Counting Crows

Did You Know?

• The band name comes from a British nursery rhyme about counting magpies, which Adam Duritz heard in the film Signs of Life starring his close friend Mary-Louise Parker.
• The song 'Mr. Jones' refers to Marty Jones (Himalayans bassist and Duritz's childhood friend) and Kenney Dale Johnson (drummer of Silvertone, Chris Isaak's band).
• Counting Crows received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for the single 'Accidentally in Love', which was included in the film Shrek 2.

History

Adam Duritz, formerly of the Himalayans, and guitarist David Bryson formed Counting Crows in San Francisco in 1991, initially performing as an acoustic duo in Berkeley and San Francisco. David Immerglück occasionally played with them but was not an official member, citing commitments to Monks of Doom and Camper Van Beethoven. By 1993, the lineup stabilized with Duritz, Bryson, bassist Matt Malley, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, and drummer Steve Bowman. The band signed with Geffen in April 1992. On January 16, 1993, they substituted for Van Morrison at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, introduced by Robbie Robertson, performing a cover of "Caravan". Before signing, they recorded demo versions known as the "Flying Demos", which later circulated among fans and included tracks like "Rain King", "Omaha", and "Mr. Jones".

Influences, live performances and covers

Counting Crows, particularly Adam Duritz, are noted for energetic live performances. Their influences include Van Morrison, R.E.M., and Bob Dylan. Several songs, such as "Round Here" and "Rain King", are altered during concerts, as heard on the album Across a Wire: Live in New York City. In February 2011, Duritz released an indie album of cover songs titled All My Bloody Valentines, with cover art named and designed by Facebook followers.

Documentary

On December 18, 2025, HBO Max released Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?, a feature-length documentary under its Music Box series. Directed by Amy Scott, it focuses on the band's rise after August and Everything After and the making of Recovering the Satellites. The film includes interviews with current and former band members, as well as Cyndi Lauper, Chris Martin, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeff Ross.

Accolades

In 1995, Counting Crows won three American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Album for August and Everything After, Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist, and Favorite Alternative Artist. That same year, they received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for "Round Here" and Best New Artist. The band also won a Juno Award in 1995 for Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic) for August and Everything After. At the MTV Video Music Awards, they won Best New Artist in a Video for "Mr. Jones" in 1994 and Best Group Video for "A Long December" in 1997.