Ratboys formed in 2010 or 2011 when Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan, students at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, began collaborating on music. Initially an acoustic duo performing in dorms and local venues, they released an early EP as Ratboy before adding the 's' and expanding to a full band after relocating to Chicago. The current lineup includes bassist Sean Neumann and drummer Marcus Nuccio. The band's style blends indie rock with elements of alt-country, featuring reflective songwriting, distortion, and occasional pedal steel or strings. Key releases include their debut album AOID, 2017's GN, the 2023 album The Window produced by Chris Walla, and their sixth studio album Singin' to an Empty Chair in 2026, also with Walla. Ratboys maintain a consistent quartet lineup for recordings and tours across the US and Europe, emphasizing chemistry among friends in live performances.