Jack Stauber Explained

Jack Stauber
Birth Date:6 April 1996
Alma Mater:University of Pittsburgh
Module:
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Alias:Jack Stauber's Micropop
Years Active:2007–present
Label:Plopscotch Records
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Channel Name:JackStauber
Years Active:2013–present
Subscribers:3.07 million
Views:431 million
Silver Button:yes
Silver Year:2018
Gold Button:yes
Gold Year:2021
Stats Update:8 May 2024

Jack Stauber (born April 6, 1996)[1] is an American musician, animator, and internet personality based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] He is widely known for his VHS-aesthetic live-action, stop motion, and computer animated music videos, which have been featured in internet memes.

Stauber has released the albums Finite Form (2013), Viator (2015), Pop Food (2017), and HiLo (2018). The first two tracks of Pop Food, "Buttercup" and "Oh Klahoma," went viral on TikTok. In 2020, he won the Shorty Award for Best in Weird.

Career

Stauber majored in marketing and minored in studio arts[2] at the University of Pittsburgh.[3] Stauber fronted the band Joose. While he was a college senior, he joined the band Zaki as its lead singer; the band released a self-titled album in 2018.[4]

Stauber's song, "Buttercup", is the opening song released on his 2017 album Pop Food. The song, along with remixes and covers of it, became a popular internet meme, especially on TikTok,[5] which contributed substantially to its success. The song has 425 million Spotify streams as of July 2024. The song has been described as "bubbly, dramatic pop with Panda Bear-esque vocals.". "Oh Klahoma", the second track from Pop Food, also became popular. The song is used as background music in a TikTok trend called #ghostphotoshoot, where creators dress up as ghosts and take photos of themselves, sometimes wearing sunglasses and other fashion accessories.[6]

Stauber also publishes under the name "Jack Stauber's Micropop", releasing extended versions of short songs found on his YouTube channel. Under the Micropop name, Stauber has released six EPs and one compilation album, along with two soundtracks for his works with Adult Swim.

Adult Swim

The first short Stauber created for Adult Swim was called "Wishing Apple," a short released on July 3, 2018 on the Adult Swim YouTube channel.[7]

The next was "Valentine's Day is Not for the Lonely," which premiered on Off The Air's season eight episode "Love" on August 28, 2018. The short was released earlier, on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018.[8]

The surrealist musical comedy "SHOP: A Pop Opera" premiered on Adult Swim in March 2019. The series utilizes mixed media, incorporated clay animation, music, and VHS-like filters. The six-part series aired each episode at midnight from March 4 to March 9.

A short surrealist musical psychological horror film, entitled "Jack Stauber's OPAL", premiered on October 30, 2020.[9] [10] The same day, OPAL was also released on the Adult Swim YouTube channel.[11] Stauber also received help from the producers at Williams Street for the creation of OPAL. The film utilizes stop-motion, 3D-animated, and live action segments.[12] [13]

Style

Meg Fair of Pittsburgh City Paper highlighted Stauber's knack of "pulling unrelated sounds and influences into [his] music, throwing them into a bowl and tossing them into a strange salad that challenges your musical taste buds." Jenna Minnig of PennState CommMedia compared Stauber's voice and hypnagogic pop style to Ariel Pink's, but said it was reductionary to compare the two. Knoxville News Sentinels Chuck Campbell described Stauber's music videos as "nostalgic and childlike, but there’s also something disturbingly adult about them, the kind of thing that might have surfaced on Pee-wee's Playhouse back in the day."

Music

Stauber is well known for his hypnagogic pop, avant-pop,[14] and synth-pop music. Stauber's unique vocal effects are developed in the shower, and are inspired by Donovan's song "Hurdy Gurdy Man". Stauber collects objects to create sounds to use in songs, and has a drawer filled with "various noise-makers" he has collected.

Artists that have expressed admiration for Stauber's music include indie singer-songwriter Sidney Gish[15] and model Paris Jackson.[16] [17]

Videos

Stauber's videos utilize a mixture of different types of media, such as traditional animation, 3D computer animation, claymation,[18] and live action. Almost all voices in these videos are done by Stauber himself. His videos are usually separated into three styles: "surreal", characters with odd and striking facial expressions and frequently part of his claymations, "colorful", which are usually featured in his VHS animations and music videos, and "Stauber faces", light-skinned characters with cartoon noses.

To create his animations, Stauber uses Microsoft Paint for the drawings. He then sequences the frames in Adobe Premiere Pro, and then runs the finished video through a VHS tape.

Teeth are often referenced in Stauber's music and videos. Teeth featured in Stauber's videos are most often fake, these false teeth being created using resin, though he has also sometimes used actual teeth in his work.

Discography

As Jack Stauber

Albums

TitleDetails
Finite Form[20]
  • Released: March 18, 2013
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Viator[21]
  • Released: September 18, 2015
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming, CD
Pop Food[22]
  • Released: March 25, 2017
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming, CD, vinyl
HiLo[23] [24] [25]
  • Released: April 14, 2018
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming, CD, vinyl

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Help You"2012rowspan="7"
"Axis of Dam"
"Lines"
"Summer Sickness"
"Left"
"Times"
"Juana Maria"2013
"Christ Potion"2015Viator
"Grins Hells"rowspan="2"
"Tenderly"2017
"Oh Klahoma"Pop Food
"Dead Weight"2018HiLo
"Gettin' My Mom On"

Jack Stauber's Micropop

Albums

TitleDetails
Micropop
  • Released: June 29, 2019
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Shop: A Pop Opera
  • Released: March 12, 2020
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Jack Stauber's OPAL (Original Soundtrack)
  • Released: November 6, 2020
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming

Singles and EPs

TitleDetails
Inchman / Two Time
  • Released: June 4, 2018
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Cheeseburger Family / Fighter
  • Released: August 6, 2018
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
The Ballad of Hamantha / Today Today / Al Dente
  • Released: November 5, 2018
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Baby Hotline / Tea Errors
  • Released: March 21, 2019
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Deploy / Those Eggs Aren't Dippy / Out the Ox
  • Released: November 4, 2019
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Dinner Is Not Over / There's Something Happening / Keyman / Cupid
  • Released: February 7, 2020
  • Label: Plopscotch Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zistler. Andrew. July 20, 2018. An Interview With Jack Stauber. live. June 6, 2020. NewRetroWave. en-US. September 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210920084226/https://newretrowave.com/2018/07/20/an-interview-with-jack-stauber/.
  2. Web site: Glitz. Henry. April 13, 2017. Jack Stauber. live. May 5, 2021. Pitt News. February 14, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220214095944/https://pittnews.com/article/126935/silhouettes-2017/jack-stauber/.
  3. Web site: Minnig. Jenna. April 18, 2018. Jack Stauber - HiLo Album Review. live. May 10, 2021. commmedia.psu.edu. en. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155613/https://www.commmedia.psu.edu/special-coverage/story/jack-stauber-hilo-album-review.
  4. Web site: Connor. Sarah. March 13, 2018. Zaki defies genre in debut of self-titled album. live. May 23, 2021. The Pitt News. October 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211027190853/https://pittnews.com/article/128801/arts-and-entertainment/zaki-defies-genre-in-debut-of-self-titled-album/.
  5. Web site: Serra. Maria. 2020-11-05. 10 artists you've heard on TikTok who you actually need to listen to. 2021-04-01. Alternative Press. en-US. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155555/https://www.altpress.com/features/popular-tiktok-songs-alternative/. live.
  6. Web site: Ainsworth. Harry. September 24, 2020. Seriously, why is everyone dressing up as ghosts on TikTok right now?. live. May 18, 2021. The Tab. May 18, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210518160827/https://thetab.com/uk/2020/09/24/dressing-up-as-ghosts-tiktok-176311.
  7. Web site: Stauber. Jack. July 3, 2018. Wishing Apple adult swim smalls. live. May 9, 2021. YouTube. Jack Stauber. August 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210826035212/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lzQWC57HSc.
  8. Web site: Stauber. Jack. February 14, 2018. Valentine's Day is Not for the Lonely. live. May 9, 2021. YouTube. Jack Stauber. May 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509202731/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WUwfQlrlqA.
  9. Web site: 'Shop: A Pop Opera' Is Tops, Full of Bops, and You Should Watch Chop-Chop. Keeley. Matt. March 11, 2019. Kittysneezes. en-US. June 6, 2020. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155557/https://kittysneezes.com/shop-a-pop-opera/. live.
  10. Grutter. Felipe. March 3, 2021. Conheça o bizarro mundo de Jack Stauber, rei do Micropop e animador do Adult Swim. April 1, 2021. Rolling Stone. pt-br.
  11. Web site: Stauber. Jack. October 31, 2020. Jack Stauber's OPAL adult swim smalls. live. May 9, 2021. YouTube. Adult Swim. May 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509202732/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pVLJl_snc.
  12. Web site: Milligan. Mercedes. October 28, 2020. Adult Swim Scares Up Halloween Marathon. November 5, 2020. Animation Magazine. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155555/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/adult-swim-scares-up-halloween-marathon/. live.
  13. Web site: Field. Matthew. November 14, 2020. 'Opal' is a unique, surreal animation. live. April 1, 2021. Go! & Express. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155557/https://www.goexpress.co.za/2020/11/14/opal-is-a-unique-surreal-animation/.
  14. Web site: Fair. Meg. February 14, 2018. Critics' Pick: Spish's Love Dungeon. live. February 14, 2018. Pittsburgh City Paper. May 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210523015414/https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/critics-pick-spishs-love-dungeon/Content?oid=6655474.
  15. Web site: Connolly. Mikayla. November 19, 2020. Sidney Gish Impresses Horn @ Home With Unique Sound. live. May 19, 2021. The Kenyon Collegian. May 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210519123745/https://kenyoncollegian.com/arts/2020/11/sidney-gish-impresses-horn-home-with-unique-sound/.
  16. Web site: Nur Pervan. Melek. November 19, 2020. Michael Jackson Daughter Paris Explains The Meaning Of Almost Every Single Tattoo On Her Body. live. May 19, 2021. Metalhead Zone. May 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210519195104/https://metalheadzone.com/michael-jackson-daughter-paris-explains-the-meaning-of-almost-every-single-tattoo-on-her-body/.
  17. Web site: Gursoy. Eren Merdan. 2020-08-18. Paris Jackson Shows Off Her New Tattoo And Says She Did It Herself. 2021-06-01. Metalhead Zone. en-US. June 2, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213741/https://metalheadzone.com/paris-jackson-shows-off-her-new-tattoo-and-says-she-did-it-herself/. live.
  18. Web site: Campbell. Chuck. December 13, 2019. The Weeknd grows, despite odd timing. live. 2021-06-14. Knoxville News Sentinel. en-US. February 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217010539/https://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/columnists/chuck-campbell/2019/12/13/harry-styles-fine-line-review-liam-payne-lp-1-one-direction-chainsmokers-world-war-joy-drew-taggart/4415156002/.
  19. Web site: jackstauber - Weird - The Shorty Awards. Shorty Awards. June 6, 2020. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155601/https://shortyawards.com/12th/jackstauber. live.
  20. Web site: Warren. Nick. March 29, 2017. Jack Stauber // Pop Food. June 6, 2020. Erie Reader. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155555/https://www.eriereader.com/article/jack-stauber--pop-food. live.
  21. Web site: Warren. Nick. January 1, 2020. Ten Local Picks from the 2010s. June 6, 2020. Erie Reader. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155556/https://www.eriereader.com/article/ten-local-picks-from-the-2010s. live.
  22. Web site: Fair. Meg. April 12, 2017. New Releases - Jack Stauber's Pop Food. live. April 1, 2021. Pittsburgh City Paper. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155555/https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/new-releases/Content?oid=2584225.
  23. Web site: Fair. Meg. April 25, 2018. Jack Stauber releases absurdist pop-record HiLo. live. April 1, 2021. Pittsburgh City Paper. April 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210423180422/https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/jack-stauber-releases-absurdist-pop-record-hilo/Content?oid=7956275.
  24. Web site: Sabella. Roman. April 11, 2018. Jack Stauber to Release Third Solo Album HiLo at Basement Transmissions. live. 2021-04-01. Erie Reader. February 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217010531/https://www.eriereader.com/article/jack-stauber-to-release-third-solo-album-hilo-at-basement-transmissions.
  25. Web site: Warren. Nick. April 25, 2018. Jack Stauber // HiLo. live. 2021-04-01. Erie Reader. February 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216155558/https://www.eriereader.com/article/jack-stauber-hilo.
  26. Web site: Stauber. Jack. September 18, 2017. Jack Stauber - Reviator EP. live. May 4, 2021. YouTube. Jack Stauber. May 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210504145747/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ05Jjg8EBc.

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