The band have released eight studio albums: A Certain Trigger (2005), Our Earthly Pleasures (2007), Quicken the Heart (2009), The National Health (2012), Too Much Information (2014), Risk to Exist (2017), Nature Always Wins (2021), and Stream of Life (2024).

[3][4] Initially, the four founding members played several small shows including Manchester's In the City, which showcases unsigned bands in the UK.

[5] When Smith was found, the band did not know if he could sing: "When he first joined we didn't know if he could; just that he was a lunatic jumping around in a suit, it felt like the last piece of the jigsaw".

Around March 2004, a friend funded 300 copies of a 7" red vinyl single ("Graffiti" / "Going Missing") which was recorded by Duncan Lloyd in his and Thomas English's flat in Fenham, Newcastle.

[7] In August 2006, the band announced that they had started work on their next album, which was produced by Gil Norton and recorded at Rak Studios in St John's Wood in London.

[12] In September 2012, it was announced that the bass guitarist Archis Tiku would be taking time away from touring, to be covered by Paul Rafferty of Hot Club de Paris.

"[15] The album was recorded by Duncan Lloyd and produced by the band, with additional production by The Invisible's Dave Okumu on the track Brain Cells.

[16] On 20 January 2017, Maxïmo Park announced their sixth album Risk to Exist via their website, following the debut of the title track and first single the night before on BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq Show.

[17] His live replacement, Paul Rafferty, was confirmed to be the session bassist on Risk to Exist, although he is not an official member of the band.

[18] In November 2018, keyboardist Lukas Wooller announced his imminent departure from the band in order to emigrate to Australia[19] and start a family there.