Broken Bells compose and create as a duo, but are joined by Dan Elkan and Jon Sortland when performing live.

"[7] Prior to the formation of Broken Bells, Mercer and Burton worked together on the track "Insane Lullaby" on the album Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse.

Broken Bells have since performed the song several times, often as a tribute to the late Mark Linkous, the Sparklehorse frontman who died in early 2010.

Broken Bells' self-titled debut album was released in the United States and Canada on March 9, 2010 through Columbia Records,[8] and has sold over 400,000 copies domestically, peaking at number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart.

[9] Rolling Stone magazine gave it a four-star review and stated that it was "the year’s coolest left field pop disc.

[11] On February 14, 2012, in an interview with KINK.FM (a Portland, Oregon radio station), Mercer stated that he was currently working on Broken Bells' second album.