The Lumineers

The band's song "Scotland" is the main theme of the CW series Reign. Additionally, other songs such as "Flowers In Your Hair" and "Charlie Boy" have been used in several episodes of the same series. In 2013, their single "Gale Song" was included in the credits of the second film in the Hunger Games saga (The Hunger Games).

Before establishing themselves as The Lumineers, Schultz and Fraites collaborated and composed together in New York, using names such as Free Beer, 6Cheek, and Wesley y Jeremiah. According to Schultz, the name "The Lumineers" arose accidentally when a master of ceremonies introduced them incorrectly by that name at a club in Jersey, where a band called "Lumineers" was scheduled to perform the following week.

Schultz commented that the band faced difficulties in succeeding in New York, mentioning that he lived in Brooklyn and needed three jobs to cover the rent. This led him to seek a change, and in 2009, after considering other cities such as London, Philadelphia, and Boston, he and Fraites moved to Denver to join the open mic scene. During that period, Jason "Jay" Van Dyke occasionally joined them. In 2008, Van Dyke sued The Lumineers, claiming he did not receive proper recognition for his contribution. Schultz and Fraites later acknowledged their collaboration with Van Dyke, who claimed to have co-written nine songs with them.

In December 2011, "Ho Hey," which would become the band's first single, was used at the end of the season of Hart of Dixie, generating media attention. In January 2012, John Richards, a DJ at KEXP-FM in Seattle, discovered the song and played it repeatedly, rating it as the best of the year. WXPN Philadelphia/NPR also highlighted the band in their program "World Cafe: Next." Finally, The Lumineers signed with the independent label Dualtone Records, and their album was licensed to Dine Alone Records in Canada, Inertia in Australia, and Decca Records for the rest of the world.