The lead single from the album, ' Anna Sun', became a surprise hit in the summer of 2011 following an endorsement by the Esquire article '30 Summer Songs Every Man Should Listen To'. The band's self-released album i Want! i Want! was recorded by Chris Schmidt and Ben Cochran at Soap Floats Recording Studio in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. The band played on the main stage at the 20th Anniversary of Lollapalooza and also supported Local Natives in an Official Lollaplooza Aftershow at Lincoln Hall.

In spring 2011, the band went on a short tour with the west coast band, Grouplove, as well as supported Panic! at the Disco and Weezer on select dates. Before the release of their self-titled album, Walk the Moon joined many other performers at the Music Midtown festival and performed on the Great Southeast Music Hall Stage in Atlanta, Georgia in September 2011. They are known for their energetic performances and tireless touring schedule. The band played at the Sasquatch Music Festival and Firefly Music Festival. Bonnaroo’s camera crew documented the painting process in a short video from the 2011 festival. They have claimed it has become a “live tradition”. In 2011, the band members began to paint their faces for live performances and they would bring enough paint to share with audience members. Influential music blog Neon Gold helped to break the band in January 2011, calling 'Anna Sun', 'the kind of stuff British A&R dreams, and major label bidding wars, are made of.' In February 2011, Walk the Moon signed to RCA Records. Along with the success of 'Anna Sun', Alt Nation named them a band you need to know for the summer of 2012. The group independently released their debut studio album, I want! I want!, in November 2010, receiving airplay for the track ' Anna Sun' on multiple alternative radio stations.

Walk the moon album cover'=