The band released their debut album, The Big Come Up, in 2002, followed by Thickfreakness in 2003, and Rubber Factory in 2004. Around this time, they also opened for bands such as Pearl Jam, Beck, Radiohead and Sleater-Kinney. October 2005 saw the release of the DVD Live, recorded live at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia March 18, 2005.
In 2006 they released their fourth album, Magic Potion released on September 4, 2006 in the UK and September 12, 2006 in the United States. It was their first recording for Nonesuch Records. In addition to this the lesser known Chulahoma EP, as well as a single version of "Your Touch" were also released in 2006.
According to an interview in Pitchfork Media, the band was collaborating on an album with Ike Turner, to be produced by Danger Mouse and released in 2007, but the idea was rendered impossible with Turner's death in December 2007.[1] "Some of the stuff we ended up recording sounds like Screamin' Jay Hawkins," Carney told Flaunt magazine, in April 2008.[2] Ultimately Attack & Release, their fifth album, was produced by Danger Mouse and released on April 1, 2008, having leaked onto the internet by March 4. Attack and Release debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Top 200. The first single from the album was "Strange Times", with a supporting video featuring Auerbach and Carney appearing as themselves shooting "real" laser guns at one another during a game of laser tag.
The Black Keys have achieved increasing critical acclaim and recognition since their debut album, which was praised by Rolling Stone magazine.[3] Time magazine named them one of the "10 Best Acts of 2003".[4] They have supported a number of bands, and toured with Sleater-Kinney in 2003, as well as a short stint opening for Beck, and performing at Lollapalooza 2005 and 2008. They opened for Radiohead on the American leg of their brief 2006 tour. In addition to this, they were supported by the influential British radio DJ John Peel and appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Late Show with David Letterman. They have recorded a cover of Bob Dylan's "The Wicked Messenger" for the I'm Not There soundtrack, and have recorded "If You Ever Slip ", a song written by Jesse Harris for The Hottest State soundtrack.
On October 17, 2008, the band was an opening act for fellow Akron-area band Devo at a special benefit concert at The Akron Civic Theater for presidential candidate Barack Obama. Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, also an Akron native and Firestone High School graduate, followed their set.[5] In November they toured through Europe together with Liam Finn.
On July 6, 2009, the Black Keys performed along with the Roots, TV on the Radio, Public Enemy, Antibalas and other acts at the 2nd Annual Roots Picnic on the Festival Pier in Philadelphia.
The Black Keys also joined the 9th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers.[6][7] [8]
An album featuring the Black Keys and some of the biggest names in hip-hop was released Nov. 27, 2009 (the so-called "Black Friday" day after Thanksgiving) under the name Blakroc. The project was spearheaded by Damon Dash and also sports contributions from Jim Jones, Mos Def, Q-Tip, RZA, Raekwon, Ludacris, Pharoahe Monch, NOE, Nicole Wray, Billy Danze and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. Sessions got underway in early summer in Brooklyn, N.Y., with Mos Def's songs among the first put to tape. Hip-hop veteran Damon Dash reached out to the band when he started listening to them because they had become his favorite band. Dan Auerbach said on the official Blakroc site, "Pat and I have been preparing for this record since we were 16." [9]
The Black Keys also announced a new album to be released in April, 2010 upon the release of Blakroc.