Rooted in their Irish Boston upbringing, the punk band Dropkick Murphys disrupted the mainstream rock scene with their Celtic-inspired hits.
∙ Formed in 1996, the band was named after the former Massachusetts-born pro wrestler Dr. John “Dropkick” Murphy.
∙ Reinventing the long-established Boston Red Sox anthem, “Tessie,” the band released their own hit version in 2004, which is still played after every home team win at Fenway Park.
∙ Their 2005 breakout hit, “I’m Shipping up to Boston,” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, and earned the band their first Platinum certification in 2010.
∙ In 2007, they performed the final show ever at Boston’s legendary club the Avalon, which later became the site of the city’s famous House of Blues venue.
∙ Their hit single “The State of Massachusetts” was included on Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Songs of 2007 list.
∙ Going Out In Style, their 2011 LP, climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
∙ Their 2020 livestream concert from Fenway Park marked the first-show ever without a live crowd at a major US ballpark or stadium, and went on to raise over $700,000 for COVID-19 relief.