Formation (trio years) and On Your Feet (2003–2007) The Movement began in 2003 when childhood friends Josh Swain and Jordan Miller reconnected in their hometown of
Columbia, South Carolina, to write songs as a duo. With Swain on guitar and Miller on
congas, the two utilized a
drum machine to complete their sound. Soon after, Jon Ruff, known as "DJ Riggles", joined the group. In March 2004, they released their first studio album,
On Your Feet, which was recorded and mixed at Pat Casey's Modern Music Studios in Columbia, South Carolina. This "alternative reggae" album has proved a mainstay of the reggae/rock genre and is listed at #9 on The Pier's 10 Essential Reggae Rock Albums.
Set Sail and subsequent years (2008–2010) The band continued to build their following with nonstop touring throughout the United States. They enjoyed success in opening for national acts such as
Steel Pulse,
Blues Traveler,
Slightly Stoopid,
The Wailers,
Ludacris,
G.Love & Special Sauce,
Common,
Long Beach Shortbus,
The Wu Tang Clan,
SOJA, and
311. Swain and Miller relocated to
Philadelphia to begin recording what would become their second studio album, 2008's
Set Sail at Philadelphonic Studios with producer Chris DiBeneditto, who had worked with G.Love & Special Sauce, Slightly Stoopid and
The Expendables. DJ Riggles contributed heavily to the album, but left the band before it was released. DiBeneditto contacted local drummer Gary Jackson to sit in with Swain and Miller. The three hit it off immediately and Jackson brought in his friend, guitarist Jay Schmidt, to play bass. The release of
Set Sail proved to be a turning point in their careers and propelled the band into further nonstop touring.
Set Sail had achieved the #7 spot on iTunes' Top 100 Reggae Albums.
Departure of Swain However, in 2010, Swain left the band while on tour in Arizona. He decided to move to
Denver, Colorado, with his girlfriend at the time. Miller kept The Movement marching on by touring for two years. The band added keyboardist John Bowling who was previously in a band with Miller in 2006, called The Executives.
One More Night (2010) They released their third studio album,
One More Night on March 20, 2010. This was the only album featuring Miller as the sole songwriter. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard reggae album chart. Bowling said, three of the songs from
One More Night: "When The Feeling Goes Away", "Lonely At The Top" and "Across the Bridge" were songs that were originally written and performed while he and Bowling played together in The Executives.
Departure of Miller After only one month
One More Night was released, Miller told his bandmates he wanted to quit the band he co-founded. He needed to break away for personal reasons and find a relationship to his own health and well-being. He needed to "get home, get healthy, and spend time with his family". So he walked away from the band abruptly just two hours before a scheduled performance at
Wofford College in
Spartanburg, South Carolina, on April 20, 2012. Even though the members were surprised and hurt by Miller's decision, there was no ill will towards him. Miller also wanted a solo career, which was in the works with The Movement's former manager Marshall Lowe.
Reformation with Swain and Side By Side (2012–2014) Swain's leaving would only be a temporary hiatus, as he returned in 2012 to replace Miller as the lead singer and guitarist. The reformed trio, with Swain newly at the helm, relocated to
San Diego, California, to record their fourth album
Side by Side, which was released in August 2013, and entered the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart at #2. In February 2014, members of the band were arrested for possession of
marijuana. Later that year, the band released "Beneath The Palms", a surprise acoustic album on Thanksgiving Day as a gift to their fans.
Golden (2016) In April 2015, the band released the single, "Rescue" and announced plans to record another album, their fifth LP. The band's next album,
Golden, was released in April 2016 on
Rootfire Cooperative. They collaborated with a
John Brown's Body, Matt Goodwin who played keyboards on the album. It topped the
Billboard Reggae Albums chart. It reached #1 on iTunes, as well. The album was also voted 2016 Album of the Year by Surf Roots Radio. And later that year, keyboardist Ross Bogan joined the band in the spring to go on tour.
Ways of the World (2019) The band released their sixth album
Ways of the World on June 7, 2019. It was produced by musician/reggae music producer John Grey (a.k.a. "Johnny Cosmic"). It features artists
Stick Figure,
Iya Terra, Jacob Hemphill of
SOJA, and Chali 2na of
Jurassic 5. Also known as
WOTW, the album peaked at #1 on the Billboard charts for Reggae Albums. Upon touring in late 2019 Swain relapsed into alcoholism resulting in him being rushed to a Denver hospital over alcohol withdrawal complications. The band now has a strict sober rule on board their tour bus. The Movement was featured as one of many reggae bands on
Collie Buddz riddim album,
Cali Roots Riddim 2020 with their single, "Alien", which was produced by Buddz and mixed by
Stick Figure's touring guitarist, producer Johnny Cosmic. In 2021, The Movement was one of several reggae and punk bands on
The House That Bradley Built, a charity compilation honoring
Sublime's lead singer
Bradley Nowell, helping musicians with substance abuse. They covered Sublime's song "Get Out!"
Always With Me (2022) The Movement recorded their seventh studio album, "Always With Me", which was released on July 29, 2022. It is the band's first self-produced album on their own R4RE Records since their 2004 debut. The album was recorded at White Star Sound, a studio located on a historic farm in the 'backwoods' outside
Charlottesville, Virginia. It's also the same studio where they recorded
Golden and
Ways of the World. Returning to the band is long-time collaborator and former
John Brown's Body member Matt Goodwin on keyboard who toured with the band after being a studio mainstay since 2016's
Golden. The 15-track record features
Clinton Fearon,
HIRIE,
Iration,
Slightly Stoopid, and
SOOM T.
Always With Me was "considered" for a
Grammy Award nomination "Best Reggae Album" at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023. The Movement announced on social media the
Always With Me Deluxe Album, which was released digitally on August 4, 2023. The deluxe album includes two brand new original tracks ("At the End of the Day" and "We Are Young"), five remixed songs (
E.N. Young,
Johnny Cosmic, Little Stranger, and
IzyBeats), and a piano version of "U Don't Know Me". The Movement was one of the many featured reggae rock artists on Crossed Heart Clothing presents
Pop Punk Goes Reggae, Vol. 1, which was produced by frontman Nathan Aurora of
Iya Terra. The 16-track album was released on September 15, 2023 by Ineffable Records. The band covered "
Until the Day I Die" by
Story of the Year.
Visions (2025) On April 26, 2025, the band released the single "Visions" featuring
Stick Figure. They released the album of the same name on July 18, 2025. == Musical style ==