For Emma, Forever Ago

For Emma, Forever Ago
For Emma, Forever Ago
Studio album by Bon Iver
Released	July 8, 2007; (Release history)
Recorded	November 2006 – January 2007
Studio	Hunting cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin; Fairall, Raleigh, North Carolina (add.);
Genre	Indie folk; alt-country; country folk; ambient;
Length	37:14
Label	Jagjaguwar; 4AD;
Producer	Justin Vernon
Bon Iver chronology
Initial self-released cover
Singles from For Emma, Forever Ago
	"Skinny Love"; Released: April 28, 2008; "For Emma"; Released: September 15, 2008; "re: Stacks"; Released: December 15, 2008;

For Emma, Forever Ago is the debut studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver. It was first self-released in July 2007, and later saw wide release on the Jagjaguwar label in February 2008. The album is principally the work of singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. While living in Raleigh, North Carolina, Vernon fell ill with mononucleosis and a liver infection, and grew frustrated with his songwriting and life. He left Raleigh and drove to his father's remote hunting cabin an hour northwest of his hometown, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, hoping to be alone.

The album was recorded at the cabin between late 2006 to early 2007. Vernon abandoned his old songwriting methods and instead focused on wordless melodies that he later set to words, which he felt evoked a more subconscious meaning. The record's lyrical subjects include lost love and mediocrity. His folk-infused songs include heavy choral arrangements, featuring Vernon's falsetto, and horns. He hunted his own food and spent much of his time isolated. Though he did not intend to make an album, he received strong encouragements from friends and decided to self-release For Emma, Forever Ago in July 2007. After several performances and online exposure, he was signed to Jagjaguwar later that year.

For Emma, Forever Ago attracted wide acclaim from music critics, achieving a spot on dozens of end-of-the-year lists, as well as several awards. It became a major commercial success for Jagjaguwar, an independent label, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of over one million units. "Skinny Love" became the album's best-performing single and also went gold. Vernon gathered together several musicians to form a band to tour with. The album's touring cycle lasted two years, ending in late 2009, and visited several countries and music festivals worldwide. In 2020, it was ranked 461 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest albums of all time.^[3]

^ Nathans-Kelly, Steve (March 10, 2017). "Nickolas Butler Talks Family Secrets and the Rust Belt in The Hearts of Men". Paste. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
^ Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2023. Quiet and folkily ambient, For Emma, Forever Ago is an impassioned cry too compelling not to become heard.
^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.

[1] Nathans-Kelly, Steve (March 10, 2017). "Nickolas Butler Talks Family Secrets and the Rust Belt in The Hearts of Men". Paste. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2017.

[Pitchfork_Staff_2009-2] Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2023. Quiet and folkily ambient, For Emma, Forever Ago is an impassioned cry too compelling not to become heard.

[Rolling_Stone-3] "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.

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