Ranking Bon Iver albums is basically an exercise in emotional masochism. You aren't just sorting tracks. You're trying to decide which version of your own life felt more meaningful—the one where you were crying in a dorm room to "Skinny Love" or the one where you were staring at a sunset, trying to figure out what the hell a "715 - CR∑∑KS" was.
Justin Vernon doesn't really do "normal" releases. He does seasons. He does eras that feel like physical locations. And with the release of SABLE, fABLE in 2025, the whole conversation around bon iver albums ranked has shifted. It’s no longer just a "man in a cabin" story.
It’s something way bigger.
Most people think of Bon Iver as a vibe. A beard. A falsetto. But if you actually sit with the discography, you realize it’s one of the most erratic, challenging, and rewarding runs in modern music. Honestly, ranking them is hard because Vernon’s worst work is still better than 90% of what’s on the radio.
5. i,i (2019)
I know. People love this record. It’s "the autumn" of the cycle.
But here’s the thing: i,i is almost too much. It’s lush, it’s communal, and it’s packed with like fifty collaborators. It feels like a big, warm hug, but sometimes you just want to sit in the dark alone. While tracks like "Naeem" are absolute stadium-fillers in terms of emotional weight, the album lacks the singular, sharp focus of the others.
It’s the most "Bon Iver" sounding album, which is actually why it sits at the bottom. It feels like a culmination of everything he did before, but without the shock of the new. It’s great. It’s an 8/10. But in this discography? That’s last place.
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4. SABLE, fABLE (2025)
The newest entry. The "metamorphosis" record.
When the SABLE, EP dropped in late 2024, everyone thought Justin was going back to the cabin. It was dark. It was stripped. "Speyside" sounded like a guy who had finally stopped trying to hide behind vocoders. But then the full album SABLE, fABLE arrived in April 2025 and flipped the script.
The first half is that "inky black" mourning, but the second half—the fABLE side—is the most joyful Justin has ever sounded. "Everything Is Peaceful Love" is genuinely... happy? It’s weird to hear. Seeing it nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2026 Grammys makes sense. It’s an album about healing.
It ranks here because it’s still settling. We’re still figuring out if we like "Happy Justin" as much as "Sad Justin." But the musicianship? Unreal.
3. For Emma, Forever Ago (2007)
The legend. The myth. The SM57 in the woods of Wisconsin.
If this were a list of "Most Influential Indie Albums," it would be #1. No question. It changed the DNA of folk music. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, the production is raw because it had to be, not always because it was the best choice.
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"re: Stacks" is still the best song he’s ever written.
There’s an intimacy here that he hasn't quite captured again. You can hear the wood stove. You can hear the heartbreak. It’s a perfect record, but it’s a record made by a guy who hadn't discovered what he could do with a computer yet.
2. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)
This is the one that won the Grammy and made everyone go "Who is Bonnie Bear?"
It’s maximalist. It’s huge. It’s "Holocene" and "Calgary." This album took the cabin and turned it into a cathedral. The use of pedal steel and horns here is so tasteful it hurts.
People give "Beth/Rest" a hard time because it sounds like an 80s prom song, but they’re wrong. It’s a masterpiece of irony and earnestness. This album is the bridge between the folk guy and the experimentalist. It’s the sweet spot.
1. 22, A Million (2016)
I’ll fight for this.
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When this came out, half the fans were confused. The titles were gibberish. The sounds were glitched out. It felt like the album was breaking while you were listening to it. But that’s exactly why it’s the best.
22, A Million is a spiritual crisis caught on tape. It’s the sound of a man who became too famous too fast and tried to dismantle his own voice to find the truth. "8 (circle)" is a religious experience. "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" is a mantra.
It’s the most "human" album because it’s so messy and digital. It shouldn't work. It should be a pretentious disaster. Instead, it’s the definitive statement of what Bon Iver actually is: a constant search for something real in a world that feels increasingly fake.
Your Bon Iver Deep Dive Checklist
If you're looking to actually experience these albums rather than just read about them, here is how you should actually do it:
- Listen to For Emma during a snowstorm. Seriously. If there isn't snow on the ground, wait.
- Watch the SABLE, fABLE DVD commentary. It was released in late 2025 and gives a huge amount of context on why Justin almost retired the project.
- Skip the hits. Everyone knows "Skinny Love." Go listen to "8 (circle)" or "Awards Season" with a good pair of headphones.
- Check the lyrics. Justin’s lyrics are oblique. They’re "word salad" to some, but if you look at them as textures rather than stories, the albums click way faster.
Whether SABLE, fABLE really is the final Bon Iver album—as the track "Au Revoir" suggests—remains to be seen. Justin Vernon is famously unpredictable. But looking at the body of work we have now, it’s a journey from isolation to community, and finally, to peace.
Next Step: Go put on 22, A Million and don't look at your phone for 33 minutes. You'll see why it's at the top.