Echoes in Indie Rock: Bon Iver

Bon Iver is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, WI. Vernon started Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Justin 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). The band’s name comes from a French phrase “bon hiver” meaning “good winter.”

For Emma (2007)

Bon Iver’s first studio album, For Emma, was released on July 8, 2007, under Jagjaguwar. The album has 9 songs and is 37 minutes long. Tracks include “Flume,” “Lump Sum,” “Skinny Love,” “The Wolves (Act I and II),” “Blindsided,” “Creature Fear,” “Team,” “For Emma,” and “Re: Stacks.”

Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)

Their second studio album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver, was released on June 21, 2011. The album has 10 songs and is 39 minutes long. The songs include “Perth,” “Minnesota, WI,” “Holocene,” “Towers,” “Michicant,” “Hinnom, TX,” “Wash.,” “Calgary,” “Lisbon, OH,” and “Beth / Rest.”

22, A Million (2016)

On September 30, 2016, Bon Iver released their third studio album, 22, A Million. 22, A Million has 10 songs and is 34 minutes long. The album’s tracks include “22 (OVER S∞∞N),” “10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄,” “715 – CR∑∑KS,” “33 “GOD”,” “29 #Strafford APTS,” “666 ʇ,” “21 M◊◊N WATER,” “8 (circle),” “____45_____,” and “00000 Million.”

i, I (2019)

The band released their fourth studio album on August 9, 2019. The album has 13 songs and is 39 minutes long. The song titles are “Yi,” “iMi,” “We,” “Holyfields,,” “Hey, Ma,” “U (Man Like),” “Naeem,” “Jelmore,” “Faith,” “Marion,” “Salem,” “Sh’Diah,” and “RABi.”

STABLE (2024)

On October 18, 2024, Bon Iver released an EP, STABLE. STABLE has 4 songs and is 12 minutes long.

Tracks include “…,” “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” “S P E Y S I D E,” and “AWARDS SEASON.”

Bon Iver’s journey from a solo project in a remote Wisconsin cabin to a celebrated indie folk band with multiple albums and an EP. Each album reflects the band’s evolution, blending haunting lyrics, experimental sounds, and raw emotion. Bon Iver has not only defined a unique sound in indie music but has also inspired a generation of artists and listeners, cementing their place in modern music history.