearances at Coachella, Reading & Leeds, and Warped Tour, and notes continued presence at events like [Emo Nite](https://www.edgepedia.org/emo-nite).[7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F) Apple Music lists a "3OH!3's Vans Warped Tour 30 Years Tour Set List" collection, indicating participation in the Warped Tour 30th-anniversary tour.[8](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3oh-3/260388828)
## Later career and what has changed since 2023
After the 2010 peak, momentum faded: the 2013 follow-up *Omens* was met with mixed reviews and fell short of expectations, according to Alternative Press's retrospective.[11](https://www.altpress.com/what_happened_to_30h3/) By August 2015 the band said they had over 40 new songs written during a period of reduced public activity.[11](https://www.altpress.com/what_happened_to_30h3/) The Fueled by Ramen era produced *Night Sports* in 2016, and after four years without new music the duo returned in 2020 with "Lonely Machines" featuring 100 gecs, deliberately turning back to their *Want*-era sound with what they called a new twist.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [10](https://www.altpress.com/3oh3-comeback-magazine-cover-interview/)
Recent output has been steady. In 2023 the duo appeared on the all-star pop-punk single "The Outside (Outsiders Version)" with [Boys Like Girls](https://www.edgepedia.org/boys-like-girls), State Champs, The Summer Set, and The Ready Set.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) In 2025 they released the singles "Slushie", described in their bio as their first new music since 2021, and "Hit Me Harder".[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302) • [7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F) Apple Music lists the single "MY FRIENDS", dated July 24, 2026, containing three songs, and the duo's official website continues to promote a new single and tour dates.[8](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3oh-3/260388828) • [12](https://www.3oh3.com/)
## Retrospective view
Within late-2000s electro-crunk and the broader EDM-pop crossover wave, 3OH!3's record is defined by a short, intense commercial peak and a long tail. The duo produced three Hot 100 top-ten hits and a No. 7 Billboard 200 debut in roughly two years, then saw subsequent releases chart lower, with *Omens* meeting mixed reviews.[4](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/) • [11](https://www.altpress.com/what_happened_to_30h3/) Their catalog has retained an audience through streaming and nostalgia events: about 5.8 million monthly Spotify listeners, a Warped Tour anniversary slot, and Emo Nite appearances suggest the songs outlived the initial critical reception.[7](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F) • [8](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3oh-3/260388828) Contemporary criticism was divided at the time, with The Guardian's 2009 profile both cataloguing the duo's appeal and calling its humor misogynist fratboy fare.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/12/new-band-303)
## References
1. [3OH!3 — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/3oh%213-mn0001000302)
2. [3OH!3 (No 567), The Guardian, June 12, 2009](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/12/new-band-303)
3. [3OH!3 (Musical group), LC Linked Data Service, Library of Congress](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2009125260)
4. [3OH!3 | Biography, Music & News, Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/artist/3oh3/)
5. [Colorado Artist Spotlight: 3OH!3, Colorado Music Hall of Fame](https://cmhof.org/music-news/colorado-artist-spotlight-3oh3/)
6. [3OH!3 — Tour Dates, Song Releases, and More, Consequence](https://consequence.net/artist/3oh3/)
7. [3OH!3, Spotify artist page](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FWzNDaEu9jdgcYTbcOa4F)
8. [3OH!3, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3oh-3/260388828)
9. [3OH!3, Pollstar News, July 24, 2009](https://news.pollstar.com/2009/07/24/3oh3/)
10. [Here's how 3OH!3 grew as artists after 'WANT' for their comeback, Alternative Press](https://www.altpress.com/3oh3-comeback-magazine-cover-interview/)
11. [What happened to 3OH!3?, Alternative Press](https://www.altpress.com/what_happened_to_30h3/)
12. [3OH!3 | Official Website](https://www.3oh3.com/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Electronic dance music (EDM) and rave culture › Artists, groups, and people: Electronic dance music (EDM) and rave culture › Production duos and DJ duos › Bass, hard dance, and pop crossover duos*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license