In September 2004, Southwestern University students Curtis Roush (guitar), Thomas Choate (drums) and Jackie O’Brien (vocals/keyboards), along with Ryan “Badcock” O’Donoghue (bass) began playing together as a post-hardcore art rock collective.

[7] Subsequently, The Bright Light Social Hour began a relentless touring schedule, playing hundreds of shows across the United States, Canada and Mexico including opening for Aerosmith and appearances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Hangout, Sasquatch!, Wakarusa and Ottawa Bluesfest.

Inspired by the ferocity of the crowd gathered in the Capitol, they rushed to their studio and by the morning had released the song "Wendy Davis," with an accompanying video made in part with protest footage taken on the band's phones.

[11][12] In May 2013 the band announced they'd begun work on their second full-length album, to be performed, produced and engineered by Roush, O'Brien and Mirasole, and mixed by Chris Coady.

[13] On January 19, 2015, after a severe and protracted battle with bipolar I disorder, Alex O'Brien, the band's long-time manager and Jackie's brother, committed suicide.

[16] Space Is Still the Place was released on March 10 to positive reviews, described by AllMusic's Mark Deming as "an ambitious and wildly entertaining journey into the minds of the men who created it.

[19][20][21][22] Following the release of Space Is Still the Place, TBLSH embarked on a year-long tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico, including runs supporting Dr. Dog, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Dave Matthews Band, The Flaming Lips and Galactic, and appearances at Corona Capital and Shaky Knees Music Festival.

[26] In January 2017, TBLSH were hired by executive producer Bryan Cranston to compose the theme for the Amazon Video series Sneaky Pete, entitled "Harder Out Here".

[27] On January 20, Donald Trump's Inauguration Day, TBLSH released the Jim Eno-produced single, "Tear Down That Wall," described by the Austin-American Statesman as "a searing ode to unity."

Medium premiered the song and video, writing, "Brimming with buttery psychedelic aromas amid tints of polished dream-pop, “Enough” reveals not only the talent, but the brilliant innovation of The Bright Light Social Hour."

[37] In August 2022, TBLSH released a cover of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" featuring Israel Nash, marking the debut recording of the new five-piece lineup.

Earmilk described "Not New" as "a mesmerizing blend of Texas trippiness and disco-punk groove" and "a testament to the band's ability to create a tight yet bewildering journey with groove-rich drums, psychedelic synths, and a dirty dancefloor payoff that would make Nile Rodgers blush".

[40] Additional album singles "Prefecture", "Most High", "Small Celebrations" and "Lifers Only" led to Emergency Leisure's release on August 2 on the band's own Escondido Sound label.

The album received high praise for the band's continually surprising evolution, with The Cosmic Clash stating, "From start to finish, Emergency Leisure delivers an experience greater than the sum of its parts.

[42] The Bright Light Social Hour operate as an audio production and engineering unit, recording and mixing themselves and artists such as Megafauna, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Walker Lukens, Madam Radar, Migrant Kids and Bombay the Rapper out of their Austin studio, Escondido Sound.