After the band went through a number of short-term bassists and drummers, Mark Stoermer (bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (drums, percussion) joined in 2002.

[8][9] In November 2001, they headed to Kill the Messenger Studio in Henderson, Nevada, along with recently recruited drummer Matt Norcross, to record a demo.

[10] The Killers brought a unique style to the small Vegas music scene, which was dominated by punk, nu metal, and rap bands; one local reviewer wrote, "The Killers, thankfully, don't come across like any other band in town", and described their sound as a mix between the "pop styles of British music and the lo-fi fuzz of modern indie rock".

Gilbert took a demo with him to the UK and showed it to his friend Ben Durling, who worked at the newly formed Independent label Lizard King Records.

[22] Critical reviews of both the song and the shows were positive: NME noted the band's retro sound, commenting "The Killers steal so smartly, and with such mind-boggling variety".

[23] As a result of the buzz generated in the UK, a number of major labels in the US began showing strong interest in the band and they were invited to play at the ASCAP CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.

[34] Lead singer Brandon Flowers had also gained media attention, being named both Sexiest and Best Dressed Man at the NME Awards, he had also caused controversy due to some outspoken views on other bands.

[35] Coldplay and U2 followed suit and, at their separate concerts played in Las Vegas, with the Killers in the crowd, incorporated the line into their songs "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Beautiful Day", respectively.

[44] They performed an almost totally unplugged set, which included stripped back versions of the album's title track "Sam's Town", "When You Were Young" and a rendition of the Dire Straits hit "Romeo and Juliet".

The band took six months apart following the completion of their Sam's Town tour, during this period they would send song ideas between each other and Price via Logic Pro.

Flowers stated that Day & Age was "like looking at Sam's Town from Mars", the band have called it their "most playful record" with the album making use of saxophones, steel drums, harpsichord, and tribal chanting.

In October 2013 the Killers headlined the inaugural Life Is Beautiful Festival in hometown Las Vegas, concluding their Battle Born World Tour.

[65] The band contributed a track titled "Mixed Signals" to Robbie Williams' eleventh studio album, The Heavy Entertainment Show, released in November 2016.

[70] On August 6, 2017, it was announced that Dave Keuning was going on an indefinite hiatus from the band, citing exhaustion from a grueling tour schedule and a desire to spend more time with his son.

They also welcomed onstage Jack Riewoldt, a fan and a vice-captain of the Richmond side that had been victorious against Adelaide in the Grand Final, to perform "Mr. Brightside" with them.

[80] In October 2018, guitarist Dave Keuning told NME that the band was in the early stages of the next album, though he wasn't sure how big a role he would have in its creation process.

[90] In an interview with Rolling Stone published on May 5, 2020, Flowers and Vannucci stated that while Keuning is on hiatus from the band and that they had difficulties in working on the new album without him, he is still welcome to return to the Killers.

[106][107] Later that month, Flowers confirmed that the eighth album had been scrapped due to his dissatisfaction with its direction, stating "I don’t think you’ll see us making this type of music any more.

"[108] On December 8, 2023, the band released its second greatest hits compilation, Rebel Diamonds, which included three songs from the aborted eighth studio album: "Boy", "Your Side of Town" and "Spirit".

[109] In August 2024, the original four-piece of Flowers, Keuning, Stoermer, and Vannucci Jr. reunited for a ten-night Las Vegas concert residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hot Fuss.

[123] Keuning's original newspaper ad sought to assemble a band influenced by Oasis, the Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie and Radiohead.

[125] Invited by U.S. President Barack Obama, the band played on the White House South Lawn on July 4, 2010, for the second annual "Salute to the Military" United Service Organizations concert as part of Independence Day celebrations, which Flowers described as a "monumental honor".

[136] Flowers, Keuning and Stoermer also played at a campaign rally on July 8, 2010, in Nevada for Obama and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who was up for re-election.

[139] In 2015, Flowers performed a folksy rendition of the state song, "Home Means Nevada" for Obama and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid at the National Clean Energy Summit.

[141] "Land of the Free" references a number of political issues, including immigration, gun control, and police killings of African Americans.

The band released ten Christmas themed songs and music videos as singles: "A Great Big Sled" (2006), "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (2007), "Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008), "Happy Birthday Guadalupe!"

Over the years they have enlisted the help of other musicians and celebrities including Elton John, Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), Toni Halliday (Curve), Wild Light, Mariachi El Bronx, Dawes, Owen Wilson, Jimmy Kimmel & Richard Dreyfuss.

In 2016 they announced that they would be releasing no more Christmas singles but that they hoped another band would carry on the tradition, to wrap things up they released a compilation album Don't Waste Your Wishes featuring all ten previous singles plus a cover of the holiday classic "I'll Be Home for Christmas" which featured vocals from Brandon Flowers' former elementary school teacher and Korean War veteran Ned Humphrey Hansen.

All proceeds from the songs and the compilation album have been and will be donated to Product Red campaign and the fight against AIDS in Africa and as of 2016[update] they have raised over $1 million for the charity.

[146][147] "Hotel California" was covered by the Killers and Rhythms del Mundo with proceeds benefiting climate crisis and natural disaster relief.