Tyler Rann of Midtown never thought he would make music as a career. A medieval studies major at Rutgers State University in New Jersey, Rann and fellow band members had only previously been in small separate groups, playing small gigs in small venues in front of small crowds. When the group got together, the outcome was much the same, playing on a similar scale in their college town.

When their popularity began to grow, however, Rann says the band member’s goals stayed the same.

“It was bizarre,” Rann says. “We never started with the goal to do music long term as a career.”

Soon after, Midtown was approached by a major record label to record an album. Even with this exciting opportunity, Rann says the band remained starstruck.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow this is a really great record, I can’t believe we just made this,” Rann says. “It just felt natural.”

Rann says he sees a trend lately in new bands — that most bands come together with only one thing on their minds.

“Everyone wants to know how to get signed and not how to make great music,” Rann says.

Rann believes that this is the major downfall in new bands.

“You have to understand what it is you are trying to make,” Rann says. “You have to realize that there will be hardships along the way. It’s rewarding in the long run.”

The band is on tour promoting its newest album, “Forget What You Know.” It came after a break for the band, as well as a label change to Columbia Records. Rann says after touring most of the time since he was 18, the band needed to get out of the rut that was forming. Rann felt the band’s previous label wasn’t allowing the group enough creative freedom, and a break would be the best option for Midtown.

“We wanted to take time off and grow up,” Rann says. “We all have the same vision and that was really important.”

Rann says “Forget What You Know” is a step forward for the band and exhibits the maturity gained from and label maneuver.

“It’s about realizing your mistakes and seeing them for what they are and learning from that,” Rann says. “We needed to make an album that is ‘us’ now.”

Rann says he thinks many bands don’t heed that advice.

“A lot of bands don’t grow,” Rann says. “And to me, that is insulting as a listener. I don’t want to buy the same record 100 times.”

This new album is fresh and Rann says that touring with the new album is exciting. They appeared at the M-Shop two years ago, and Rann says the impromptu appearance in Des Moines next week is an opportunity they didn’t want to miss.

“There was a day off,” Rann says. “We love playing in Iowa. We thought we might as well do it.”