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

[1][2] 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.

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 third single, "Smack My Bitch Up", was a UK top ten hit and generated considerable controversy over its suggestive lyrics and music video.

[9][10] The tape was well received by Flint and Thornhill, who developed new dance sequences to the music and suggested to Howlett they begin a group together.

[15] He turned to XL Recordings, headed by Tim Palmer and Nick Halkes, who agreed to a meeting and subsequently signed the group to a contract that involved the release of four singles.

[15] This culminated in their first official release, the EP What Evil Lurks, in February 1991, containing four tracks that Howlett had produced on the demo.

In August 1991, The Prodigy released their debut single "Charly", which samples dialogue from the Charley Says series of animated films produced by the Central Office of Information.

Much of the new material was written in response to the Criminal Justice Act as exemplified by "Their Law", co-written and performed with alternative rock band Pop Will Eat Itself.

The album opens with a spoken introduction: "So I've decided to take my work back underground to stop it falling into the wrong hands".

Howlett explained that "the wrong hands" represented people who considered The Prodigy as a commercial band, and no longer wanted the group to be seen as purely a rave act.

[29] It displays a wider range of musical styles and structures with heavy breakbeat-based tracks and the conceptual three-part song "The Narcotic Suite".

[4] It was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, although Howlett had reaffirmed his dedication to making The Prodigy a "hard dance band" commercially successful but without compromise.

[31] The band avoided mainstream exposure, declining offers to appear on Top of the Pops and other national television shows in the UK.

[35] Despite the controversy "Firestarter" marked the beginning of the band's commercial peak, becoming their first UK number one single which it topped for three consecutive weeks.

The music video marked the debut of Flint's radically different appearance, sporting his soon-to-be iconic punk look with nose and tongue piercings, tattoos, and dyed hair, and his shift from dancer to frontman.

[37] The estimated $5 million deal was announced in February 1997, an unprecedented amount for a rave influenced act, with the press suggesting the bidding war involved over 20 labels.

[38] In May 1997, a private event was held in Essex for record executives to hear the band's long-awaited studio album The Fat of the Land, although it was still unfinished.

[39] The Fat of the Land was released on 30 June 1997, and featured simplified melodies, sparser sampling, less rave influences and punk-like vocals.

[53][54] 1999 saw the release of the Prodigy's The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One, a mix album by Howlett produced as an official record of a guest DJ appearance on BBC Radio 1.

[55] The original session came into being following a conversation between journalism and band biographer Martin James and Breezeblock presenter Mary Anne Hobbs.

[58] The song's music video was also controversial, which featured barely covered women milking cows in a suggestive fashion.

About the re-release process, Howlett said, "We didn't actually want to do the Greatest Hits, we were ready to start our new record—until the record company pointed out that it was in the contract.

To coincide with the release of the album, the band embarked on a nine-date UK arena tour, with support from Dizzee Rascal, Noisia, Herve, and DJ Kissy Sell Out.

[70] In May 2011, the band released World's on Fire, their first live album and concert film documenting their 24 July 2010 show at the Milton Keynes Bowl as part of that year's Warriors Dance Festival.

[72] On 16 November 2010, Howlett announced that after their American tour with Linkin Park, The Prodigy were to re-enter the studio to record new material.

[73] On 6 August 2011, The Prodigy headlined the Przystanek Woodstock in Poland,[74] while at their two final shows of 2011 in Brazil, they premiered two new tracks: "A.W.O.L" and "Dogbite".

[75] They headlined the 2012 Download Festival on 8 June playing a regular setlist, with the addition of three new songs, "Jetfighter", "Dogbite" and "A.W.O.L",[76] accompanied by on-stage imagery of jet aircraft.

[103][104] The Prodigy's production "often reflected the more intelligent edge of trip-hop, and rarely broke into the mindless arena of true big beat" according to AllMusic.

[119] Liam Howlett cited early electro as a big influence, mentioning tunes like "Clear" by American music group Cybotron and "Al Naafiysh" by Hashim.