
History Formation and early singles success (1990–1991)

They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave". They have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide, including over 4.7 million albums in the UK, and have scored seven consecutive UK number one albums. The Prodigy remain one of the most successful electronic groups of all time. In July 2022, the band completed their first tour since 2019, and their first since Flint's death, also in 2019. The album's third single, " Smack My Bitch Up", was a UK top ten hit and generated considerable controversy over its suggestive lyrics and music video. 1 in 16 countries including the UK and the US, and spawned the UK number one singles " Firestarter" and " Breathe".

The band reached their commercial and critical peak with their third studio album The Fat of the Land (1997), which went to No. After their debut album Experience (1992), the band moved from their rave roots and incorporated techno, breakbeat, and rock influences on their follow-up, the critically-acclaimed Music for the Jilted Generation (1994).

The band emerged during the underground rave scene and achieved early success in 1991 with their debut singles " Charly" and " Everybody in the Place", which reached the UK top five. The Prodigy describe their style as electronic punk. Howlett's rock-inspired drum rhythms infused with electronic rave music beats/breaks were combined with Maxim's omnipresent mystique, Thornhill's shuffle dancing style, and Flint's later modern punk appearance. They were pioneers of the breakbeat-influenced genre big beat, and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. The original line-up also featured dancer and singer Keith Flint and dancer and occasional live keyboard player Leeroy Thornhill, later joined by dancer Sharky and later by MC and vocalist Maxim, until 1991.

The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboard player and songwriter Liam Howlett.
