Moby

Richard Melville Hall, known as Moby, was born on September 11, 1965, in Harlem, Manhattan. His mother, a medical secretary, and his father, a chemistry professor, named him after his father gave him the nickname "Moby" three days after birth, referencing both his large size as a newborn and a family story about ancestry—though he is not related to Herman Melville. His father died in a drunk driving accident when Moby was two. Raised by his mother, he lived briefly in San Francisco, where he was sexually abused by a daycare staff member, then moved to a squat in Darien, Connecticut, and later to Stratford, Connecticut.

His mother relied on food stamps and welfare, and Moby felt ashamed by the wealth of his grandparents' home in Darien. At 13, his first job was caddying at a golf course. Shortly before his mother's death in 1997, Moby learned he had a half brother.

He began music at nine, learning classical guitar and piano from his mother, later studying jazz, music theory, and percussion. In 1983, he played guitar in the hardcore punk band Vatican Commandos on their debut EP Hit Squad for God. He was also lead vocalist for Flipper for two days and later played bass for their reunion shows in the 2000s. Around his 18th birthday, he formed the post-punk group AWOL, credited as Moby Hall on their self-titled EP.

After graduating from Darien High School in 1983, he studied philosophy at the University of Connecticut, where he found traditional instruments limiting and moved to electronic music. He DJed at campus radio station WHUS and local clubs. Unhappy, he transferred to SUNY Purchase for philosophy and photography, then dropped out in April 1984 to pursue DJing and music.

In 1989, Moby moved to New York City, becoming a prolific DJ, producer, and remixer. His 1991 single "Go" was his mainstream breakthrough, reaching the top ten in the Netherlands and the UK. From 1992 to 1997, he had eight top ten hits on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, including "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)," "Feeling So Real," and "James Bond Theme (Moby Re-Version)." He released music under various pseudonyms and the critically acclaimed Everything Is Wrong (1995). His punk-oriented Animal Rights (1996) alienated many fans.

2016–present: Recent albums and documentary

His fifth album, Play (1999), initially received little attention but became an unexpected global hit in 2000, selling 12 million copies—his highest-selling album. Its seventh single, "South Side" with Gwen Stefani, reached No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100. He followed with albums of varied styles: 18 (2002), Hotel (2005), Last Night (2008), Wait for Me (2009), Destroyed (2011), and Innocents (2013). Returning to punk roots, he released two albums with The Void Pacific Choir: These Systems Are Failing (2016) and More Fast Songs About the Apocalypse (2017), then the more melodic Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt (2018) and All Visible Objects (2020).

After a 2018 performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a Deutsche Grammophon representative offered him an orchestral album deal. The result, Reprise (2021), reworked his well-known tracks with new vocalists and The Budapest Art Orchestra, charting in 16 countries—his highest-charting album in over a decade. Resound NYC (2023) featured more reworked tracks and vocalists.

Between these, Moby explored ambient music with Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep. (2016), Long Ambients 2 (2019), Live Ambients – Improvised Recordings Vol. 1 (2020), Ambient 23 (2023), and the collaborative Always Centered at Night (2024). He continues to record and release albums.

Beyond music, Moby is known for veganism, animal rights, and humanitarian aid. In 2020, he founded Little Walnut Productions to support creative activism in film, TV, and theater. He has written four books, including a photography collection and two memoirs: Porcelain: A Memoir (2016) and Then It Fell Apart (2019). He has sold 20 million records worldwide, and AllMusic considers him "among the most important dance music figures of the early 1990s, helping bring dance music to a mainstream audience both in the United States and the United Kingdom."