Bleachers began as Jack Antonoff’s deeply personal studio project, but over time it grew into a full band, with longtime touring musicians becoming official members. This complete guide looks at the musicians who helped shape Bleachers in the studio and onstage, including Antonoff, Zem Audu, Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Michael Riddleberger, and Evan Smith.
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Bleachers is an American rock band founded by Jack Antonoff in 2013. Antonoff, who had previously gained fame as a member of Fun. and Steel Train, started Bleachers to explore a musical direction that drew heavily on the sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. The band’s debut album, Strange Desire, was released in 2014 and included the songs “I Wanna Get Better” and “Rollercoaster.” Bleachers followed with Gone Now in 2017, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night in 2021, and the self-titled Bleachers in 2024. Originally centered entirely on Antonoff, the project eventually became a full band, with several longtime touring musicians becoming official members in 2023.
Jack Antonoff
Jack Antonoff is the founder, lead vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter of Bleachers. He created the project in 2013 and remained its only official member during its first decade. Through Bleachers, Antonoff has explored personal themes involving grief, memory, family, love, and his New Jersey roots. Beyond the band, he has become one of the most prominent producers and songwriters in contemporary pop, collaborating with artists including Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, and St. Vincent. His production work has earned him multiple Grammy Awards, including three consecutive wins for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Zem Audu
Zem Audu is a saxophonist, keyboardist, bassist, and backing vocalist for Bleachers. A longtime touring and studio collaborator, Audu became an official member of the band in 2023. His saxophone playing is a major part of Bleachers’ expansive live sound, while his work on keyboards, bass, and vibraphone adds further depth to the group’s recordings. Outside Bleachers, Audu has worked as a jazz musician and session player with a wide range of artists.
Mikey Freedom Hart
Mikey Freedom Hart is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, banjo, mandolin, and pedal steel with Bleachers. He contributed to Gone Now and later recordings before becoming an official member in 2023. His versatility has helped Bleachers expand its arrangements both in the studio and during live performances. Hart has also worked extensively as a producer, songwriter, and session musician.
Sean Hutchinson
Sean Hutchinson is a drummer, percussionist, and backing vocalist for Bleachers. After years as part of the touring and recording lineup, he became an official member in 2023. Hutchinson’s energetic playing provides much of the rhythmic drive behind the band’s live performances, while his studio work blends acoustic drums with the electronic and programmed elements that appear throughout Bleachers’ music. He has also performed and recorded with numerous artists outside the band.
Michael Riddleberger
Michael Riddleberger is a drummer and percussionist who has played an important role in Bleachers’ touring and recording lineup. He became an official member in 2023 after years of performing with the group. Riddleberger’s drumming works alongside Bleachers’ electronic rhythms and layered production, helping the band reproduce its densely arranged studio sound in concert. He has also contributed backing vocals and percussion to the group’s performances.
Read More: Complete List Of Bleachers Albums And Discography
Evan Smith
Evan Smith is a saxophonist, keyboardist, synthesizer player, and backing vocalist for Bleachers. He became an official member in 2023 after spending years as part of the band’s touring and studio lineup. Smith’s saxophone is one of the defining elements of Bleachers’ live sound, while his keyboard and synthesizer work help recreate the layered arrangements found throughout the group’s recordings. His versatility has made him a central part of the band’s expanded lineup.
Read More: Top 10 Bleachers Songs
Updated July 11, 2026
Complete List Of Bleachers Band Members article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2026
