The Slants are an Asian-American dance rock band. Their music is influenced by 1980s bands such as Depeche Mode and New Order, as well as modern acts such as The Killers and The Bravery. The band describes their sound as “Chinatown Dance Rock.”

The band’s name was an attempt to reappropriate a slur towards Asian people and ended up being the source of a legal battle that took them all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States regarding free speech and trademark issues. There, the band won a unanimous victory.

In 2006, Simon Tam started the band in Portland, Oregon by posting ads to local classifieds, Craigslist, and online ads. The lineup has shifted with over 10 different members over the course of their history, but all share the common trait of an Asian-American identity.

In 2008, The Slants competed in a reality show competition to win a $1 million recording contract. While placing first in every round, The Slants dropped out after finding out they would be required to sign a 73-page non-negotiable contract in order to continue the competition. Simon Tam also rejected a $4 million recording contract from a major-label record company that wanted to replace the lead singer with someone who was white.

From 2009 to 2012, The Slants launched tours spanning North America, released their third album featuring local artists, and toured with and supported artists like apl.de.ap (of The Black Eyed Peas), Vampire Weekend, Girl Talk, and Girugamesh.

On 19 June 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously ruled in The Slants' favor in their legal battle of 6 years against the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The USPTO had sought to prevent The Slants from trademarking their name, considering it offensive towards people of Asian descent.

In November 2019, the band performed their final shows in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. The shows featured nearly ever former member of the band. By then, The Slants had gone on 17 international tours, including appearances in 46 of 50 U.S states.

The Slants have also engaged in various community service efforts, including donating 100% of the profits from a remix album to cancer research for Asian women, performing overseas for active troops as part of the Armed Forces Entertainment roster, support the anti-bullying movement as part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and starting a nonprofit to mentor artists-activists of color.