"Shut Up and Dance" (stylized as "SHUT UP + DANCE") is a song recorded by American pop rock band Walk the Moon for their second studio album Talking Is Hard (2014). It was written by the band members and songwriters Ben Berger and Ryan McMahon. The song is based on an experience frontman Nicholas Petricca had at a Los Angeles nightclub. His girlfriend invited him to dance, inspiring the title, which he envisioned as an anthem for letting go of frustration and to having fun. The song was digitally released as the lead single from Talking Is Hard on September 10, 2014.