Arcade Fire

An indie-rock band primarily based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Arcade Fire is led by husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, along with Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, Will Butler (Win's brother), and Jeremy Gara. They often tour with a large group of musicians who sometimes exceed the number of official band members, which is reflected in their sound as tracks frequently incorporate all sections of the orchestra.

Arcade Fire was formed in Montreal in 2001 by Win Butler and Josh Deu while they were attending universities there. They were joined by Régine Chassagne and a rotating group of other musicians who completed the initial version of the band. Conflicts arose during the recording of their self-titled EP, Arcade Fire, leading to Deu's departure and the entry of Parry, Kingsbury, Gara, and Will Butler, marking the final lineup.

The band released their critically acclaimed debut album Funeral in the fall of 2004, thrusting Arcade Fire into the mainstream, with Funeral being declared one of the best albums of the year by numerous outlets.

In 2006, Arcade Fire purchased a run-down church in Quebec and converted it into a recording studio, releasing their second album Neon Bible in 2007. The album topped numerous charts, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was again critically praised. It featured a rich, orchestral sound with church and classical instruments often more prominent than traditional rock ones. The band donated thousands to charities, especially those in Chassagne’s native Haiti, and supported Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.

Their third album, The Suburbs, released in the summer of 2010, returned to a more traditional rock sound, drawing comparisons to Bruce Springsteen. Arcade Fire collaborated with Google to create an interactive video for their song We Used to Wait using Google Maps.

The band also released Reflektor in 2013, influenced by traditional Haitian music, and Everything Now in 2017.

Arcade Fire actively raises awareness of Haitian issues and the country's history, notably in the song Haiti. In 2004, they performed two shows in their hometown and donated all proceeds to Albert Schweitzer’s hospital in Haiti. The song Rococo also touches on Haitian themes.