The Score

It reads a little bit like a dream, doesn’t it? The tale of L.A. based indie pop duo The Score releasing “Oh My Love” straight to SoundCloud and like magic – it becomes an explosive runaway hit in the UK, nearly six-thousand miles away. Quickly accumulating over 1.8 million SoundCloud spins, the song won over loads of fans worldwide by sheer word of mouth before landing a placement with UK retail giant ASDA. Independent of a record label, the band amassed staggering success in the UK, nailing the #1 spot on the Spotify UK Viral Chart and the #4 spot on the iTunes UK pop charts. But the rise of “Oh My Love” didn’t stop there, as the tune went on to snag the #2 most Shazam’d song in the UK, and radio stations just had to spin it. Poised to become a veritable international smash, the song’s trajectory is a fitting introduction to the music of Eddie Anthony and Edan Dover. However, it’s not the beginning of their story.

On the surface, it might seem that Eddie and Edan couldn’t be more different. Anthony, an Orange County boy, discovered music by cranking his dad’s classic rock records and eventually taught himself how to play guitar. Dover, a New York native, received classical training as a jazz pianist and became a producer through blood, sweat, and tears. However, that old saying that opposites attract holds true, and the guys haven’t stopped creating songs since they met. Initially writing for other artists behind the scenes, their fervent creative partnership yielded a multitude of tunes that they agreed needed to be heard.

“These songs had a different sound,” explains Eddie. “We thought it would be a shame to let them go to waste. So, we formed The Score and started playing shows.”

The two cut their teeth at the famed Rockwood Music Hall where the story all began for acts like Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons, and more. Amassing a following, the band quickly attracted placements with Abercrombie and Hollister, a shot at the Macy’s Rising Star and John Lennon Songwriting competitions, and many more. But somehow, The Big Apple just wasn’t big enough.

“Everything was just going on in L.A.,” says Eddie. “We knew we had to go there.”

The pair soon packed their bags and headed west, releasing “Oh My Love” in January 2015. Galloping forward on a handclap, percussive stomp, and energetic guitar, the song leaps into a soulful hook from Eddie. It’s instantly infectious and impossible to shake.

“I was in traffic on the 101 freeway in Los Angeles,” Eddie continues. “The melody popped into my head, and I immediately sang it to Edan. We found one chord for it to chill on with the rhythmic drums.”

“When we came to L.A., it was a risk for us,” admits Edan. “Being an artist in general, you deal with a lot of rejection. You’re constantly questioning, ‘Do I have what it takes? Are we doing this right?’ That was an ode to ourselves, instilling confidence and serving as a reminder that ‘We’re on the right track, and we’re going to get through this.’ It’s optimistic. We’re about to go higher because we embarked on this adventure in L.A. Anything can happen since we’re working towards this goal.”

It’s a result of the band doing literally everything by themselves—from writing, recording and producing all on their own, to creating state-of-the-art websites, and even a 3D lyric video—entirely from scratch. It’s a foundation constructed on a truly DIY approach, and their hard work paid off, earning The Score a worldwide deal with Republic Records in the summer of 2015, only six short months after their single was released.

“We put so much into this,” Eddie leaves off. “We’d love for people to connect with the music and hopefully feel better.”