Biography
Bon Iver is a band founded in 2007 by American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. The band further consists of Michael Noyce, Sean Carey and Matthew McCaughan. The name, Bon Iver, is a play on the French phrase “bon hiver,” meaning good winter, and pronounced “bon-eevair.”
Vernon independently released Bon Iver's debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago” in July 2007, the majority of which was recorded while spending three months in a remote cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin.
“For Emma, Forever Ago” reached #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, #4 on the Top Independent Albums chart and #64 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart.
In 2009 an EP, “Blood Bank,” was released featuring four new songs. The EP entered the Billboard 200 at #16. It peaked at #1 on the U.K. Indie Albums chart.
Vernon appears on Kanye West’s album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” on the songs “Monster” and "Lost in the World" which features a sample of “Woods” from “Blood Bank.”
Their second album, “Bon Iver, Bon Iver,” was released in June 2011 via Jagjaguwar records. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.