They Might Be Giants Is The World's Greatest Band. Here's Why.

For 33 years, two guys from Brooklyn named John have been creating some of the most clever, innovative, and catchy songs in pop music. Take a giant step into their world and discover what you've been missing.

They Offered On-Demand Music...in 1983

They Might Be Giants / Via tmbgsongaday.wordpress.com

When the duo was still young and struggling, John Linnell broke his wrist in a bike accident. This prevented him and partner John Flansburgh from performing live, which is crucial for an act trying to build an audience. Out of boredom, they began recording songs onto their answering machine and then advertising the music -- as "Dial-A-Song" -- in local New York newspapers. By calling a Brooklyn phone number, anyone in America could hear, for free, an entire song...or something experimental, or a fake commercial, or the Giants just goofing around, depending on their mood.

This sort of interactivity, reaching out directly to fans one at a time, was unlike anything any musician had ever done. It helped grow their following and attracted the attention of Bar/None Records, their first label.

Dial-A-Song went online in 2000, but that ended in 2006. The Brooklyn phone number died in 2008.

But Dial-A-Song is back in 2015. TMBG is releasing an original song every week for the entire year. That's 52 free songs. The International Deluxe edition of Taylor Swift's 1989 CD has only 19 tracks. Just sayin'.

Oh, and if you want that retro feel, you can call the new Dial-A-Song at 844-387-6962. No more busy signals.

They've written for the quirkiest shows and movies

Coraline / Via youtube.com.

"But I've never heard a single piece of music by these guys," you think. Yes, you have.

They Might Be Giants wrote and performed the song "Boss of Me," which was the theme to Malcolm in the Middle -- and which netted them a Grammy.

The rockin' opening music for The Daily Show? That's them, too.

The Giants also wrote and performed a song in Coraline, and their "Spiraling Shape" was in the cult Kids in the Hall film Brain Candy. One of their most popular songs, "Birdhouse in Your Soul," was covered by Kristin Chenoweth and Ellen Greene in an episode of Pushing Daisies, a TV series that was adorkable before adorkable was a thing.

You've also heard the Johns in 21 quirky Dunkin' Donuts commercials (yes, 21 of them over two years), in which the band was given unprecedented creative freedom to write whatever songs like they liked, often off just a few words from Dunkin's creative team. They've also had songs in ads ranging from Buick to Diet Dr. Pepper to Play-Doh.

Listening to them makes you smarter

CBS/The Grammys / Via brooklynvegan.com

TMBG isn't afraid to be smart. Some songs contain sneaky references while others wholeheartedly embrace a historical or scientific theme. Their music is a fun way to learn about such topics as...

- Plato's Cave Allegory ("No One Knows My Plan")

- Belgian surrealist painter James Ensor ("Meet James Ensor")

- Alan Ginsberg's "Howl" ("I Should Be Allowed to Think")

- Mammalian evolution ("Mammal")

- 11th US President James K. Polk ("James K. Polk")

- Pavlovian conditioning ("Dinner Bell")

...and that doesn't count their three actual children's albums, which replace the usual kid-targeted pap with amazingly catchy and educational songs: Here Come the ABCs, Here Come the 123s (another Grammy-winner), and Here Comes Science.

They're boring

They Might Be Giants, by photographer Shervin Lainez / Via en.wikipedia.org

In 33 years, the pair has always been together. They haven't fought or split up. They've each pursued side projects without derailing the group. They're both happily married (one for 19 years and the other for 18). They've had no affairs, no scandals, no trips to rehab, no false farewell tours. They've never Danced With a Star or been a Celebrity Apprentice. John Linnell and John Flansburgh are just two smart, talented guys who seem to savor any opportunity to create fun music, whether it's for their fans, TV shows, commercials, or kids.

A lot of their songs feature an accordion

They Might Be Giants / Via theymightbegiants.com

Did we not mention that?