''22, A Million'' is the third studio album by American
indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation.
The genre has it ...
band
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
, released on September 30, 2016. Recorded in lead member
Justin Vernon's April Base studio in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire (; ) (French for "clear water") is a city mostly located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat, and with a small portion in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. It had a population of 69,421 in 2020, making it the stat ...
, the album marks a major shift in the band's sound and incorporates elements of
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electro ...
and
hip hop production influenced by Vernon's prior work with
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. Most of the lyricism concerns Bon Iver's rise in popularity and how Vernon's relationship with the world has changed as a result.
''22, A Million'' first premiered at Vernon's Eaux Claires Music Festival, and upon release the album debuted at number 2 on the
''Billboard'' 200, receiving widespread acclaim from critics who praised its original sound and colorful lyricism. Several publications, including ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'', ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' and ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'', listed ''22, A Million'' as one of the best albums of 2016. It also received nominations for
Best Alternative Music Album and
Best Recording Package
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer(s), unless the performer is also the art dire ...
at the
2017 Grammy Awards
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...
. In 2019, ''Pitchfork'' and ''Rolling Stone'' included it in their list of best albums of the decade, at number 91 and 47, respectively.
Background
''22, A Million'' is composed of songs written and produced from 2012 to 2016. It makes extensive use of
samples,
synths and
brass instruments. Many of the sounds on the record were created and manipulated using a
Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer, along with a
harmonizer designed for the band by engineer and producer Chris Messina.
Critical reception
''22, A Million'' received acclaim from critics, garnering a score of 87 out of 100 on ''
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
'', signifying "universal acclaim" based on 41 critic reviews.
Writing for ''Pretty Much Amazing'', Peter Tabakis praised the album in his review, giving it an A, and remarking, "Not since ''
Kid A'' has an album so superb pushed away and pulled closer its audience, simultaneously and with such aplomb." In his review for ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', Will Hermes opined, "Vernon remains an oblique lyricist, but the knottiness can be compelling." It gave it four stars out of five.
Paul Bridgewater of ''
The Line of Best Fit
''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music.
It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'' awarded the record full marks, writing that "''22, A Million'' captures personal crisis and resolution better than any album this century". Writing for ''
No Depression'', John Amen commented that ''22, A Million "''integrates the high points of Bon Iver’s first three recordings ... his most focused and ambitious permutation to date."
Accolades
Commercial performance
''22, A Million'' debuted at number two on the
''Billboard'' 200 with 71,000 units, of which 58,000 were traditional album sales. It was the highest-selling album of the week.
Track listing
Sample credits
* "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" contains a sample of "
How I Got Over (Live)", as written by
Clara Ward and performed by
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to t ...
.
* "10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄" contains a sample of "
Wild Heart", as written and performed by
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.
After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
.
* "33 "GOD"" contains samples of "Dsharpg", as written and performed by
Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Katharine Van Etten (born February 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released six studio albums, the latest of which is '' We've Been Going About This All Wrong'' (2022).
Early life
Van Etten was born in Belleville, N ...
, "Morning", as written by Willis S. Graham and performed by
Jim Ed Brown
James Edward Brown (April 1, 1934 – June 11, 2015) was an American country singer-songwriter who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of the Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by ...
, "
Iron Sky", as written by
Paolo Nutini and Dani Castelar and performed by Paolo Nutini, and "All Rendered Truth", as written and performed by
Lonnie Holley.
* "666 ʇ" contains a sample of "Standing in the Need of Prayer", as written by Dave Kingsby and performed by The Supreme Jubilees.
* "21 M◊◊N WATER" contains samples of "
A Lover's Concerto", as written by
Denny Randell and
Sandy Linzer, and performed by
The Toys.
* "00000 Million" contains a sample of "Abacus" as written and performed by
Fionn Regan.
Personnel
*
Justin Vernon – "Maker", OP-1, guitar, Prophet, bass guitar, drums, M1, Messina
* Chris Messina – "Maker's Maker"
*
BJ Burton
BJ Burton is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer, and mixer. He is known for his work with Bon Iver, Francis and the Lights, Low, Charli XCX, and The Japanese House, and has also worked with the likes of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, ...
– "Noble Black Eagle", C1 programming
(track 6), C2 programming
(track 6), saxophone
(track 7), programming
(track 8)
* Ryan Olson – "Scream Defence", MIDI capture piano
(track 1), sampler
(track 7), field recorder
(track 7)
*
Camilla Stavely Taylor – "Trust Ear", voices
(track 7)
* Brad Cook – "Wings"
* Zach Hanson – "Professional Mixer"
* Mike Perry – "Neighbour"
* Andra Chumas – "Mother Nourishment"
*
Rob Moose – "The Whisperer", violins arrangement
(track 1), violas arrangement
(track 1), saxophones arrangement
(tracks 2, 5, 6, 8)
* Cherie Minske – "Rookie"
* Jack – "The Prospector"
*
Michael Lewis – "The Oracle", saxophones
(tracks 1, 6, 7, 8), Messina
(track 9)
* Drew – "Key's Grip"
* Sad Sax of Shit – saxophones
**Al Falaschi
**Anthony Barba
**Christopher Thomas
**Clay Lyons
**Clay Pufahl
**Dustin Laurenzi
**Mark Henderson
**Matt Douglas
**Nelson Devereaux
**Peterson Ross
**Scott Fultz
**Michael Lewis
* Andy Fitzpatrick – the 22000
(tracks 2, 7, 8), OP-1
(track 6)
* Joe "Squints" Westerlund – bowed cymbals
(track 4)
* Trever Hagen – prepared trumpet
(track 4)
* Chris Rosenau – electric and acoustic guitars
(track 4)
* James Buckley – bass guitars
(track 6)
*
Sean Carey – drums
(tracks 6, 8), percussion
(track 6), DX7
(track 7)
* Matt McCaughan – metal drum
(track 6), drums
(track 8)
* Andrew Broder – V3 programming
(track 6), audible programming
(track 9)
*
Jessica Stavely Taylor – voices
(track 7)
* Elise Carey – voices
(track 7)
*
Colin Stetson – saxophones
(track 8)
* Michael Vincent Vognar Noyce – voice
(track 8)
* Huntley Miller – mastering
* Eric Timothy Carlson – art
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
2016 albums
Bon Iver albums
Folktronica albums
Jagjaguwar albums
Albums produced by Justin Vernon