page_title: Aly & AJ
section_title: 2009–2014: Departure from Hollywood Records and name change
hierarchical_section_title: Aly & AJ / History / 2009–2014: Departure from Hollywood Records and name change
caption_attribution_description: English: AJ Michalka live at the Roxy in June 2013 with her band 78Violet
context_page_description: Aly & AJ, known briefly as 78violet, are an American pop duo that consists of sisters Alyson and Amanda Michalka. They signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records in 2004. Their debut album, Into the Rush, debuted at number 36 on the US Billboard 200, and was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It has sold 839,000 copies domestically and one million copies worldwide. Their second album, Insomniatic, peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, selling over 39,000 copies in its first week and becoming Aly & AJ's highest debut to date.
  In 2009, Aly & AJ renamed themselves 78violet and officially announced their departure from Hollywood Records the following year. In 2013, the sisters released their first single in five years, "Hothouse". The duo had planned to release a full-length album in 2014, which was later leaked onto the internet during summer 2014. On December 9, 2015, the duo announced they had decided to return to their original name, Aly & AJ. In August 2017, they released the single "Take Me" as the lead single from their EP, Ten Years.
context_section_description: In early 2008, Billboard confirmed that Aly & AJ were working on a third studio album which was due to be released in late 2009. They mentioned in an interview with Radio Disney on April 23, 2008 that they were going for a "rockier" sound, and that this time they wanted to sing separately, not harmonizing their voices as they had on their previous albums, to let fans identify which Michalka sister was singing. On October 7, 2008, the up-to-then-yet-untitled album had been confirmed for a release in April 2009 by a Hollywood Records representative; however, a month later, the duo revealed in an interview that the album had been delayed until the summer of 2009. In later interviews though, the duo mentioned a release date of fall 2009, and lastly, on September 30, 2009, the duo claimed an early 2010 release of the record.
  The duo wrote a song (later confirmed to be titled "The Next Worst Thing") with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. They also worked with Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, AFI, Sum 41) and Rob Cavallo (Green Day, The Goo Goo Dolls, Paramore), both producers in the rock genre. Throughout 2009, various songtitles were added to the database of Broadcast Music Incorporated, written and composed by the duo, and jointly written and composed in collaborations with Daniel James and Leah Haywood. Rumors of Aly & AJ touring in the summer of 2009 surfaced the internet, but Aly Michalka later denied them on the sisters' official website. They stated that they were finalizing the record and wanted to focus on that at the moment. They also revealed that they wanted to tour in early 2010 to promote the new album. On July 8, 2009, the duo announced that they changed the team's name to 78violet. A week later, on July 16, 78violet announced that their third album will be self-titled. On February 19, 2010, 78violet announced on their official Facebook page that they had officially parted ways with Hollywood Records, and their new self-titled album, 78violet, probably would not be released. However, the duo stated that they were continuing to write and record for a new album.
  On November 30, 2010, 78violet's first song under the name of 78violet was released with the Hellcats soundtrack EP. 78violet recorded the theme song to Hellcats, titled "Belong Here". On January 24, 2011, a video of 78violet in the studio was released where a clip of a new song, titled "Suspended", was played. Some of the titles being considered for 78violet's fourth album were 8 Hours and 53rd floor. Aly mentioned that they had joined forces with a new production company.
  On June 18, 2012, 78violet announced that they were "Off to NY to start cutting instrumentals for the record." On June 19, 2012, they announced that they had started the first day of production for the album, saying, "Officially the first day starting the album production: it's taken 5 years but we are here!" On June 22, they announced that the "Album track list is officially set:)", calling it "not what you expect". On October 15, 2012, they tweeted that their album is complete and expected sometime 2013, with the possibility of a single in summer of the same year. Aly & AJ later confirmed that the lead single would be "Hothouse".
  On May 2, 2013, Aly & AJ signed to Red Light Management which will be the music management company of all their future music. The single would be released on July 8, with an album to follow. The duo also performed live for the first time in five years when they took the stage for special shows at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles on June 26 and the Gramercy Theater in New York on July 9. "We couldn't be more ready or excited to introduce our amazing fans to the new and evolved sound behind 78Violet," said Aly and AJ Michalka in a press statement, June 5, 2013. "These two upcoming shows will allow us to share a small taste of the alternative pop vibe that you'll hear on the album in an organic and up close and personal setting." New original songs performed on the first show include: "Hothouse", "Boy", "53rd Floor", "Heart", "Hole in the Earth", and "8 Hours". The group 
caption: AJ Michalka debuting Aly & AJ's new song "Boy" for the first time at the Roxy in June 2013
exif: {}