New York rockers The Rapture have split after 16 years together.

The musicians decided against announcing the break-up, and the news only became public after frontman Luke Jenner joined the line-up of an upcoming gig in the Big Apple and was billed as "formerly of The Rapture".

The news has since been confirmed by Jonathan Galkin, manager of the band's DFA Records label, who reveals the group parted ways some time ago.

He tells Self-titledmag.com, "I kept thinking it might blow over, but that might not be the case. Feel free to go to press with this headline: 'Did the Rapture Break Up and Not Tell Anyone?'"

The band formed in 1998 and released three albums before the split.