Bon Iver ( ) is an American
indie folk
Indie folk (also called alternative folk) is an alternative genre of music that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music.
Characteristics
The staff of '' Paste Magazine'' said in 2020: "No music genre ...
band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter
Justin Vernon in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire ( ; lit. "clear water") is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, Eau Claire and Chippewa County, Wisconsin, Chippewa counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the county seat, seat of Eau Claire County. It is the List of citie ...
. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guitar),
Sean Carey (drums, keyboards, vocals),
Michael Lewis (vocals, baritone guitar, guitar, violin, saxophone), Matthew McCaughan (drums, bass, vocals), Andrew Fitzpatrick (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and
Jenn Wasner (guitar, keyboards, vocals).
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''
For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007.
The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon spent three months isolated in a cabin in western
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
.
In 2012, the band won the
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for
Best Alternative Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Ho ...
for their eponymous album ''
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guit ...
''.
They released their third album ''
22, A Million'' to critical acclaim in 2016.
Their fourth album, ''
I, I'', was released in 2019. The album was nominated at the
2020 Grammy Awards for
Album of the Year. Their fifth and most recent album, ''
Sable, Fable
''Sable, Fable'' (stylized as ''SABLE, fABLE'') is the fifth studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver, released on April 11, 2025, via Jagjaguwar. The album is a continuation of the '' Sable'' EP (2024), which is included as a separate ...
'', was released in 2025.
The name "Bon Iver" derives from the French phrase ''bon hiver'' (; 'good winter'),
taken from a greeting on 1990s TV series ''
Northern Exposure
''Northern Exposure'' is an American comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska, that originally aired on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It rec ...
''.
History
After the breakup of his band
DeYarmond Edison, the ending of a relationship, and a bout of
mononucleosis hepatitis,
Vernon left
Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, North Carolina, and moved back to Wisconsin. He spent the oncoming winter months at his father's cabin in
Dunn County, Wisconsin
Dunn County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,440. Its county seat is Menomonie. Dunn County comprises the Menomonie Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Eau Claire-Men ...
. According to Vernon, it was during this time that the "Bon Iver" moniker first entered his mind; while bedridden with mononucleosis, he began watching the 1990s TV series ''
Northern Exposure
''Northern Exposure'' is an American comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska, that originally aired on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It rec ...
'' on DVD. One episode depicts a group of citizens in Alaska, where the show is set, emerging from their homes into the first snowfall of the winter and wishing one another ''bon hiver'' ( “good winter”). This was initially transcribed by Vernon as "boniverre"; however, when he learned of its proper
French spelling, he elected not to use it, deciding ''hiver'' reminded him too much of "
liver
The liver is a major metabolic organ (anatomy), organ exclusively found in vertebrates, which performs many essential biological Function (biology), functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of var ...
", the site of his illness at the time.
[
]
2006–2010: ''For Emma, Forever Ago''
Vernon did not intend to write or record any music during the time but rather to recuperate from the events of the previous year. Eventually, however, a record began to evolve during this cathartic time of isolation. He had recently finished helping the band The Rosebuds do some recording and had with him some basic recording gear when he made his move to the cabin in late 2006. Vernon played all the instruments during recording and each song was heavily edited with a large number of overdubs. Vernon wrote the lyrics for the album by recording a word-less melody and listening to the recording over and over while writing words according to the sound of the syllables of the melody. In an interview, Vernon said, "Words like 'decision' and 'intention' aren't words that float in my head because I just went." Vernon explains, "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didn't know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold." In another interview, Vernon describes what he used to record the album: "I had a very light set-up, a basic small recording set-up: a Shure SM57 and an old Silvertone guitar. I had my brother drop off his old drums ... some other small things—things I would make or find lying around."
The record was almost not released and was originally intended as a group of demos to be sent out to labels and potentially rerecorded. But after getting very encouraging reactions from a number of his friends, Vernon decided to release the songs himself in their present state.[ According to his manager Kyle Frenette, an initial run of 500 CDs were pressed.] The original CD release show took place at the House of Rock in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire ( ; lit. "clear water") is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, Eau Claire and Chippewa County, Wisconsin, Chippewa counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the county seat, seat of Eau Claire County. It is the List of citie ...
. Justin played an earlier "all-ages" show and an evening 21+ show to release the original pressing of the album in its card stock
Card stock, also called cover stock and pasteboard, is paper that is thicker and more durable than normal writing and printing paper, but thinner and more flexible than other forms of paperboard.
Card stock is often used for business cards, ...
CD case. Of the 500 copies issued, 17 were sent to press, mainly blogs.[ The first significant attention the album received was from My Old Kentucky Blog in June 2007, after which point "it snowballed," according to manager Frenette.][ Another further breakthrough came when, in October 2007, the album received a very positive review from influential indie internet publication ''Pitchfork''. That exposure in turn led to a performance the same month at the industry showcase festival CMJ Music Marathon. The appearance attracted much label interest and Frenette later told ]HitQuarters
HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
that they subsequently spoke to various record companies, both independent and major.[ Out of all of them they decided to sign with the indie ]Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
History
In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public resear ...
because their ideals most resembled their own.[ The signing was confirmed on October 29, 2007.]
''For Emma, Forever Ago'' was given an official release by Jagjaguwar.
Vernon has said that he will continue to make albums without engineers and producers because he is capable of doing it all himself.[ Since being released by ]Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
History
In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public resear ...
on February 19, 2008, ''For Emma, Forever Ago'' has garnered critical acclaim.[ The album was released in the UK and Europe by iconic indie label 4AD on May 12, 2008. When released in the UK, ''For Emma, Forever Ago'' received 5/5 and "Album of the Month" reviews in both '' Mojo (magazine), Mojo'' and '' Uncut'' magazines. It was the seventh highest rated album of 2008 on ]review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
site Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, with accolades from publications including ''The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'', ''The Hartford Courant
The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is advertised as the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven an ...
'' and ''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
''. Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...
gave the album 29th place in its "The Top 200 Albums of 2000s" list, while Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
placed the album at 11 on its "Best Album of the '00s" list.
The digital download track " Skinny Love" was selected to be iTunes (UK) single of the week and was available for free during that time, as well as being featured as the track of the day on National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
. Bon Iver was ranked number 8 on Last.fm's most-listened-to new music of 2008. Bon Iver's ''For Emma, Forever Ago'' was ranked number 29 in ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
''s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2008, and was also ranked number 92 on their list of the 100 Best Albums of the 2000s. In an interview, Vernon said: "I'm really humbled by everything and am keeping things in perspective." On May 19, 2008, "Blindsided" and "Flume" were featured in The CW series '' One Tree Hill''. On October 6, 2008, "Skinny Love" was featured in the NBC series ''Chuck
Chuck () is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to:
People
Arts and entertainment
* Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet
* Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV produce ...
'' ( season 2, episode 3). 'Blindsided' also featured in 'Stairway To Heaven', the 12th episode of the 5th season of ABC's medical drama
A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
''Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
''.
On December 11, 2008, Bon Iver performed "Skinny Love" on the ''Late Show with David Letterman
''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...
''. On January 26, 2009, "Skinny Love" was announced at No. 21 by the Australian national radio station Triple J
Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...
in the annual Hottest 100 countdown of the previous year's best songs. In July 2009, "Skinny Love" was announced at No. 92 in Triple J's Hottest 100 of All Time countdown. Additionally, the track "Flume" has been used by the BBC to advertise their Jimmy McGovern
James Stanley McGovern (born September 1949) is an English screenwriter and producer. He is best known for creating the drama series '' Cracker'' (1993–1995), for which he received two Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. He als ...
-penned drama series '' The Street''; the track "Blood Bank" (off the EP of the same name) was used in a 2009 episode of the NBC series ''Chuck'' ( season 2, episode 18) and the track "Creature Fear" was used in another ''Chuck'' episode ( season 2, episode 21); "Skinny Love" was featured in another episode of ''Chuck'' (season 2, episode 3), as well as in the ABC drama ''Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
''; "The Wolves (Act I and II)" was used in the first season of '' United States of Tara'', the film ''The Place Beyond the Pines
''The Place Beyond the Pines'' is a 2012 American Epic film, epic Crime film, crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance with a screenplay by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio and Darius Marder from a story by Cianfrance and Coccio. The film tells thre ...
'' as well as in the final scenes of the film ''Rust and Bone''; "Re:Stacks" was featured in the Fox drama ''House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
'', as was "Flume" on May 16, 2011; "Re:Stacks" was also used for the closing sequence of the '' Silent Witness'' episode Death Has No Dominion, and "Woods" was used in the eighth episode of ''Skins''' third series and appeared on the series 3 soundtrack.
In 2008, Bon Iver designed a T-shirt for the Yellow Bird Project, with all profits benefiting the Interval House women's shelter
A women's shelter, also known as a women's refuge and battered women's shelter, is a place of temporary protection and support for women escaping domestic violence and intimate partner violence of all forms. The term is also frequently used to ...
in Toronto, Ontario. In October 2009, Bon Iver first appeared on the cover of the publication ''The Fader
''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture.
History and work
It is owned by T ...
'', in its 64th issue. Also in 2009, Bon Iver, along with St. Vincent, contributed the song "Roslyn" to the ''New Moon
In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'' soundtrack
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
. Bon Iver also contributed "Brackett, WI" to the AIDS benefit album '' Dark Was the Night'' produced by the Red Hot Organization.
In 2010, Bon Iver collaborated with Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
on the track " Lost in the World", which begins with a sample of the Bon Iver track "Woods". Vernon also contributed vocals to the West tracks "Monster
A monster is a type of imaginary or fictional creature found in literature, folklore, mythology, fiction and religion. They are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive, with a strange or grotesque appearance that causes Anxiety, terror ...
" and "Dark Fantasy
Dark fantasy, also called fantasy horror, is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporates disturbing and frightening themes. The term is ambiguously used to describe stories that combine horror fiction, horror ...
", both featured on West's album ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' is the fifth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after a period of ...
''. Then, in March 2011, Justin Vernon performed at SXSW
South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
with GOOD Music
GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
. This collaboration publicized him to a wider audience.[
]
2011–2012: ''Bon Iver''
''Bon Iver'' was released on June 17, 2011. On March 23, 2011, Justin Vernon told ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' that a follow-up of ''For Emma, Forever Ago'' would be released in December 2011. The album is composed of 10 songs and takes a new musical direction: "I brought in a lot of people to change my voice—not my singing voice, but my role as the author of this band, this project," says Vernon, who hired well-known players like bass saxophonist Colin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. "I built the record myself, but I allowed those people to come in and change the scene." The second album is described as an "ambitious musical departure" from the first. Prior to the album's release, Vernon said that each song on the new album represents a place. The song "Perth" was described as a "Civil War-sounding heavy metal song," the song "Minnesota, WI" was described as featuring "finger-picked guitars, double bass drums and distorted bass saxophone," and the closing song " Beth/Rest" would be "horn heavy."
The album was recorded in a remodeled veterinarian clinic in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, which was bought by Vernon and his brother in 2008. It was converted into April Base Studios, built mainly over the defunct swimming pool attached to the clinic. Vernon's reason for recording in the location was that " t'sbeen a wonderful freedom, working in a place we built. It's also only three miles from the house I grew up in, and just ten minutes from the bar where my parents met."
On April 20, Bon Iver announced details of the release through the official Jagjaguwar and 4AD websites. The artwork for the album was also released, painted by the American artist Gregory Euclide. Gregory also released two YouTube videos entitled the ''Making of Bon Iver Album Art''. Over one month before the album release date, the album was accidentally made available for purchase on the iTunes Music Store on May 23. Apple removed the item from the store, but not before a handful of users were able to purchase and download it. There was no comment from Apple, the artist, or his label. However, the lyrics to the album were promptly uploaded to their record site.
In an interview on 89.3 The Current, main man Justin Vernon was questioned about current plans for the band and expressed their desire to take a break:
During the last performance of their 2012 tour in Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
's The O2
The O2 (formerly known as the Millennium Dome) is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, Town square, piazzas, ...
, Vernon announced that it was their last performance as a band, "... at least for a while..." At the time, these two events provoked speculation about whether this was a definite end to the band or simply a hiatus. A representative for Bon Iver's label, Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
History
In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public resear ...
, issued the statement, "They are just going off cycle after two very busy years on this record."
Josh Jackson reviewed ''Bon Iver'' for '' Paste'', saying, "It retains the beautiful melancholy of ''For Emma'', but in nearly every way, it's just more. More layered, more diverse, more interesting. He brings in collaborators to do what they do best, but never at the expense of his sound and vision. It treads into new sonic directions without getting lost." He gave the album a score of nine out of ten. In an unfavorable review, Tim Sendra of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
wrote, " ernon'sstyle comes off more like sub-Enya
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (born 17 May 1961; anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan) known mononymously as Enya, is an Irish singer and composer. With an estimated equivalent of over 80 million albums sold worldwide, Enya is the best-selli ...
with a beard than a true studio wizard... ''For Emma, Pt. 2'' would have been far more satisfying than this overblown debacle."
In late August 2011, English post-dubstep
Post-dubstep is an umbrella term applied to a range of musical styles that have been influenced by the sparse, syncopated rhythms and heavy sub-bass of the UK dubstep scene. The breadth of styles associated with the term post-dubstep precluded ...
musician and singer-songwriter James Blake uploaded a track called " Fall Creek Boys Choir", a collaboration with Bon Iver, to his YouTube channel. It was released as the first single from Blake's EP '' Enough Thunder'' and was also included on the deluxe edition of his self-titled debut album.
On November 30, 2011, the band earned four nominations for the 54th Grammy Awards: Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967) "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that ar ...
, Best Alternative Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Ho ...
for their album ''Bon Iver'', and both Song of the Year and Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
for "Holocene". On December 15, 2011, ''Pitchfork'' awarded ''Bon Iver'' the number one album of 2011. On February 12, 2012, Bon Iver won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Bon Iver also won the Grammy for Best Alternative Album for ''Bon Iver'', beating out Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Foster the People and My Morning Jacket.[ On February 15, a five-song studio session was released on YouTube, featuring Justin Vernon and Bon Iver drummer Sean Carey performing piano renditions of the tracks. The recording took place at AIR Studio-owned Lyndurst Hall in London, England.
]
2012–2018: Hiatus, ''Wish I Was Here'', and ''22, A Million''
On November 12, 2012, the band announced its intent to take a break from performing after the last event of its 2012 tour in Dublin. Their label asserted that the band had not broken up.
On June 30, 2014, the band released a new song titled "Heavenly Father", which was featured on the soundtrack of Zach Braff
Zachary Israel Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He portrayed J.D. (Scrubs), John Michael "J.D." Dorian on the NBC/American Broadcasting Company, ABC television series ''Scrubs (TV series), Scrubs'' (2001–2010), for ...
's film '' Wish I Was Here''. Bon Iver's song "Woods" was featured in the Bluecoats 2015 program ''Kinetic Noise'', which was awarded a bronze medal at the Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International (DCI) is a governing body for drum and bugle corps. Founded in 1971 and known as "marching music's major league," DCI develops and enforces rules of competition and judges at sanctioned drum and bugle corps competitions t ...
World Championships. On July 18, 2015, the band played their first show in almost three years at the Eaux Claires Music Festival in Eau Claire where they debuted two new songs, "666 ʇ" and "89". Originally, both were slated to be on their next album, but only "666 ʇ" made it to the finished record. Unreleased track "89" has been played occasionally since, soon becoming a fan favorite. On November 18, 2015, the band announced a tour of Asia starting early 2016.
On July 22, 2016, a 22-second live stream was broadcast on the band's official Facebook page, accompanied by the caption '#22days'. A short clip of previously unreleased music could be heard in the video, accompanied by an updated profile and cover photo. On August 17, 2016, the band announced that their next album's title would be '' 22, A Million''. They also provided a track list of 10 songs and released lyric videos for two songs: "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" and "10 dEATh bREasT". On August 29, 2016, the band released their lyric video for "33 "GOD"", the third single from the album.
''22, A Million'' was released on September 30, 2016. It was noted by many as a large stylistic shift for the band. One aspect of this shift included a drastic change in instrumentation; on ''22, A Million'' and subsequent releases, Bon Iver often collaborated with a group of saxophonists known as Sad Sax of Shit. In ''Pitchfork'''s review of the album, the publication likened it to Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
's '' Kid A'', saying, "Bon Iver's first album in five years takes an unexpected turn toward the strange and experimental. But behind the arranged glitches and processed voices are deeply felt songs about uncertainty."
2018–2023: ''Come Through'' shows and ''I, I''
In mid 2018, Bon Iver partnered with TU Dance for ''Come Through'', a series of shows featuring a group of contemporary dancers and during which several new songs were premiered. In late 2018, during an Instagram Live session, frontman Justin Vernon revealed a folder named "BI LP4", containing 13 new songs. He also revealed a snippet of the song "We Maddie Parry" (later shortened to "We").
The band has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
nightclub First Avenue, recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.
Bon Iver recorded their fourth album in Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
during February and March 2019. On June 2, 2019, Bon Iver debuted two new songs from the upcoming album at All Points East, a more polished version of the previously played " Hey, Ma" and the new song "U (Man Like)" (which was on the setlist Vernon showed in December and which features guest vocals from American singer-songwriter Moses Sumney, Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, folk music, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock music, rock, heartland r ...
, Elsa Jensen, Jenn Wasner, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus). At the end of the same concert, Bon Iver advertised the website iCOMMAi, featuring similar cryptic messages as their recent lyric videos. The next day, both songs were released as singles alongside a list of fall tour dates. On July 2, the band released a teaser called "Sincerity is Forever in Season", voiced by Michael Perry and relating every album by the band to a season, with the then-upcoming fourth album being autumn.
A week later, on July 11, the band announced that their forthcoming album, '' I, I'' (stylized as ''i,i''), would be released on August 30, 2019. They also released the songs "Jelmore" and "Faith" as the third and fourth singles for the album, respectively. On July 31, the band released a documentary short called ''Bon Iver: Autumn'', featuring Vernon and bandmates discussing the ''I, I'' album and the upcoming ''Autumn'' tour. On August 7, Bon Iver held free worldwide listening parties to preview the new album at over 60 locations around the world. On August 8, starting at 6:00 am EST, the band began to release the previously unreleased album tracks one at a time, every hour on the hour, until 11:00 am EST. The album as a whole was then released on several streaming services, 22 days before it was slated to be officially released. In September 2019, dates for Asian and European tours in 2020 were released.
During promotion of i,i Vernon revealed that he saw Bon Iver’s four primary albums as representative of the four seasons.
On January 21, 2020, the band announced a reissue of their first EP "Blood Bank", which contains new artwork by the usual collaborator Eric Timothy Carlson as well as both original songs and live versions of each one of them. It was released on March 27. On April 4, 2020, Justin Vernon premiered a new Bon Iver song, "Things Behind Things Behind Things" in "Where We Go From Here", a special event from Bernie Sanders. On April 17, Bon Iver released a brand new song called "PDLIF" (Please Don't Live In Fear), which 100% of the proceeds will go to Direct Relief, a company providing resources during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. The song was later sampled by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
for their song " The Hillbillies".
On July 23, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
announced that Bon Iver would feature on "Exile
Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
" (stylized in all lowercase
Letter case is the distinction between the letters that are in larger uppercase or capitals (more formally ''majuscule'') and smaller lowercase (more formally ''minuscule'') in the written representation of certain languages. The writing systems ...
), the second single from her eighth studio album, ''Folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
''. The song became Bon Iver's first top-ten hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. On August 5, Bon Iver released "AUATC" (Ate Up All Their Cake) featuring Elsa Jensen, Jenny Lewis, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
, and Jenn Wasner. The song was accompanied by a press release critiquing capitalism. Swift then announced ''Evermore
''Evermore'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on December 11, 2020, by Republic Records. Swift conceived ''Evermore'' as a "sister record" to its p ...
'', a surprise follow-up album to ''Folklore'' on December 10, 2020, which also features Bon Iver on the title track. The band recorded the song "Second Nature" for the 2021 film '' Don't Look Up''.
Bon Iver collaborated with American country star Zach Bryan on the title track "Boys of Faith" off Bryan's '' Boys of Faith'' EP. The single charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at a peak of number 26.
On July 28, 2023, Bon Iver member Justin Vernon collaborated with American rap star Travis Scott on the tracks " My Eyes" and " Delresto (Echoes)". The tracks charted on the Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
at peaks of 19 and 25 respectively
2024–present: ''SABLE, fABLE''
In September 2024, after years of touring in support of their previous album, Bon Iver returned with the single "Speyside", and announced a three-song EP, called ''Sable
The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaz ...
'', which was released on October 18. The EP marked a return to the project's roots, relying heavily on Vernon's voice and guitar, akin to their debut album, and consists of three songs recorded between 2020 and 2023. The EP was produced by Vernon and Jim-E Stack, with the three songs grouped together as a deliberate "triptych
A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
" which "runs the gamut from accepting anxiety to accepting guilt to accepting hope." All three songs are accompanied by black and white music videos featuring Vernon, and directed by Erinn Springer.
Regarding the EP's return to a stripped-back indie folk
Indie folk (also called alternative folk) is an alternative genre of music that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music.
Characteristics
The staff of '' Paste Magazine'' said in 2020: "No music genre ...
sound, Vernon noted: "From '' For Emma'' until '' i,i'' it felt like it was an arc, or an expansion — from One to All. ''I,I'' was very much me trying to talk about the We — the Us, outside of I. And when I got to these songs, the obvious thing was, well, people might think this is a return to something. But it really feels like a kind of raw second skin. I think about time in cylindrical, forward-moving circles. This feels like a new person, new skin. A new everything, more than a return. But I did feel like it was important to strip it down to just the bare essentials and get out of the way, to not hide with swaths of choirs. Just get it as close to the human ear as possible."
On February 11, 2025, Vernon revealed that the ''Sable'' EP, would be incorporated into a full-length studio album titled, ''Sable, Fable
''Sable, Fable'' (stylized as ''SABLE, fABLE'') is the fifth studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver, released on April 11, 2025, via Jagjaguwar. The album is a continuation of the '' Sable'' EP (2024), which is included as a separate ...
'', which will be released on April 11, 2025. The album was announced with the following statement: "''SABLE,'' was the prologue, a controlled burn clearing the way for new possibilities. ''fABLE'' is the book. Stories of introduction and celebration. The fresh growth that blankets the charred ground. Where ''SABLE,'' was a work of solitude, ''fABLE'' is an outstretched hand."
On April 2, 2025, Vernon appeared on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It i ...
'' to discuss his recent projects and promote the band’s upcoming album. During the interview, he elaborated on the album’s structure, reinforcing the prologue-and-book narrative he had introduced during the initial announcement. According to Vernon, the first chapter, SABLE, carries a noticeably sadder tone, reflecting on the past and embracing the ‘man in a cabin’ narrative that has followed him over the years. In contrast, the second chapter, fABLE, represents his journey forward, embracing change and doing whatever it takes to find happiness.
Live performances
In live performances, Justin Vernon is joined by Sean Carey (drums, vocals, piano), Michael Noyce (vocals, baritone guitar, guitar, violin) and Matthew McCaughan (bass, drums, vocals). Noyce was Vernon's guitar student during high school. Vernon uses various keyboard instruments during live performances including synthesisers such as a Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 6 and a Teenage Engineering OP-1, while during studio recordings his instruments have included a Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano.
Carey approached Vernon during one of the first Bon Iver shows, telling him he could play and sing all the songs. Thereafter, the two played a number of songs together. McCaughan and Vernon met while on tour with indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
band The Rosebuds in May 2007.
Because of the extensive use of vocal harmony on the songs of ''For Emma, Forever Ago'', Vernon was concerned that there would not be enough voices to duplicate the sound of the songs on the album in a live setting. To compensate for this problem in early performances, Vernon passed out lyrics for some songs to the audience to sing along to. In an interview with ''Pitchfork'', Vernon described this dilemma. "I don't want to be the guy with an acoustic guitar singing songs, because that's boring for the most part. The song actually needs 80–500 people singing or whatever the vibe is of that room, it needs that fight."
Bon Iver performed at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
2009. Bon Iver has also performed at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Glastonbury
Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than across the River ...
, Coachella
Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music festival, music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valle ...
, Øyafestivalen, Way Out West, Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo (or Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival) is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment.
Bonnaroo has taken place at what is now Great Stage Park, a 700-acre (280 ha) far ...
, Sasquatch! and All Points East among others.
After the release of Bon Iver's second album, the live performances underwent a great deal of change. With older performances consisting of Vernon playing guitar, while Noyce, Carey, and McCaughan performed on varied instruments, the concerts following ''Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guit ...
'' involved a much larger, full band. The new lineup consisted of the original four musicians, and included Rob Moose on violin and guitar ( Antony and the Johnsons, The National), Mike Lewis on bass ( Andrew Bird, Happy Apple), and a horn section including Reginald Pace, Colin Stetson (Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on society's underworld and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the American folk music, fo ...
, Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara. The band's touring line-up includes former core ...
) and C.J. Camerieri ( Rufus Wainwright, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released ten solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomina ...
) as well. On February 2, 2012 Sasquatch! announced Bon Iver as a headliner for their 2012 festival.
Bon Iver appeared as the musical guest on ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on February 4, 2012, where they performed their songs "Holocene
The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
" and " Beth/Rest."
During Bon Iver's Asia tour in late February to early March 2016—the first tour since 2012—the live band still consisted of Vernon, Carey, McCaughan and Lewis, in addition to frequent Vernon collaborator Andrew Fitzpatrick (All Tiny Creatures, Volcano Choir) on guitar, synths and vocals; and sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor, also known as the folk vocal trio The Staves, whose album ''If I Was'' was produced by Vernon.
Bon Iver endorsed Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
in the 2024 US election, and performed at a rally in Eau Claire for Democratic candidates Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
and Tim Walz
Timothy James Walz (; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States, vice pre ...
on August 7, 2024.
Mini-documentary
''Bon Iver: Autumn'' is a 12-minute film directed by Andrew Swant, documenting the preparation for Bon Iver's 2019 North American tour to support their fourth album, '' I, I''. The film focuses on Justin Vernon discussing the production of the upcoming live shows, the desire to maintain an intimate feeling despite the fact that they will be playing in larger, arena-sized venues. It previews the motion-tracking technology used in the light show, and the immersive three-dimensional sound design planning.
Band members
Current line-up
* Justin Vernon – vocals, synths, op-1, guitar (2006–present)
* Sean Carey – drums, keyboards, vocals (2007–present)
* Matthew McCaughan – drums, vocals (2007–present)
* Mike Lewis – vocals, saxophone, bass, synth-bass (2011–present)
* Andrew Fitzpatrick – guitar, keyboards, samplers, vocals (2015–present)
* Jenn Wasner – guitar, keyboards, vocals (2019–present)
Previous touring musicians
* CJ Camerieri – brass, keyboards, vocals
* Rob Moose – violin, guitar, vocals
* Colin Stetson – saxophone, vocals
* Reggie Pace – brass, percussion, vocals
* Mike Noyce - guitar, vocals
Discography
* '' For Emma, Forever Ago'' (2007)
* '' Bon Iver, Bon Iver'' (2011)
* '' 22, A Million'' (2016)
* '' I, I'' (2019)
* ''Sable, Fable
''Sable, Fable'' (stylized as ''SABLE, fABLE'') is the fifth studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver, released on April 11, 2025, via Jagjaguwar. The album is a continuation of the '' Sable'' EP (2024), which is included as a separate ...
'' (2025)
Awards
AMFT Awards
!Ref.
, -
, rowspan="3", 2016
, '' 22, A Million''
, Best Folk Album
,
, rowspan="3",
, -
, rowspan="2", "22 (OVER S∞∞N)"
, Best Folk Song
,
, -
, Best Folk Performance
,
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s
, -
, rowspan="4", 2012 , , rowspan="2", "Holocene
The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
" , , Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
, ,
, -
, Song of the Year , ,
, -
, Bon Iver , , Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967) "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that ar ...
, ,
, -
, ''Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guit ...
'' , , rowspan="3", Best Alternative Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Ho ...
, ,
, -
, 2017 , , '' 22, A Million'' , ,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2020 , , rowspan="2", '' I, I'' , ,
, -
, Album of the Year , ,
, -
, " Hey, Ma" , , Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
, ,
, -
, 2021 , , "Exile
Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
" , , Best Pop Duo/Group Performance , ,
, -
, 2022 , , ''evermore
''Evermore'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on December 11, 2020, by Republic Records. Swift conceived ''Evermore'' as a "sister record" to its p ...
'' , , Album of the Year , ,
Brit Awards
, -
, rowspan="2", 2012 , , rowspan="3", Bon Iver , , International Breakthrough Act , ,
, -
, rowspan="2", International Male Solo Artist , ,
, -
, 2017 , ,
MTV Video Music Awards Japan
The MTV Video Music Awards Japan (MTV VMAJ for short) are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.
Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online vo ...
, -
, ", 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, , "Holocene
The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
" , , Best Rock Video , ,
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
2006 establishments in Wisconsin
American folk rock groups
Musical groups established in 2006
Musical groups from Wisconsin
4AD artists
Folktronica musicians
Jagjaguwar artists
Grammy Award winners
American indie folk groups
American musical quintets
American musical sextets