Songs Similar to Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People
Released 2010 · Album: Torches · Indie · Happy
"Pumped Up Kicks" was written and recorded by Mark Foster and shared online in 2010, before it became the breakout single from Foster the People's 2011 debut album, Torches. Its sound is deceptively breezy: a rubbery, looping bass line, a laid-back beat, a whistled hook, and a vocal filtered to sound like it is coming through a cheap speaker, opening into a bright, falsetto-tinged chorus. Underneath that sunny surface, the lyrics describe a troubled teenager planning violence, a contrast that has kept listeners talking about it.
Songs that sound like "Pumped Up Kicks" tend to mix indie rock with electronic pop: groovy bass, lo-fi or filtered vocals, simple synth textures, and catchy whistled or chanted hooks. Look for upbeat, mid-tempo grooves and a slightly hazy, summery production, often paired with lyrics darker than the music suggests. It belongs to the late-2000s and early-2010s indie-pop and synth-pop wave that crossed from blogs to mainstream radio.
20 songs similar to “Pumped Up Kicks”
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Data: Last.fm, updated 2026-10-11.
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FAQ about “Pumped Up Kicks”
What songs are similar to Pumped Up Kicks?
The closest matches pair a relaxed, bass-driven indie-pop groove with hazy, filtered vocals and hummable hooks, often hiding moodier lyrics beneath a bright, summery sound. On our list, the closest matches are “Houdini” by Foster the People, “Call It What You Want” by Foster the People and “What You Know” by Two Door Cinema Club.
Who does Pumped Up Kicks sound like?
"Pumped Up Kicks" is regularly compared to MGMT, whose blog-era hits blended indie rock with playful electronic pop. Passion Pit is another frequent reference for its synth-heavy hooks and high vocals. Listeners also link it to Empire of the Sun for the sunny, psychedelic production, and to Two Door Cinema Club and Grouplove, which shared the same early-2010s indie radio space.
Is Pumped Up Kicks Indie?
Yes, mostly. It is usually labelled indie pop or indie rock, and it came out of the blog-driven indie scene before going mainstream. Its sound leans more toward electronic and dance-pop than guitar rock, with bass and synths doing most of the work. So "indie pop" or "indietronica" describes it better than straight indie rock, even though it became a major-label hit.
How do you find similar songs to Pumped Up Kicks?
Follow the groove and the contrast. Search for early-2010s indie pop with prominent bass lines, whistled hooks, and filtered vocals, and look at the blog-era bands that crossed into alternative radio around 2010 to 2012. "Indie summer" and "2010s alternative hits" playlists are useful, as are songs known for upbeat music with dark lyrics. SongSimilar's list above ranks matches using listening data rather than tags alone.