Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an indie/punk band, with roots in traditional rock. They formed while Leo was living in Washington, DC, but now have members based around the northeast United States. Leo came from Bloomfield, New Jersey.

The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Ted Leo, bassist Marty 'Violence' Key, and drummer Chris Wilson. After his previous band, Chisel, broke up in the late 1990s, Ted recorded the Tej Leo(?) Rx Pharmacists album in 1999, followed by the Treble in Trouble EP in 2000.

His next album, 2001's The Tyranny of Distance, quickly gained him a cult following and critical praise. Dave Lerner and Chris Wilson became permanent members of the band during the tour that year, as did keyboard player Dorien Garry. James Canty (ex-The Nation of Ulysses, Make Up, etc.) also played with the band during this time.

The album Hearts of Oak followed in 2003, which also saw the release of the concert film Dirty Old Town and the Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead EP. Garry left the band before the recording of 2004's Shake the Sheets, which has led them into their current setup as a power trio. The new record featured fewer obscure references and more overt political content than his previous releases did, though his music has always been known for its engagement with politics.

The band tours extensively around North America. Leo is a strict vegan. His brother Chris Leo is also a singer/songwriter and a member of The Lapse. Ted Leo graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 with a degree in English.