Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish rock band, formed in 2002 and based in Glasgow. The band's original lineup was composed of Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar, keyboard), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals). The band has been known for being one of the most popular post-punk revival bands, garnering multiple UK top 20 hits and selling over 3 million albums worldwide, as of late 2009. They have been nominated for several Grammy Awards and have received two Brit Awards—winning one for Best British Group, as well as one NME Award.

The band began by releasing their debut extended play, Darts of Pleasure, in 2003, under Domino Records. The band gained recognition in the United Kingdom after the EP's title track peaked at number 44 on UK Singles Chart. In January 2004, the band released the song "Take Me Out". The song went on to achieve global recognition, charting in several countries, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It has since been noted as the band's signature song and has received critical acclaim from critics. The band subsequently released their eponymous debut studio album on 9 February 2004 to critical acclaim. The album won the 2004 Mercury Prize and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album.

In 2005, the band released their second studio album, You Could Have It So Much Better, which was produced by Rich Costey. The album went on to earn critical acclaim from critics as well as a positive commercial performance, peaking within the top-ten in multiple countries. The album earned a nomination for Best Alternative Album and one of the singles released from the album, "Do You Want To", earned a nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.

The band's third studio album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, was announced in late 2008 and released in January 2009. The album was notable for featuring a change in the band's musical style, as the band had shifted from a post-punk-focused sound, which was featured on their first two albums, to a more dance-oriented sound. The album gained a positive commercial performance as well as positive reviews, but not as much acclaim as their first two albums. A remix album of Tonight, titled Blood, was subsequently released in July 2009.

Four years after the release of Tonight, the band released their fourth studio album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. In 2015, it was announced that Franz Ferdinand and American rock band Sparks had formed the supergroup FFS. The two released the album FFS in June 2015. In 2016, it was announced that Nick McCarthy had taken a break from the band to focus on family matters and other musical projects, but will be returning.