The Prodigy are an English electronic music band formed in Braintree in 1990 by producer, keyboardist, and songwriter Liam Howlett and dancers Keith Flint and Leeroy Thornhill, who respectively went on to contribute vocals and live keyboards on occasion. They were joined by MC and lead vocalist Maxim. AllMusic described the Prodigy as "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave". They are considered to be pioneers of big beat and in a number of breakbeat led musical genres including breaks and breakbeat hardcore. Liam Howlett describes their style as electronic punk.
The band emerged during the underground rave scene and achieved early success in 1991 with their debut singles "Charly" and "Everybody in the Place", which reached the UK top five. After their debut album Experience (1992), the band moved from their rave roots and incorporated techno and breakbeat influences on their follow-up, the critically acclaimed Music for the Jilted Generation (1994). They reached their commercial and critical peak with their third studio album The Fat of the Land (1997), which went to No. 1 in 16 countries, including the UK and the US, and spawned the UK number one singles "Firestarter" and "Breathe" in 1996. The third single, "Smack My Bitch Up", was a UK top ten hit and generated considerable controversy over its suggestive lyrics and music video. Thornhill left the band in 2000 and Flint died in 2019, leaving Howlett and Maxim as the remaining members. After a hiatus, the band returned to stage, with plans to release a new album in 2026.
The Prodigy are one of the most successful electronic groups of all time, selling an estimated 25 million records worldwide including over 4.7 million albums in the UK. They have scored seven consecutive UK number one albums. The band have won many awards during their career, including two Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act, three MTV Video Music Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and two Grammy Award nominations.
