Take a second and think about what your favorite genre of music is. Got it? Whatever it is, Judah & the Lion has you covered and they’re coming to Iowa State’s Great Hall on Friday night. 

Judah & the Lion is a Nashville-based band that has roots planted in just about every genre you can think of. The members themselves come from all over the country and from different musical backgrounds. 

When they formed in college, those different backgrounds blended together to create one of the most genre-bending groups on the charts today. 

Their newest album, “Folk Hop N’ Roll,” captures that quality even in the title. The music itself is an intriguing mix of hip-hop, folk, rock and pop. 

The deluxe version of the album added an additional group of songs called the “Going to Mars Collection.” It features songs like “Take It All Back 2.0” and “Suit and Jacket” and has reached top-ten positions on the folk, alternative and heatseekers Billboard charts. 

“There’s no boundaries,” said frontman Judah Akers on the band’s website. “We wanted to make something raw, something with attitude. We all grew up loving these hip-hop beats, so why not make an album that has the grit of Run DMC or Beastie Boys, along with all the folk instruments that we play?”

Judah & the Lion’s music has also been featured on Spotify’s VIRAL 50 playlist alongside artists like Meghan Trainor, Fall Out Boy and many other bands from many different genres showing that they could run with any crowd. 

This band has built their following and reputation not by attaching themselves to a major label, but by working to produce genuine music and touring relentlessly.

“Folk Hop N’ Roll” was produced by award-winning producer Dave Cobb who has also worked with artists like Chris Stapleton. 

Earlier this year, Judah & the Lion spent three months on the road with Twenty One Pilots on their Emotional Roadshow tour. Immediately after that, they went into their own headlining tour across the U.S. 

The band has also shared the stage with Ben Rector who performed in the Great Hall earlier this semester. 

Judah & the Lion has played at Iowa State twice before. They supported Andrew Ripp in the Maintenance Shop in February of 2014 and headlined the same venue in November of the same year. 

“I think a lot of people are excited,” said student union board national events director Hayly Smith. “A lot of people know the songs… Even at the Ben Rector show we were handing out flyers for shows coming up and I know that people were excited for Judah & the Lion.”

Judah & the Lion places emphasis on their live show. They value their fans’ time and want to make sure the experience is worth their while. They kept this in mind as they wrote “Folk Hop n’ Roll.”

“This record was made for the live show,” Akers said. “Our shows are all about the experience we share with our fans. We know that people work everyday jobs or go to school, and they’re dealing with life, and yet they’re still choosing to spend the night with us. We don’t take that lightly. We give them an experience. We throw an absolute rage. And all the songs were made with that in mind. They’re fun, carefree and youthful, and we live our lives that way, too.”

Judah & the Lion will perform in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union supported by fellow Nashville band Wilder on 8 p.m. Friday.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through Midwesttix.com or at the M-Shop box office. Tickets are $15 dollars with a student ID and $25 for the public.