De band werd opgericht in 1992. In 2006 ging de groep uiteen. Oud-leden Jason Lytle en Aaron Burtch maakten daarna deel uit van Admiral Radley. In 2012 organiseerde Grandaddy een reünie met enkele liveoptredens. In 2017 kwam het nieuwe album Last Place uit.
De band gebruikte ook een alias om andere muziek uit te brengen: Arm of Roger.
Discografie
Zelfuitgebrachte albums
1992: Prepare to Bawl
1994: Recorded Live Amongst Friends and Fidget
1994: Complex Party Come Along Theories
1997: Live at the Art Factory
Studioalbums
1997: Under the Western Freeway
2000: The Sophtware Slump
2002: The Ham and Its Lily (als Arm of Roger)
2003: Sumday
2006: Just Like the Fambly Cat
2017: Last Place
Compilatiealbums
1999: The Broken Down Comforter Collection
2000: The Windfall Varietal
2002: Concrete Dunes
2004: Below the Radio
Contributies
1997: Zum Audio Vol. 2 – "Ghost of 1672"
2000: It's a Cool Cool Christmas – "Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland"
2001: Trigger Happy TV Soundtrack to Series 2 – "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the pilot"
2002: I Am Sam soundtrack – "Revolution"
2002: 28 Days Later: The Soundtrack Album – "A.M. 180"
2007: Acoustic 07 – "Rear View Mirror"
Ep's
1996: A Pretty Mess by This One Band
1998: Machines Are Not She
1999: Signal to Snow Ratio
2001: Through a Frosty Plate Glass
2005: Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zilla
Singles
1994: "Could This Be Love"
1995: "Taster"/"Nebraska"
1998: "Everything Beautiful Is Far Away"
1998: "Laughing Stock"
1998: "A.M. 180"
1998: "Summer Here Kids"
2000: "The Crystal Lake"
2000: "Hewlett's Daughter"
2000: "Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland" (promotiesingle)
2000: "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot"
2001: "The Crystal Lake" (heruitgave)
2003: "Now It's On"
2003: "El Caminos in the West"
2004: "I'm on Standby"/"Stray Dog and the Chocolate Shake"
2004: "Nature Anthem"
2006: "Elevate Myself"
Splitsingles
"MGM Grand Single" (2000), splitsingle met John Wayne Shot Me
"Fishing Boat Song" (2000), splitsingle met Persil en Beachwood Sparks samen met Devil in the Woods
"The Rugged and Splintered Entertainment Center" (2003), splitsingle met The Polyphonic Spree
"Aisle Seat 37-D" (2003), splitsingle met Verbena samen met Devil in the Woods
