Cobra Starship
A neon-lit, party-starting dance-rock project that turned a song for a teen comedy into a lasting pop-culture moment.
Born 1981 (age 45)·American band·Birthday: April 6·Millennials
Biography
Cobra Starship was born from a single, perfectly timed commission. In 2006, former Midtown bassist Gabe Saporta was asked to contribute a song to the soundtrack of the film 'Snakes on a Plane.' The result was 'Bring It (Snakes on a Plane),' a synth-heavy, irresistibly cheeky track that became an unexpected viral hit. Sensing momentum, Saporta transformed what was a solo venture into a full-blown band, recruiting a crew that included keytarist Victoria Asher. They embraced a glam, cartoonish aesthetic of space and snakes, positioning themselves as the life of a never-ending party. Their breakthrough came with the inescapable 2009 single 'Good Girls Go Bad,' featuring Leighton Meester, which dominated radio and MTV. While critics often dismissed them as a guilty pleasure, Cobra Starship mastered the art of crafting hyper-catchy, self-aware pop-rock anthems for the MySpace and early YouTube generation, providing the soundtrack for countless mall trips and teen movie montages before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2015.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Cobra was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cobra Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Cobra's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- The single 'Good Girls Go Bad' featuring Leighton Meester reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum.
- Their debut album, 'Viva La Cobra!', reached number 80 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- The song 'Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)' was created for and featured prominently in the cult film 'Snakes on a Plane.'
- They won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 2009.
Did You Know?
The band's name was inspired by a dream Gabe Saporta had about a spaceship shaped like a cobra.
Keytarist Victoria Asher is the daughter of famed Beatles and Wings guitarist Laurence Juber.
Lead singer Gabe Saporta previously fronted the punk band Midtown.
Their music video for 'Good Girls Go Bad' was filmed at the now-closed Astroland amusement park in Coney Island.
“I wrote a song for 'Snakes on a Plane' and it accidentally became a band.”
