[10] The song "Center Stage" was featured on ESPN's First Take where they played a short segment of the retro-sounding track before going to commercial breaks.

The band's debut album, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, was released June 4, 2013 via Capitol Records in partnership with Lazy Hooks.

The two musicians met after Merchant responded to Simonian's open ad on Craigslist offering his production services.

After three years successfully composing music for commercials and advertising campaigns, the duo formed Capital Cities.

In partnership with Lazy Hooks, the label released In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, the band's debut album, on June 4, 2013.

Outkast's André 3000, vocalist Shemika Secrest and NPR's Frank Tavares are featured on the song "Farrah Fawcett Hair".

[12] The band embarked on its first-ever North American outing, the "Dancing with Strangers" tour, with special guests Gold Fields, which kicked off on April 23, 2013, at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Arizona.

Capital Cities joined Katy Perry on the North American leg of her Prismatic World Tour.

In April and May 2016, nearly three years after the release of the band's debut album, the official Capital Cities Facebook page made two posts strongly suggesting that new music was in the works.