Boasting a cinematic sound and tapping into a wide range of emotions, British band Elbow rose to public consciousness with their acclaimed 2001 debut, Asleep in the Back. They have continued to make similarly popular and intricately arranged albums ever since. Elbow’s sprawling fourth LP, The Seldom Seen Kid, won the 2008 Mercury Prize and set a precedent for the group’s self-production, influencing subsequent albums like 2011’s Build a Rocket Boys! and 2014’s The Take Off and Landing of Everything, the latter becoming their first U.K. chart-topper. Throughout their career, Elbow has collected Brit and Ivor Novello awards, with their music prominently featured in the 2012 London Olympic Games closing ceremony. Their albums like 2017’s Little Fictions and 2019’s Giants of all Sizes reached number one in the U.K. In 2021, they released Flying Dream 1, followed by the kinetic and groove-oriented Audio Vertigo in 2024.
Vocalist Guy Garvey, drummer Richard Jupp, organist Craig Potter, guitarist Mark Potter, and bassist Pete Turner formed Elbow in the early ’90s while studying in Bury. Despite label changes and challenges, including being dropped from Island Records and EMI, Elbow gained recognition through EPs like Newborn and Any Day Now before signing with V2 and releasing the acclaimed Asleep in the Back in 2001. Their subsequent albums like Cast of Thousands, Leaders of the Free World, and The Seldom Seen Kid further established their critical acclaim and commercial success, with the latter becoming their first multi-platinum album and winning the 2008 Mercury Prize. Elbow’s journey continued with releases like Build a Rocket Boys!, Dead in the Boot, and The Take Off and Landing of Everything, solidifying their place in the music industry.
Recording at famous studios like Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, Elbow’s albums have consistently garnered strong reviews and commercial success, with The Take Off and Landing of Everything debuting at the top of the U.K. charts. Despite temporary hiatuses and member changes, including drummer Richard Jupp’s departure, Elbow persevered and returned with chart-topping albums like Little Fictions and Giants of All Sizes. The band’s evolution led them to explore new sounds and themes, evident in their organic and immediate-sounding Flying Dream 1 and the more raw, groove-based Audio Vertigo. Elbow’s dedication to their craft and ability to adapt to changing times have solidified their position as one of the U.K.’s most beloved and enduring bands.