Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. Singer and bassist Ken Casey has been the band's only constant member. Other current members include drummer Matt Kelly (1997– ), singer Al Barr (1998– ), guitarist James Lynch (2000– ), multi-instrumentalist Tim Brennan (2003– ) and multi-instrumentalist Jeff DaRosa (2007– ).
The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and building a reputation locally through constant touring and yearly St. Patrick's Day week shows, held in and around Boston. The 2004 single, "Tessie" became the band's first mainstream hit and one of their biggest charting singles to date.
The band's final Hellcat release, 2005's The Warrior's Code, included the song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston." The song was featured in the 2006 film The Departed, and went on to become the band's only platinum-selling single to date. It remains one of their best-known songs. The band is known for their loud, energetic live shows.
In 2007, the band began releasing music through their own imprint label, Born & Bred via Alternative Distribution Alliance. 2007's The Meanest of Times made its debut at No. 20 on the Billboard charts and featured the successful single, "The State of Massachusetts", while 2011's Going Out in Style was an even bigger success, making its debut at No. 6, giving the band their highest-charting album to date. The band's eighth studio album, Signed and Sealed in Blood was released in 2013 making its debut at No. 9 on the Billboard charts and featured the single "The Season's Upon Us", a Christmas song that was one of the band's highest-charting singles, and the single, "Rose Tattoo" which has become one of their most popular songs. The band's ninth album, 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, which was released on January 6, 2017, debuted at number 8 on the Billboard charts and rose to number 2 on the charts. Their tenth album, Turn Up That Dial, was released on April 30, 2021. Their eleventh album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, was released on September 30, 2022. Their twelfth album, Okemah Rising, was released on May 12, 2023.
