"It’s actually hard to believe that a track as bright and optimistic as Everything is Peaceful Love was written by the same man who wrote Skinny Love, but that only speaks to Vernon’s insane versatility as a songwriter; to be able to evoke such vastly different emotions so effectively is nothing short of genius."
From the wintery woods of Wisconsin to the world's stages. The boundary-pushing project of Justin Vernon continues to evolve, transforming from a deeply intimate solo project in 2006 to a tight-knit collective, exploring the parameters of electronica and folk.
One of the most poignant songwriters of our generation, Vernon's songwriting, intricate guitar picking and distinctive falsetto vocals have always been piercing. The introspective debut For Emma, Forever Ago, has long been a Rough Trade Essential album, kicking off a devotion to exploring the Bon Iver discography. From album to album, whether the tragic masterpiece of For Emma, the reflective i,i or the exploratory 22, a million, Justin wears his heart on his sleeve, keeping us enthralled in his personal journey, poured from pen to paper.
As the latest Bon Iver chapter arrives in SABLE, fABLE, Rough Trade Liverpool's Alice Carney unpacks her journey as a fan, with a ranking of the indie folk band's greatest studio albums, including their latest era of creative rebirth.
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"I first discovered Bon Iver through a recommended video on my Youtube homepage back when I was 15. It was just some grainy bootlegged clip from an episode of Jools Holland; Justin Vernon sat alone with his guitar, surrounded by an audience of people, all watching on in a seemingly stunned silence as he performed a rendition of Skinny Love. At the time I just remember liking the song and adding it to one of my self-indulgent teenage angst playlists, but when revisiting the performance a few years later, I was struck by the sheer raw emotion conveyed by Vernon, and just how intimate and personal it felt. I was immediately compelled to delve deeper into their discography and was surprised (in the best ways possible) to discover just how expansive and experimental the band’s sound had become in their later releases, all whilst still maintaining the same kind of folky intimacy I remembered from that video.
Safe to say, Bon Iver’s music has been a constant presence in my rotation ever since.
Initially beginning as a solo project, and over time evolving with new members, instruments, and genres, Bon Iver’s unique sound is built upon, brick by brick, throughout the project's discography, and it is fascinating to hear it develop and grow throughout their releases. Vernon himself has even stated that each of their first four albums represents a different season. This did, however, make ranking these albums an insanely difficult task, as even though each one has its own very distinct sound, they do work so well together as a collective. It also doesn’t help that everyone I have spoken to about this seems to have them all in a completely different order, with each album speaking to a different feeling and resonating differently with different people. This is part of the beauty of Bon Iver’s music, but does mean that I had to approach this from a full subjective and personal standpoint.
All of that being said, and with the release of SABLE, fABLE just around the corner, I decided to give this impossible task a go…"
5. i,i (2019)
The autumn of the first four releases, i,i, reflects upon change and transition. Widely considered to be a culmination of all the sounds explored in its three predecessors, i,i feels like a full circle moment for Bon Iver, and for listeners it is definitely their most ‘full’ sounding album. The usual folk elements remain but are masterfully accompanied and uplifted by a beautiful amalgamation of pop, electronic, R&B and orchestral elements. On paper, It shouldn’t work so well together, but it somehow does, with every track feeling like a kind of eclectic collage of different styles and influences. It is communal in its nature, marking a move away from the solitariness of those first few releases, thanks in part to contributions from the likes of James Blake and Moses Sumney.
Best tracks: Marion, iMi, Naeem
"An all round triumphant return, Justin Vernon remains at the top of his game."
4. SABLE, fABLE (2025)
Over five years since i,i released we finally have a new Bon Iver album and it is everything I hoped it would be. Dubbed as “Bon Iver’s next chapter”, it is another shift in style, this time leaning into more pop influenced sounds.
There’s definitely an argument to be made that this is Bon Iver’s most hopeful record to date, with it being billed as “a love story set to lush, radiant pop music”. It has a kind of calming essence, almost feeling like a sort of refresh after the band’s mini hiatus. It’s actually hard to believe that a track as bright and optimistic as Everything is Peaceful Love was written by the same man who wrote Skinny Love, but that only speaks to Vernon’s insane versatility as a songwriter; to be able to evoke such vastly different emotions so effectively is nothing short of genius. Bon Iver collaborated here with artists such as Danielle Haim, Flock of Dimes, and most notably (for me at least), Dijon, on the track Day One. It’s a collaboration that just makes sense. You can tell just from listening that there is such a strong mutual appreciation between the two as their influence on each other's sound is evident. An all round triumphant return, Justin Vernon remains at the top of his game.
Best tracks: S P E Y S I D E, Day One, Everything is Peaceful Love
3. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)
Self-titled is spring, a new beginning, and a breaking free of the loneliness felt in For Emma's winter. Bon Iver’s second studio album saw the introduction of new members and collaborators, so, whilst still being heavy on the folky acoustic roots established in For Emma, Forever Ago, this is where we start to hear the evolution of Bon Iver, with hints of what’s to come on later releases; subtle vocal manipulation on Wash, 80s-esque production on Beth/rest, and double the amount of horns throughout. It is dreamy and layered and just so unbelievably beautiful to listen to.
I know that this would be at the top of many fans’ lists, and if I were writing this on a sunnier day, it would probably be at the top of mine too. It just has an indisputable warmth to it. It’s hard not to feel a sense of comfort when that opening riff of Perth kicks in. Vernon’s lyricism is also notably at its best here, the mundanity of his realisations on tracks such as Holocene further adding to that feeling of comfort. 'And at once, I knew I was not magnificent’, is a bit of a gut punch lyric which speaks to a certain kind of unexplainable feeling, but as stated by Vernon himself, "there's a significance in that insignificance". Genuinely lovely stuff.
Best tracks: Holocene, Perth, Wash
2. 22, A Million (2016)
"I needed it to sound a little radical to feel good about putting something out in the world... For this one, there's some dark stuff, but I think cracking things, and making things that are bombastic and exciting and also new, and mashing things together and explosiveness, and kind of shouting more - I think that was more of the zone."
Bon Iver
Probably Bon Iver’s most experimental release to date, this represents a frenetic summer of self-discovery. 22, a Million marks a significant departure from their first two records. Whilst still leaning into the folk elements that Bon Iver fans knew them for, 22, a Million is more abstract, both in its composition and its existential lyricism. This was a bold, risky, but incredibly successful pivot for them. R&B and electronic influences seem to be at their most present here with sampling playing a crucial role in the album's sound, as well as extensive use of synths, auto-tune, and vocal layering further building upon its hypnotic ambience. Exploratory, both musically and personally for Vernon, and maximalist in its form, it should feel overwhelming, especially when following the minimalism of For Emma and the calmness of Bon Iver, and yet, even with all of its complexity, it maintains a distinct level of peace.
Best tracks: 22 (Over S∞∞n), 29 #Strafford APTS, 8 (circle)
"He lays his soul bare here, his falsetto sounding like a cry for help as he reckons with his own solitude."
1. For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
Not only my favourite Bon Iver record, but also one of my favourite records, period. A truly perfect debut. Endlessly nostalgic for me, it has been my go-to album for so many years every time the weather gets colder.
For Emma, Forever Ago is undeniably winter. It is an album which understands that it feels good to feel sad from time to time, being heavy on themes of lost love, heartbreak, yearning, loneliness, all of that good stuff. It just makes so much sense hearing that Justin Vernon wrote the album during a long stint alone in a secluded wilderness cabin. Vernon has even stated that you can hear the “creakiness” of the cabin reflected in For Emma’s sound. He lays his soul bare here, his falsetto sounding like a cry for help as he reckons with his own solitude. But still, moments of deep sadness are artfully layered with hopeful bursts of catharsis throughout, with the slow build up and powerful release in Creature Fear being a prime example of this profound contradiction. It is so interesting to revisit For Emma now. Bon Iver’s sound has evolved into something so vastly different and experimental compared to what we hear in this album, but what is so impressive is how, even with all of the additions, the rawness and vulnerability of their debut still remains. For Emma lays the foundations, it is the beginning of a story and the reason I was so drawn to Bon Iver in the first place. It would have felt wrong for me to have this ranked any lower.
Best Tracks: Creature Fear, For Emma, Flume