Bon Iver

Bon Iver is an American indie folk collective lead by Justin Vernon. The name comes from a French phrase which means ‘good winter' and was popularised by an American TV show from the 1990's; although the spelling has been changed for the band's name. The first album, "For Emma, Forever Ago", was realised independently in 2007 and was a low key event. After slowly gathering momentum from live shows and online reviews of the album, this Bon Iver record was given an official release in 2008 by the Jagjaguwar label. The album got very good reviews upon its full release, and marked the potential start of an auspicious career for Bon Iver. "For Emma, Forever Ago" made it onto a number of lists for best record of the 00's, helping to cement its place in history for years to come. The second album was a self-titled one and was realised in 2011. It saw a change in style and pace from the first album and features many other artists and musicians. This second album received an even more positive reception from critics, earning many enthusiastic reviews and plaudits. Bon Iver also went on to win a number of awards including the Grammy for Best New Artist and the Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Throughout the life of Bon Iver, they have been known for their live performances which have supported both albums. The live line-up has undergone a lot of adjustment to reach the position it is at now, including the addition of more instruments and a larger band of supporting musicians.