Ratboys

10 years ago this April, Chicago’s Ratboys put out their first collection of songs. The RATBOY EP, consisting of five indie-folk dorm room recordings, was free to download on Bandcamp and humbly passed around to friends on social media. 

Cut to 2021, and Ratboys would normally be celebrating their 10-year anniversary on the road, playing a mix of songs from their very first release to their most recent, last year’s critically-acclaimed Printer’s Devil. Instead, just two weeks after the album’s February 2020 release and mere days before heading out on their first headline tour, the COVID-19 pandemic forced all touring to a halt. Despite not being able to play in-person shows for the past year, Ratboys has managed to stay busy by performing their music online via their own Virtual Tour series and by finding a different way to celebrate their first decade of being a band.

Talks

Ratboys and Remember Sports Made Their New Record in the Same Room

By Ratboys | March 24, 2026

Ratboys and Remember Sports Made Their New Record in the Same Room

Julia Steiner and Carmen Perry catch up about Electrical Audio, Death Cab for Cutie, and more.

Best of 2023: Sufjan Stevens’s Javelin Blew Ratboys Away

By Ratboys | January 2, 2024

Best of 2023: Sufjan Stevens’s Javelin Blew Ratboys Away

Julia Steiner on her favorite record of the year.

El Kempner Loves That Ratboy Shit

By Ratboys | August 24, 2023

El Kempner Loves That Ratboy Shit

The Palehound frontperson catches up with Julia Steiner about their new records.

A Guide to Ratboys’ Happy Birthday, Ratboy

By Ratboys | April 12, 2021

A Guide to Ratboys’ Happy Birthday, Ratboy

The Chicago band takes us track-by-track through their new album.