Moby | |
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.jpg) Moby performing in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Melville Hall |
| Born | (1965-09-11)September 11, 1965 (age 59) New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1983–present |
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| Website | moby |
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Richard Melville Hall (September 11, 1965), known professionally asMoby, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer,disc jockey, andanimal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide.AllMusic considers him to be "among the most importantdance music figures of the early 1990s, helping bring dance music to a mainstream audience both in the United States and the United Kingdom".[1]
After taking up guitar and piano at age nine, he played in several underground punk rock bands through the 1980s before turning to electronic dance music. In 1989, he moved to New York City and became a prolific figure as a DJ, producer and remixer. His 1991 single "Go" was his mainstream breakthrough, especially in Europe, where it peaked within the top ten of the charts in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Between 1992 and 1997 he scored eight top 10 hits on theBillboard Dance Club Songs chart including "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)", "Feeling So Real", and "James Bond Theme (Moby Re-Version)". Throughout the decade he also produced music under various pseudonyms, released the critically acclaimedEverything Is Wrong (1995) and composed music for films. His punk-oriented albumAnimal Rights (1996) alienated much of his fan base.[2]
Moby found commercial and critical success with his fifth albumPlay (1999), which, after receiving little recognition, became an unexpected global hit in 2000 after each track was licensed to films, television shows, and commercials. It remains his highest selling album with 12 million copies sold.[3] Its seventh single, "South Side", featuringGwen Stefani, remains his only one to appear on the USBillboard Hot 100, reaching No. 14. Moby followedPlay with albums of varied styles including electronic, dance, rock, anddowntempo music, starting with18 (2002),Hotel (2005), andLast Night (2008). His later albums saw him exploreambient music, including the almost four-hour releaseLong Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep. (2016). Moby continues to record and release albums; his twenty-first studio album,Resound NYC, was released in May 2023.
In addition to his music career, Moby is known for hisveganism and support for animal rights and humanitarian aid. He was the owner ofTeaNY, a vegan cafe in Manhattan, andLittle Pine, a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, and organized the vegan music and food festival Circle V. He is the author of four books, including a collection of his photography and two memoirs:Porcelain: A Memoir (2016) andThen It Fell Apart (2019).
Richard Melville Hall was born September 11, 1965, in the neighborhood ofHarlem in Manhattan, New York City. He is an only child of Elizabeth McBride (née Warner), a medical secretary, and James Frederick Hall, a chemistry professor, who died in a car crash while drunk when Moby was two.[4][5][6][7] His father gave him the nickname Moby three days after his birth as his parents considered the name Richard too large for a newborn baby. The name was also a reference to the ancestry Hall says he was told by his family,[8][9] though he is not directly related toHerman Melville, author ofMoby-Dick.[10] Moby is distantly related toDavid Melville, inventor of the first United States-patented gas light system.[11]
Moby was raised by his mother, first in San Francisco from 1969 for a short period. He recalled being sexually abused by a staff member at his daycare during this time.[12] This was followed by a move toDarien, Connecticut,[13][14] living in a squat with "three or four other drug-addicted hippies, with bands playing in the basement."[15] The two then moved toStratford, Connecticut, for a brief time.[16] His mother struggled to support her son, often relying on food stamps and government welfare.[4] They occasionally stayed with Moby's grandparents in Darien, but the affluence of theConnecticut suburb made him feel poor and ashamed.[15] Shortly before his mother's death in 1997, Moby learned from her that he has a half brother.[15] His first job was a caddy at a golf course.[17]
Moby took up music at the age of nine.[18] He started on classical guitar and received piano lessons from his mother[8] before studying jazz, music theory, and percussion. In 1983, he became the guitarist in ahardcore punk band, theVatican Commandos, playing on their debut EPHit Squad for God.[19] Around this time he was the lead vocalist forFlipper for two days; Moby played bass for their reunion shows in the 2000s.[20] Moby formed apost-punk group named AWOL around the time of his eighteenth birthday. He is credited on their only release, a self-titled EP, as Moby Hall.[21]
In 1983, Moby graduated fromDarien High School[22] and started a philosophy degree at theUniversity of Connecticut inStorrs, Connecticut. Around this time he had found the instruments he had learned "sonically limiting" and moved to electronic music.[23] He spun records at the campus radio stationWHUS, which led to DJ work in local clubs and bars.[8] Moby grew increasingly unhappy at university, however, and transferred toState University of New York at Purchase, studying philosophy and photography, to try and renew his interest in studying. He dropped out in April 1984 to pursue DJing and music full-time, which started his interest inelectronic dance music.[4][24][25] For two years he lived inGreenwich, Connecticut, where he DJ'd at The Cafe, an under-21 nightclub at the back of a church.[26][27] In 1987, he started to send demos of his music to record labels in New York City; he failed to receive an offer, which led to a two-year period of "very fruitless labor".[27] Around 1988, Moby moved into a semi-abandoned factory inStamford, Connecticut, that had no bathroom or running water, but the free electricity supply allowed him to work on his music,[25] using a 4-track recorder, synthesizer, and drum machine.[28]
Moby cites English bandOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) as "heroes", without whom he would never have begun making electronic music.[29][30] His other formative influences includeNick Drake,Suicide,Silver Apples,Eric B. & Rakim, andPublic Enemy.[31]
In 1989, Moby relocated to New York City with his close friend, artistDamian Loeb.[13][21] In addition to performing DJ sets in local bars and clubs, he played guitar inalternative rock groupUltra Vivid Scene and appeared in the video for their 1989 single "Mercy Seat".[32][33] In 1990, Moby joined Shopwell and played on their albumPeanuts.[34][35] Moby's first live electronic music gig followed in the summer of 1990 at Club MK; he wore a suit for the show.[27][36] His future manager Eric Härle, who was in attendance, recalled Moby's set: "The music was amazing, but the show was riddled with technical mishaps. It left me very intrigued and impressed in a strange way."[37]
By mid-1990, Moby had signed a deal as the sole artist ofInstinct Records, an independent New York City-based dance label then still in its infancy. The three-man operation saw Moby answer incoming calls and make records in a studio he set up in the owner's lounge.[38] To appear that Instinct had more artists, Moby's early singles were put out under several names such as Voodoo Child, Barracuda, Brainstorm, and UHF.[27] The first, "Time's Up" as The Brotherhood, was co-written by Moby and vocalist Jimmy Mack.[39][40] This was followed by "Mobility", his first single released as Moby, in November 1990, which sold an initial 2,000 copies.[36] He then scored a breakthrough hit with a remix of "Go", originally a B-side to "Mobility" with an added sample of "Laura Palmer's Theme" byAngelo Badalamenti from the television seriesTwin Peaks. Released in March 1991, it peaked at No. 10 in the UK in October and earned him national exposure there with an appearance onTop of the Pops.[37] Instinct capitalised on Moby's success with the late 1991 compilationInstinct Dance featuring tracks by Moby and his pseudonyms. The following year, Moby revealed that "Go" had earned him just $2,000 in royalties.[40]
The success of "Go" led to increased demand for Moby to produce more music and to remix other artists' songs. He often arranged for the artist and himself to trade remixes as opposed to being paid for his work, which was the case for his mixes forBilly Corgan andSoundgarden.[41] The increased mainstream exposure led Moby to request a release from his contract with Instinct for a bigger label. Instinct refused, so Moby retaliated by holding out on new material. However, Instinct continued to put out records, mostly from demos, without his consent having previously copied many of his tapes and had the master rights.[8][38] This was the case for Moby's debut album,Moby, released in July 1992 and formed mostly of previously unreleased demos that Moby considered old and unrepresentative of the musical direction he had taken since. Nonetheless, he claimed Instinct had insisted and had the legal right to put it out.[42][43] It was re-titledThe Story So Far and presented with a different track listing for its UK release. Four singles were released: "Go", "Drop a Beat", "Next Is the E", and a double A-side of "I Feel It" with "Thousand". The latter was recognised byGuinness World Records as the fastest tempo in a recorded song at 1,015beats-per-minute.[16][44]
In 1992, Moby completed his first US tour as the opening act forthe Shamen.[27][45] In mid-1992, Moby estimated that he had earned between $8,000 to $11,000 a year for the past six years.[40] At the 1992Mixmag awards, he smashed his keyboard after his set.[36] After his second nationwide tour, this time withthe Prodigy andRichie Hawtin, in early 1993,[27] a second compilation of Moby's work for Instinct followed namedEarly Underground. His second and final album on Instinct,Ambient, was released in August 1993. It is a collection of mostlyambient techno instrumentals of a more experimental style. By this time Instinct had agreed to release Moby who then took legal action, claiming that the label demanded "a ridiculous amount of money" that he did not have to leave. He also expressed disagreements over the way Instinct had packaged and handled his music.[45] Moby was eventually released after he paid the label $10,000.[23]
In 1993, Moby signed withElektra Records, which lasted for five years. He secured a deal withMute Records, a British label, to handle his European distribution.[21][46] Moby's output for Elektra/Mute began withMove, a four-track EP released in August 1993. He attempted to make it in a professional studio, but he disliked the results and re-recorded it at home. The song "All That I Need Is to Be Loved (MV)" is his first song to feature his own vocals.[45] The first single, "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)", reached No. 1 on the USBillboardHot Dance Music/Club Play chart and No. 21 in the UK.[47] In 1993, Moby toured as the headlining act withOrbital andAphex Twin. A rift developed between Aphex Twin and himself, partly due to Moby's refusal to tolerate their cigarette smoke, so he travelled to each gig by plane, leaving the rest on the tour bus.[36] In 1994, Moby put outDemons/Horses, an electronic album of two 20-minute tracks under the name Voodoo Child.[48]
Moby's contract with Elektra allowed the opportunity to make his third full-length album, which was underway in 1994. He chose to include a variety of musical styles on the album that he either liked or had been influenced by, including electronic dance, ambient, rock, and industrial music.Everything Is Wrong was released in March 1995 to critical praise;Spin magazine named it Album of the Year and some commentators considered it to be an album ahead of its time as it failed to crack theBillboard 200 or have an impact on the dance charts.[49][50] In the UK, the album reached No. 25 and the singles "Hymn" and "Feeling So Real" went to Nos. 31 and 30, respectively. Elektra took advantage of its diverse sound by distributing tracks of the same style to corresponding radio stations nationwide.[8] Early copies put out in the UK and Germany included a bonus CD of ambient music entitledUnderwater. Moby toured the album with some headline spots on the second stage at the 1995Lollapalooza festival.[50] He followed it with a double remix album,Everything Is Wrong—Mixed and Remixed.
The success ofEverything Is Wrong had Moby reach a new peak in critical acclaim. TheLos Angeles Times thought the 29-year-old Moby was "poised for greatness [...] to make that big crossover" from a respected underground artist to a mainstream dance and rock musician.[50]Billboard declared him "King of techno" andSpin named him "the closest techno comes to a complete artist."[51] In 1995, Moby was approached byCourtney Love to produce the nextHole album, but he declined.[36] He directed the music video for "Young Man's Stride" byMercury Rev.[52] In 1995 and 1996, Moby put out a number of "self-indulgent dance" singles under the pseudonyms Lopez and DJ Cake on Trophy Records, his own Mute imprint, so he could release material that he was interested in without concern for its commercial impact.[24] In 1996, Moby contributed "Republican Party" to the AIDS benefit albumOffbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip produced by theRed Hot Organization and released his second Voodoo Child album,The End of Everything.[53]
While touringEverything Is Wrong, Moby had grown bored with the electronic scene and felt the press had failed to understand his records and take them seriously. This marked a major stylistic change for his next album,Animal Rights, combining guitar-driven rock songs with Moby on lead vocals and softer ambient tracks.[54][55] Upon completing the album Moby said that it was "weird, long, self-indulgent and difficult".[37][53] Its lead single is a cover version of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" by post-punk groupMission of Burma.Animal Rights was released in September 1996 in the UK, where it peaked at No. 38, and in February 1997 in the US. It was poorly received by his dance fan base who felt Moby had abandoned them, creating doubts as to what kind of artist Moby really was. Moby pointed out that he had not abandoned his electronic music completely and had worked on dance and house mixes and film scores while makingAnimal Rights.[41][56]
AfterAnimal Rights, Moby's manager recalled: "We found ourselves struggling for even the slightest bit of recognition. He became a has-been in the eyes of a lot of people in the industry".[37] Despite the hit in sales and critical response, Moby promoted the album with a European tour withRed Hot Chili Peppers andSoundgarden, and headlined the Big Top tour with other dance and electronic DJs.[55] He returned to the genre after liking thehouse music that a friend and DJ had played at a party.[56] In October 1997, Moby displayed his range of music styles with the release ofI Like to Score, a compilation of his film soundtrack work with some re-recorded tracks.[55][57] Among them are updated version of the "James Bond Theme" used forTomorrow Never Dies, music used inScream, and a cover of "New Dawn Fades" byJoy Division, an instrumental version of which appeared inHeat.[57][58] Late 1997 saw Moby start his first US tour in two years.[59]
In 1998, Elektra granted Moby's request to be released from his deal on the condition that he paid to leave, which amounted to "quite a lot". He felt Elektra did little to capitalise on the critical success ofEverything Is Wrong, and that it was only interested in radio friendly hits.[60] Left without an American distributor, his only deal remained with the UK-based Mute Records.[21][61] Moby considered himself an artist that did not belong to a major label as his music did not fit with the genres that they promoted.[46]
Moby's fifth album,Play, was released by Mute andV2 Records in May 1999. The project originated when a music journalist introduced Moby to thefield recordings ofAlan Lomax from the compilation albumSounds of the South: A Musical Journey From the Georgia Sea Islands to the Mississippi Delta. Moby took an interest in the songs and formed samples from various tracks which he used to base new tracks of his own.[62] Upon release in May 1999,Play had moderate sales but eventually sold over 10 million copies worldwide.[63] Moby toured worldwide in support of the album, which lasted 22 months.[64] Every track onPlay was licensed to various films, advertisements, and television shows, as well as independent films and non-profit groups.[65] The move was criticised and led to some to consider that Moby had become a sellout, but he later maintained that the licenses were granted mostly to independent films and non-profit projects, and agreed to them due to the difficulty of getting his music heard on the radio and television in the past.[17] In 2007,The Washington Post published an article about a mathematical equation dubbed the "Moby quotient" that determined to what degree had a musical artist sold out. It was named in reference to his decision to license music fromPlay.[17][66]
In 2000, Moby contributed "Flower" toGone in 60 Seconds.[67] He co-wrote "Is It Any Wonder" withSophie Ellis-Bextor for her debut solo album,Read My Lips.Moby: Play - The DVD, released in 2001, features the music videos produced for the album, live performances, and other bonus features. It was nominated for aGrammy Award forBest Long Form Music Video.[68] In 2001, Moby founded theArea:One Festival which toured the US and Canada across 17 shows that summer with a range of artists. The set includedOutkast,New Order,Incubus,Nelly Furtado, andPaul Oakenfold, with Moby headlining.
Moby started on the follow-up toPlay in late 2000.[21] Prior to working on tracks for18, he got friends to search for records with vocals that he could use and make samples from and went on to write over 140 songs for the album.[69] At the same time, Moby familiarised himself with theProTools software and made18 with it.[21] Released in May 2002,18 went to No. 1 in the UK and eleven other countries, and No. 4 in the US. It went on to sell over four million copies worldwide.[70] Moby toured extensively for bothPlay and18, playing over 500 shows in the next four years.[71] The tour included theArea2 Festival in the summer of 2002, featuring a line-up of Moby,David Bowie,Blue Man Group,Busta Rhymes, andCarl Cox.[72] In December 2002, during a tour stop atParadise Rock Club in Boston, Moby was punched in the face and sprayed withmace by two or three assailants while signing autographs outside the venue. The incident left him with multiple bruises and cuts.[73]
In February 2002, Moby performed at the closing ceremony of theWinter Olympics.[36] That month he hosted the half-hourMTV seriesSeñor Moby's House of Music, presenting a selection of electronic and dance music videos.[74] His song "Extreme Ways" was used in all five of theBourne films, from 2002 to 2016.[75] Moby said that after it was used for the first, the producers originally sought a different artist for the second but they had too little time to secure someone, leading them to pick "Extreme Ways" for the entire series.[76] In 2002, rapperEminem mocked Moby in his song "Without Me" and its music video, dressing up like him and calling him an "old baldheaded fag" and his techno music outdated. Eminem had also shot a mock figure of Moby on stage. Moby put the attack down to Eminem having "this unrequited crush on me."[77]
In 2003, Moby headlined theGlastonbury Festival on the final day.[78] He co-wrote and produced "Early Mornin'" forBritney Spears' albumIn the Zone released that year. Moby returned to his dance andrave roots with the release ofBaby Monkey, the third album under his Voodoo Child moniker, in 2004.[79] Later that year, he collaborated withPublic Enemy on "Make Love Fuck War", a protest song against theIraq War.[80]
Moby's seventh album,Hotel, was released in March 2005. The album contains little use of samples, which Moby reasoned to using different audio recording software which had a sampling function that was too difficult to learn, "so it was me just being lazy". He nonetheless said thatHotel is a more satisfying album as a result.[81] The instruments were recorded live by Moby except for the drums, for which he enlisted his longtime live drummer Scott Frassetto. The album features vocals from six other performers, includingLaura Dawn andShayna Steele.[82] In 2013, Moby looked back on the album as his least favourite of his career, pointing out that it was the only one not recorded at his home studio.[20] The singles "Lift Me Up" and "Slipping Away" became top-10 hits across Europe.[83] Early copies of the album included a bonus CD of remixes and ambient music entitledHotel: Ambient that was released on its own in 2014.[84]
In 2006, he accepted an offer to score the soundtrack forRichard Kelly's 2007 movieSouthland Tales, because he was a fan of Kelly's previous film,Donnie Darko.[85] In 2007, Moby also started a rock band, The Little Death with his friendsLaura Dawn,Daron Murphy, andAaron A. Brooks.[86] Following the dissolution of V2 Records in 2007, Moby signed a new deal with Mute Records to handle his American distribution.[87] In 2007 Moby produced and performed on a remake of "The Bulrushes" byThe Bongos that appeared on the special anniversary edition of the group's debut albumDrums Along the Hudson, onCooking Vinyl Records. From 2007 to 2008 he ran a series of New York club events titled "Degenerates".[88][89]
In 2008, Moby releasedLast Night, an electronic dance album inspired by a night out in his New York City neighborhood. The album was recorded in Moby's home studio and features various guest vocalists, including Wendy Starland, MCGrandmaster Caz, Sylvia of Kudu, MC Aynzli, and the Nigerian 419 Squad.[90] The singles fromLast Night include "Alice" and "Disco Lies".
Moby wished for the follow-up toLast Night to be emotional, personal, and melodic.[91] He felt creatively inspired by aDavid Lynch speech at theBAFTA Award ceremony in the UK which prompted him to write new material that he liked with little regard to its mainstream commercial success.[92] He decided against recording in a professional studio as he wanted to record the entire album at home, and chose to have the album mixed using analogue equipment.Wait for Me was released on June 30, 2009.[92][93][94] Moby and Lynch discussed the recording process ofWait for Me on Lynch's online channel, David Lynch Foundation Television Beta.[95] The video to the first single, "Shot in the Back of the Head", offered as a free download, was directed by Lynch.[92]
Moby held auser-generated content competition to have fans create a video for "Wait for Me", the last single from the album, which was to be used as the official video. The winning entry was written and directed by Nimrod Shapira of Israel, and portrays the story of a girl who decides to invite Moby into her life. She attempts to do so by using a book calledHow to Summon Moby, A Guide for Dummies, putting herself through bizarre and comical steps, each is a tribute to a different Moby video.[96] The single was released in May 2010.[97]
TheWait for Me tour featured a full band.[98] Moby raised over $75,000 from three shows in California to help those affected by domestic violence[99] after funding for the state's domestic violence program had been cut. The tour also saw Moby headline theFalls Festival in Australia[100] and various Sunset Sounds festivals.[101] An ambient versionWait for Me was released in late 2009 asWait for Me: Ambient, which Moby did not produce.[102]
In 2010, Moby enlisted vocalist Phil Costello as a songwriting partner for a new heavy metal band, Diamondsnake. After writing 13 songs, they recruited guitarist Dave Hill and a drummer named Tomato to complete the line-up. They recorded their self-titled debut album in one day and released it for free on their website. It was promoted with a series of gigs in New York City and Los Angeles.[103] Moby contributed four songs to the soundtrack ofThe Next Three Days, including the single "Mistake".
In January 2010, Moby announced that he had started work on a new album.[104] He later summarised its style as: "Broken down melodic electronic music for empty cities at 2 a.m."[105] The album was promoted with an EP containing three tracks from the album, given free to those who had signed up to Moby's mailing list, entitledBe the One, in February 2011.[105][106] The album,Destroyed, was released in May 2011.[106][105] A same-titled book of Moby's photography was released around the time of the album.[105] Moby took to an online poll to decide the next single fromDestroyed; the fans picked "Lie Down in Darkness".[107] This was followed by "After" and "The Right Thing", both influenced by what fans had picked.[108] A limited edition remixed version ofDestroyed was released in 2012 asDestroyed Remixed and includes new remixes by David Lynch,Holy Ghost! and System Divine, and a new 30-minute ambient track named "All Sides Gone".
Moby toured worldwide throughout 2013, completing acoustic and DJ sets at various concerts and festivals.[109][110][111] His DJ set atCoachella was produced in collaboration withNASA with various images from space projected onto screens during the performance.[112] OnRecord Store Day in 2013, Moby released a 7-inch record,The Lonely Night, featuringScreaming Trees vocalistMark Lanegan.[113] The track was subsequently released as a download with remixes by Moby,Photek, Gregor Tresher, andFreescha.[114]
In October 2013, Moby releasedInnocents. He had worked on the album for the previous 18 months and hiredSpike Stent to produce it. Moby used several guest vocalists on the album, and pickedNeil Young and "Broken English" byMarianne Faithfull as the biggest influences to the musical style on the album.[115] As withDestroyed, the photographs used for the artwork were all shot by Moby. The first single from the album was "A Case for Shame",[116] followed by "The Perfect Life", which featuredWayne Coyne. A casting call for its video asked "for obese Speedo-sporting bikers, nude rollerskating ghosts, and an S&M gimp proficient in rhythmic gymnastics".[117] Moby promoted the album with three shows at theFonda Theatre in Los Angeles, following his decision to undergo little touring from 2014.[115] He wrote: "Pretty much all I want to do in life is stay home and make music. So, thus: a 3 date world tour."[118]
Six of Moby's songs are feature inCharlie Countryman (2013). His music set the tone toCathedrals of Culture (2014), a 3D documentary film about the soul of buildings, directed byWim Wenders.[119] In December 2014, Moby performed three shows of ambient music at the Masonic Lodge inHollywood Forever Cemetery to support the release ofHotel: Ambient. The performances were accompanied by visuals created by himself and with David Lynch.[84]
AfterInnocents, Moby proceeded to make a new wave dance album with a choir, but realised the difficulty in recording a full choir in his home studio and resorted to multi-tracking vocals performed by himself and guests. He then decided against the new wave album and opted for one made by himself and seven guest vocalists he named the Void Pacific Choir.[70]These Systems Are Failing was announced in September 2016 and coincided with the first single release, "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?". Its video, by animatorSteve Cutts, addressessmartphone addiction which won aWebby Award.[120][121][122][123]These Systems Are Failing was released on October 14, 2016.[124] Moby's sole live performance of 2016 was at Circle V, a vegan food and music festival that he founded that took place on October 23 at theFonda Theatre in Los Angeles.[125] A second album with the Void Pacific Choir name followed in June 2017, entitledMore Fast Songs About the Apocalypse, influenced by the results of the2016 United States presidential election. Released for free online, it was marketed from a spoof website using elected PresidentDonald Trump's alleged PR alter-ego, John Miller.[126]
Moby announced his fifteenth studio album,Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt, in December 2017. The announcement coincided with the release of the first single, "Like a Motherless Child". In contrast to the politically inspired and punk nature of the two Void Pacific Choir records, the album explores themes of spirituality, individuality, and humanity.[127][128][129] The album was released on March 2, 2018.[127] The second single, "Mere Anarchy", was described by Moby as "post apocalypse, people are gone, and my friend Julie and I are time traveling aliens visiting the empty Earth."[130] "This Wild Darkness" was the third single, released in February 2018.[131] Moby described the song as "an existential dialog between me and the gospel choir: me talking about my confusion, the choir answering with longing and hope."[131] Moby promoted the album with three live shows in March 2018 with a full band, one atThe Echo in Los Angeles and two at Rough Trade in New York City.[132] All profits from the album and gigs were donated to animal rights organizations.[133]
Later in 2024, "This Wild Darkness" would go on to be featured in the critically acclaimedTrue Detective: Night Country.
In 2018, Moby was a guest performer on "A$AP Forever" by American rapperA$AP Rocky which samples "Porcelain". This resulted in Moby's second ever appearance on the USBillboard Hot 100 singles chart, having previously charted for "Southside", 17 years prior.[134] Moby contributed several songs to the comedyHalf Magic (2018) directed byHeather Graham.[135]
In March 2019, Moby released a follow-up to his first long ambient album,Long Ambients 2.
In January 2020, Moby announced that his new studio albumAll Visible Objects will be released on May 15. The first single, "Power is Taken" featuringD. H. Peligro, was released on the same day as the announcement. All profits from the album will be given to charity.[136]
In December 2020, Moby released another ambient album,Live Ambients – Improvised Recordings Vol. 1. It features tracks recorded under three conditions that he set himself: improvise with nothing written beforehand, no editing of the pieces after recording, and that every part of the process was to be "calming". The album was released on digital streaming platforms, followed by videos of Moby performing each track on December 30 on his YouTube channel.[137]
Moby's next album,Reprise, was also released that month onDeutsche Grammophon. It features orchestral versions of his greatest hits with multiple guest artists.[138] The album charted in 16 countries and includes vocals byGregory Porter,Kris Kristofferson,Jim James and more. In May 2022, Moby releasedReprise Remixes, featuring remixes of tracks from theReprise from various artists, including Topic,Anfisa Letyago,Planningtorock, and Biscuits.
On June 1, 2022, Moby launched his new record label, Always Centered at Night. He established it to sign "emerging and fascinating variety of singers to join with me in making music they might not have been able to make elsewhere." The first single, "Medusa", features Grammy nominated singer Aynzli Jones.
On January 1, 2023, Moby released a two-and-a-half-hour ambient albumAmbient 23. It was made almost exclusively with dated drum machines and synthesizers, with his "early ambient heroes" as sources of inspiration, includingBrian Eno andJean-Michel Jarre.[139]
On June 14, 2024, Moby releasedAlways Centered At Night. Featuring vocals from several artists including Brie O'Banion on the first single released on music platforms, "We're Going Wrong",serpentwithfeet, returning to the albumLady Blackbird on the second single "Dark Days",Benjamin Zephaniah on the third single "Where Is Your Pride?", Gaidaa on "Transit", Danae,J.P. Bimeni, Raquel Rodriguez, Aynzli Jones, Akemi Fox, Choklate on the fourth single "Sweet Moon", India Carney on the fifth and final single, "Precious Mind", andJose James. Moby released the music videos for both "Transit" and "Where is your Pride?" on YouTube in June shortly after the album released. Rolling Stone praised the album on Moby for his "creativity knows no boundaries". Moby later release a complimentary remix album in mid September titled "always centered at night (quiet home: remixes dj mix)". Fans would go on to say the original album is "like a sequel" to Moby's smash hit "Play" released in 1999 going on to be his most recognized album.
Moby has collaborated live with many of his heroes while on tour or at fundraisers. He has performed "Walk on the Wild Side" withLou Reed, "Me and Bobby McGee" withKris Kristofferson, "Heroes" and "Cactus" withDavid Bowie, "Helpless" withBono andMichael Stipe, "New Dawn Fades" withNew Order, "Make Love, Fuck War" withPublic Enemy, "Whole Lotta Love" withSlash, and "That's When I Reach For My Revolver" withMission of Burma.
He has performed two duets with the French singerMylène Farmer ("Slipping Away (Crier la vie)" in 2006 and "Looking for My Name" in 2008) and produced seven songs on her eighth album,Bleu Noir, released on December 6, 2010 and two songs on her twelfth album L'Emprise, released on November 25, 2022 .[140] She also sang the vocals to the rework of the song "Hyenas" present on the Resound NYC album.
In 1992 he contributed vocals to song "Curse" onRecoil's "Bloodline" (Alan Wilder's solo project, he wasDepeche Mode member at time of that recording). Moby arguably later used this inspiration for his breakthrough 1999 album,Play, for which he used several old field recordings byAlan Lomax, much as Wilder had used a 1937 recording ofWhite's "Shake 'Em On Down".
In 2013, Moby was responsible for the soundtrack of the documentaryThe Crash Reel, who tells the story of snowboarderKevin Pearce.
On October 16, 2015,Jean Michel Jarre released his compilation albumElectronica 1: The Time Machine, which included the track "Suns have gone" co-produced by Jarre and Moby.[141]
On September 24, 2016, Moby announced the release of an album titledThese Systems Are Failing, released under the name Moby & Void Pacific Choir. The followed the release of two singles from Moby & The Void Pacific Choir in 2015, "Almost Loved" & "The Light Is Clear In My Eyes".[142]
Starz aired a special episode ofBlunt Talk, thePatrick Stewart comedy which involved Moby. He had been friends withJonathan Ames for a long time, and "when we both lived in NY we did a lot of really strange, cabaret, vaudeville type shows together, and we just sort of stayed friends over the years. I guess when he and the other writers were writingBlunt Talk one of them thought it would be funny to include me as Patrick Stewart's character's ex-wife's current boyfriend."[143]
Moby was one of the first musicians to have an episode onNetflix's new music documentary series titledOnce In a Lifetime Sessions; where he records, discusses, and performs his music.[144]
Moby Doc, adocumentary about the artist's life was released on May 28, 2021.[145][146][147]
His documentaryPunk Rock Vegan Movie was released in February 2023.[148]
In 2020, Moby establishedLittle Walnut Productions, a full-service production company dedicated to creating compelling stories that shed light on animal and human rights issues and environmental causes. He started the company with his creative partner, producer Lindsay Hicks. Little Walnut's inaugural feature documentary, "Moby Doc," was released in May 2021. Their subsequent short animated film, "Why I'm a Vegan," directed by Hicks, was showcased at several film festivals and received recognition at The New York Movie Awards, The Global Independent Film Awards, The DOC LA Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival, and The Malibu Film Festival, among others.
In January 2023, Little Walnut released its second documentary feature directed by Moby himself, "Punk Rock Vegan Movie," which examines the intersection of punk rock music and animal activism. Moby released the film for free on YouTube. "Punk Rock Vegan Movie" premiered as the opening night film at the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, ultimately earning awards at the Awareness Festival and Santa Monica Film Festival.
The company has given funding and production assistance to independent documentary features such as “Meat The Future” directed by Liz Marshall, “Slay” directed by Rebecca Capelli, and “Rowdy Girl” directed by Jason Goldman. They also helped produce the short film “Super Cow” by director/writer Dustin Brown. Little Walnut recently invested in the scripted feature film “Eternal Return” starringKit Harrington andNaomi Scott and directed by Yaniv Raz. In addition, Little Walnut has produced several music videos, including “Natural Blues” (featuringGregory Porter and Amythyst Kiah), "Walk with Me" (featuringLady Blackbird), and the award-winning animated video "Are You Lost in the World Like Me?" directed bySteve Cutts.
Little Walnut produces Moby's "Moby Pod" podcast, which premiered in late 2022. The podcast focuses on several topics: animal rights, climate change, creative expression, and mental health. It has featured guests as diverse asHunter Biden (in one of his rare interviews),Ed Begley Jr.,Lisa Edelstein,Dan Buettner,Peter Kalmus,Steve-O, andJoe Manganiello.
Little Walnut is currently in post-production on their first scripted feature, “Tecie,” penned by Moby, directed by Mark Webber, and produced by Hicks and Teresa Palmer. The film is based on the activist culture of the Los Angeles animal rights community and is set to star Sarah Jeffery, Mena Massoud, and others.
Starting in around 2001, Moby launched a series of co-owned business ventures, with the two most prominent being the Little Idiot Collective—a New York City, U.S. bricks-and-mortar clothing store, comics store, and animation studio[149] that sold the work of an "illustrators collective". In May 2002, Moby launched a small raw and vegan restaurant and tea shop calledTeaNY in New York City with his then girlfriend Kelly Tisdale.[7][150] In 2006, Moby said he had removed himself from any previous business projects.[151]
In November 2015, Moby opened the Vegan restaurantLittle Pine in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.[152] The restaurant serves organic, vegan, Mediterranean-inspired dishes and has a retail section with art and books, curated by Moby himself.[153] All profits are donated to animal welfare organizations; in May 2016, Moby estimated the year's donations at $250,000.[154] In December 2019, Moby launched the Little Pine lifestyle range of products and merchandise, with all profits donated to six charities.[155]
On August 23, 2016, Moby announced the inaugural Circle V Festival along with the official video for 'Don't Leave Me' by Moby & The Void Pacific Choir.[156] The event took place at LA'sFonda Theatre and featured Blaqk Audio & Cold Cave on the bill amongst others in the evening and talks and vegan food stalls in the afternoon. Moby described Circle V as "the coming together of my life's work, animal rights and music. I couldn't be more excited about this event and am so proud to be head-lining."[157]
The second Circle V event took place on November 18 this time at The Regent Theatre in Los Angeles. Moby headlined the event for the second year with artistsWaka Flocka Flame,Dreamcar and Raury featuring on the bill.[158]
Moby lived inNew York City for 21 years. From 1996 to 2010, he lived in an apartment onMott Street where he also recorded his albums.[159] He then relocated to theHollywood Hills area ofLos Angeles, spending almost $4 million to purchase a castle known as Wolf's Lair (built in 1927 by developer L. Milton Wolf), spending an additional $3.5 million to restore it. He also owns an apartment inLittle Italy, Manhattan.[13] In 2014, Moby sold the castle and downsized to a smaller home in theLos Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.[160]
In June 2013, Moby and numerous other celebrities appeared in a video showing support forChelsea Manning.[161][162]
Moby identifies himself asheterosexual andcisgender; in a 2018 interview withThe Guardian, he claims to have felt "disappointed" to be straight.[15] He does date, but has stated that he feels more comfortable alone than in a relationship.[15] In 2016 he was in a relationship, his first in ten years, that spanned at least eight months. He has no children.[5][7]
In 2019, in his bookThen It Fell Apart, he claimed to have had a brief relationship with actressNatalie Portman in the late 1990s. In response, Portman denied the story and called Moby's account "disturbing" (she was 18 at the time, while he was 33), with Portman further describing their interactions as "a much older man being creepy with me".[163] He later apologized to Portman, saying: "I accept that given the dynamic of our almost 14 year age difference I absolutely should've acted more responsibly and respectfully."[164]
Moby practices meditation and has explored different types, includingtranscendental,Mettā, andVipassanā.[165]
In 1984, Moby was inspired to become a vegetarian by a cat named Tucker that he had found at a dump in Darien, Connecticut. "My mom and I, with the help of George the dachshund, took care of Tucker and he grew up to be the happiest, healthiest cat I'd ever known". In November 1987, while playing with Tucker, "I decided that just as I would never do anything to harm Tucker, or any of our rescued animals, I also would never do anything to harm any animal, anywhere", and became a vegan.[166] He is a strong supporter ofanimal rights, and described it as his "day job" other than musical projects.[7][167]
In March 2016, Moby supported the social media campaign #TurnYourNoseUp to endfactory farming in association with thenonprofit organization Farms Not Factories.[168]
In 2019, Moby had "Vegan for life" tattooed on his neck by his friend, tattoo artistKat Von D.[169] That November, he had "Animal rights" tattooed on his arms to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of being a vegan.[170] He also had "VX" tattooed next to his right eye, the "V" standing for vegan and the "X" forstraight edge, referencing his sobriety.[171]
In February 2023 he releasedPunk Rock Vegan Movie, his documentary about the relationship between theworlds of punk rock and animal rights. He says every time he visits San Francisco, he stops atRainbow Grocery given his stance on "ethical eating."[172]
In May 2024 he announced collaboration on a new film project with directorMark Webber.[173]
From 1987 to 1995, Moby described his life as a "very clean" one and abstained from drugs, alcohol, and "for the most part", sex.[4] After takingLSD once at nineteen, he started to suffer from panic attacks which he continued to experience, but he learned to deal with them more effectively.[18] Moby recalls that shortly after his mother died from lung cancer in 1997, he had "an epiphany" and began to experiment with alcohol, drugs, and sex. This continued for four years after the commercial success ofPlay.[4][21][35] He became a self-confessed "old-timey alcoholic".[7] During his18 tour in 2002 he found himself being argumentative and alienating close friends. At the end of the year he wished to make amends and live a healthier lifestyle and promised a girlfriend that he would quit alcohol for one month; he lasted two weeks.[4] Moby continued to drink to excess and would ask audiences at concerts to give him drugs. Matters culminated shortly after he turned 43 when he attempted suicide; he had his last drink on October 18, 2008, and has since attendedAlcoholics Anonymous meetings.[174][175][176] In 2016, he said of his sobriety: "Since I stopped and reoriented myself towards things that have meaning, everything has gotten a million times better".[15]
Moby has adopted different faiths throughout his life. He identified himself as an atheist when he was growing up, followed by agnostic, then "a good eight or ten years of being quite a serious Christian", during which time he taught Bible studies.[175] Around 1985, he read the teachings of Christ, including theNew Testament andthe Gospels and "was instantly struck by the idea that Christ was somehow divine. When I say I love Christ and love the teachings of Christ, I mean that in the most simple and naïve and subjective way. I'm not saying I'm right, and I certainly wouldn't criticize anyone else's beliefs."[177][178][179]
In the liner notes ofAnimal Rights (1996), Moby wrote: "I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a Christian in the conventional sense of the word, where I go to church or believe in cultural Christianity, but I really do love Christ and recognize him in whatever capacity as I can understand it as God. One of my problems with the church and conventional Christianity is it seems like their focus doesn't have much to do with the teachings of Christ, but rather with their own social agenda". In 2014, Moby pointed out that if he needed to label himself, it would be as a "Taoist–Christian–agnostic quantum mechanic."[180] In 2019, Moby said that he is not a Christian, "but my life is geared towards God [...] I have no idea who or what God might be."[12]
Moby is an advocate for a variety of causes, working withMoveOn.org,The Humane Society, andFarm Sanctuary, among others. He created MoveOn Voter Fund'sBush in 30 Seconds contest along with singer and MoveOn Cultural DirectorLaura Dawn and MoveOn Executive DirectorEli Pariser. The music video for the song "Disco Lies" fromLast Night has heavy anti-meat industrial themes. He also actively engages innonpartisan activism and serves on the Board of Directors of Amend.org, a nonprofit organization that implements injury-prevention programs in Africa.[181]
Moby is a member of the board of directors of theInstitute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), anot-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing scientific inquiry into music and the brain and to developing clinical treatments to benefit people of all ages.[182] He has also performed on various benefit concerts to help increase awareness for music therapy and raise funds for the institute. In 2004, he was honored with the IMNF's Music Has Power Award for his advocacy of music therapy and for his dedication and support to its recording studio program.[183]
He is an advocate ofnet neutrality and testified before aUnited States House of Representatives committee debating the issue in 2006.[184][185]
In 2007, Moby launched MobyGratis.com, a website of unlicensed music for filmmakers and film students to use in any independent, non-commercial, or non-profit film, video, or short. If a film is commercially successful, all revenue from commercial licence fees granted via Moby Gratis is donated toHumane Society of the United States.[91][175][186]
In 2008, he participated inSongs for Tibet, an album to supportTibet and theDalai LamaTenzin Gyatso. In a 2021 interview, he discussed the experience and called the Dalai Lama "a wonderful inspired and inspiring man".[187]
In April 2009, Moby spoke about his personal experiences ofTranscendental Meditation at thebenefit concert Change Begins Within of theDavid Lynch Foundation in New York City.[188] In April 2015, Moby performed "Go" at the evening of a David Lynch tribute event, hosted at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, which highlighted the work of theDavid Lynch Foundation and raised funds to teachTranscendental Meditation to local youth.[189]
In April 2018, Moby auctioned more than 100 pieces of musical equipment via Reverb.com to raise funds for the nonprofit organizationPhysicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, thinking it was better to sell it for a good cause rather than keep it in storage.[190] Moby held a second sale for the organization in June 2018 consisting of his personal record collection, including records that he used for DJ sets in his early career and his personal copies of his albums.[191] A third was held in October 2018 that included the sale of almost 200 analog drum machines, 100 instruments, and his entire vinyl collection.[192]
In 2018, Moby participated inAl Gore's 24-hour broadcast on climate change and other environmental issues.[193]
Moby is an advocate forBest Friends; he was part of the No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA) launch celebration and directed a lyric video for his song "Almost Home" that features dogs and cats from the Best Friends Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter Center in Mission Hills, California.[194]
Moby developed an interest in photography at age ten when his uncle, a photographer forThe New York Times, gave him aNikon F camera. He citesEdward Steichen as a major early influence.[195] At 17 he set up adarkroom in his basement and pursued photography while at university. Moby kept his photography private until 2010, when he put some of his work on public display at the Clic Gallery and theBrooklyn Museum in New York City.[195] In May 2011, Moby released a photography book called "Destroyed" containing pictures that were taken during theWait for Me tour in 2010. It was released in conjunction with hissame-titled album, and pictures from it were also put on display.[196][197] From October to December 2014, Moby showcased his Innocents collection of large-scale photographs at the Fremin Gallery, featuring a post-apocalyptic theme and a cast of fictitious cult members wearing masks.[198]
In March 2010, Moby and animal activist Miyun Park releasedGristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety (Thinking Twice About the Meat We Eat), a collection of ten essays by various people in the food industry that they edited to detail "unbiased, factual information about the consequences of animal production" and factory farming.[199]
In 2014, Moby began writing an autobiography covering his life and career from his move to New York City in the late 1980s to the recording ofPlay in 1999.[200] He enjoyed the experience, and wrote approximately 300,000 words before cutting it by half to reach a rough edit of the book.Porcelain: A Memoir was released on May 17, 2016, byPenguin Press. Moby put out the compilation albumMusic from Porcelain to coincide the book's release, featuring his own tracks and a mixtape of tracks by other artists.[201]
His second memoir,Then It Fell Apart was released on May 2, 2019, and covers his life and career from 1999 to 2009.[202]
In September 2021, Moby publishedThe Little Pine Cookbook, featuring vegan recipes developed from his time owning his restaurant.[203]
Moby endorsedKamala Harris for the 2024 US Presidential election.[204]
Studio albums
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDS Certified Spin Awards | 2003 | "South Side" | 300,000 Spins | Won | |
| BMI Film & TV Awards | 2002 | Himself | Certificate of Achievement | Won | [206] |
| BMI Pop Awards | 2002 | "South Side" | Award-Winning Song | Won | [207] |
| Berlin Music Video Awards | 2021 | "My Only Love" | Animation | Nominated | [208] |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2002 | 18 | Top Electronic Album | Won | [209] |
| Himself | Top Electronic Artist | Won | |||
| 2005 | Nominated | ||||
| Hotel | Top Electronic Album | Nominated | |||
| Billboard Music Video Awards | 2000 | "Bodyrock" | Maximum Vision Award | Nominated | [210] |
| Dance Clip of the Year | Won | ||||
| Brit Awards | 2000 | Himself | International Male Solo Artist | Nominated | [211] |
| 2003 | Nominated | [212] | |||
| Classic Pop Readers' Awards | 2020 | Then It Fell Apart | Book of the Year | Nominated | [213] |
| Clio Awards | 2019 | "ASAP Forever" (withASAP Rocky) | Best Visual Effects | Won | [214] |
| D&AD Awards | 2000 | "Bodyrock" | Direction | Wood Pencil | [215] |
| 2019 | "ASAP Forever" (withASAP Rocky) | Best Editing | Nominated | [216] | |
| DanceStar Awards | 2000 | Himself | DanceStar of the Year | Won | [217] |
| Play | Best Album | Won | |||
| 2003 | Himself | Best US Act | Won | [218] | |
| 2004 | Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music | Won | [219] | ||
| 18 B Sides + DVD | Best Music DVD | Won | |||
| ECHO Awards | 2006 | Himself | Best International Male | Nominated | |
| GAFFA-Prisen Awards | 2019 | Best International Artist | Nominated | ||
| Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt | Best International Album | Nominated | |||
| Grammy Awards | 2000 | Play | Best Alternative Music Performance | Nominated | [220] |
| "Bodyrock" | Best Rock Instrumental Performance | Nominated | |||
| 2001 | "Natural Blues" | Best Dance Recording | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | Play: The DVD | Best Music Video, Long Form | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | "18" | Best Pop Instrumental Performance | Nominated | ||
| 2009 | Last Night | Best Electronic/Dance Album | Nominated | ||
| Hungarian Music Awards | 2003 | 18 | Best Foreign Dance Album | Nominated | [221] |
| 2011 | Himself | Electronic Music Production of the Year | Nominated | [222] | |
| IFPI Platinum Europe Awards | 2001 | Play | Album Title | Won | [223] |
| 2002 | Won | ||||
| 2003 | 18 | Won | [224] | ||
| Lunas del Auditorio | 2004 | Himself | Espectaculo Alternativo | Nominated | [225] |
| 2006 | Musica Electronica | Won | [226] | ||
| 2010 | Nominated | [227] | |||
| MTV Asia Awards | 2003 | Best Male | Nominated | [228] [229] | |
| MTV Europe Music Awards | 1995 | Best Dance | Nominated | [230] | |
| 2000 | Nominated | [231] | |||
| "Natural Blues" | Best Video | Won | |||
| Play | Best Album | Nominated | |||
| 2002 | Himself | Web Awards | Won | [232] | |
| Best Dance | Nominated | ||||
| 2003 | Nominated | [233] | |||
| 2005 | Best Male | Nominated | [234] | ||
| MTV Russian Music Awards | 2005 | Best International Act | Nominated | [235] | |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 2000 | "Natural Blues" | Best Male Video | Nominated | [236] |
| 2001 | "South Side" | Won | [236] | ||
| 2002 | "We Are All Made of Stars" | Best Cinematography | Won | [236] | |
| MTV VMAJ | 2003 | Best Dance Video | Nominated | ||
| MVPA Awards | 2000 | "Run On" | Electronic Video of the Year | Nominated | [237] |
| 2001 | "South Side" | Pop Video of the Year | Nominated | [238] | |
| Best Colorist/Telecine | Nominated | ||||
| Best Hair in a Video | Nominated | ||||
| "Porcelain" | Alternative Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | "In This World" | Best Directional Debut | Won | [239] | |
| Best Electronic Video | Won | ||||
| 2007 | "New York, New York" | Nominated | [240] | ||
| Best Choreography | Nominated | [241] | |||
| Music Television Awards | 2000 | Himself | Best Male | Nominated | [242] |
| Best Dance | Nominated | ||||
| "Natural Blues" | Best Video | Nominated | |||
| 2008 | Himself | Best Dance | Nominated | [243] | |
| My VH1 Music Awards | 2001 | Best Male | Nominated | [244] | |
| "South Side" | Best Collaboration | Nominated | [244] | ||
| Favorite Video | Nominated | ||||
| NME Awards | 2000 | Himself | Best Solo Artist | Nominated | [245] |
| Best Dance Act | Nominated | ||||
| 2001 | Nominated | [246] | |||
| Best Live Act | Won | ||||
| NRJ Music Awards | 2001 | International Male Artist of the Year | Won | [247] | |
| Play | International Album of the Year | Nominated | [247] | ||
| 2007 | Himself (withMylene Farmer) | Francophone Duo/Group of the Year | Nominated | [248] | |
| Online Music Awards | 1999 | Himself | Best Electronic Fansite | Nominated | [249] |
| Q Awards | 2000 | Best Live Act | Nominated | ||
| 2002 | Best Producer | Won | [250] | ||
| TMF Awards | 2000 | Play | Best Album International | Won | |
| Teen Choice Awards | 2001 | "South Side" | Choice Dance Track | Nominated | [251] |
| 2002 | Himself | Choice Male Artist | Nominated | [252] | |
| Top of the Pops Awards | 2002 | Best Dance Act | Nominated | [253] | |
| UK Music Video Awards | 2018 | "ASAP Forever" (withASAP Rocky) | Best Urban Video - International | Nominated | [254] |
| Best Colour Grading in a Video | Nominated | ||||
| 2020 | "My Only Love" | Best Animation | Nominated | [255] | |
| VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards | 2000 | "Natural Blues" | Visionary Video | Won | [256] |
| Viva Comet Awards | "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" | Best International Video | Won | [257] | |
| Himself | Best Live Act | Nominated | |||
| Viva Zwei Audience Award | Nominated | ||||
| Veggie Awards | 2015 | Person of the Year | Won | [258] | |
| Webby Awards | 2017 | "Are You Lost in the World Like Me?" | Animation | Won | [259] |
| Žebřík Music Awards | 1999 | Himself | Best International DJ | Nominated | [260] |
| Play | Best International Album | Nominated | |||
| "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" | Best International Song | Nominated | |||
| "Bodyrock" | Best International Video | Nominated | |||
| 2000 | "Porcelain" | Best International Song | Nominated | ||
| Himself | Best International Instrumentalist | Nominated | |||
| Best International Personality | Nominated | ||||
| Best International DJ | Nominated | ||||
| 2001 | Nominated | ||||
| 2002 | Nominated | ||||
| 18 | Best International Album | Nominated | |||
| "In This World" | Best International Song | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | Himself | Best International DJ | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | Hotel | Best International Album | Nominated | [261] |
The basis for Richard Melville Hall — and for Moby — is that supposedly Herman Melville was my great-great-great-granduncle.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata