The band is signed to Mute Records and found breakout success in 2011 with "Midnight City", Hurry Up, We're Dreaming's lead single.

[16] His family had a great interest in football and Gonzalez had trials with AS Cannes,[17] while his maternal grandfather is the French international Laurent Robuschi.

When Paris-based Gooom Records seemed interested, he recruited Nicolas Fromageau to "help me because I didn't feel like I had the shoulders to carry the project on my own".

M83's second album, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, followed in spring 2003 (summer 2004 in North America) to widespread critical acclaim.

[20] In 2016, the song "Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun" was featured in the trailer for the film A Monster Calls starring Felicity Jones and Sigourney Weaver.

M83 also remixed Placebo's "Protège-Moi", Goldfrapp's "Black Cherry", Depeche Mode's "Suffer Well", Van She's "Kelly", and The Bumblebeez's "Vila Attack".

In 2006, after the Before the Dawn Heals Us US tour, Anthony Gonzalez continued to explore a musical direction already heard on earlier M83 tracks and began writing and recording a collection of ambient works.

1, and was released in September 2007 with a sleeve illustrated by Laurent Fetis (known for his work with DJ Hell, Beck, and Tahiti 80).

It was recorded with Ken Thomas (known for his work with Sigur Rós, The Sugarcubes, Boys in a Band, Cocteau Twins, and Suede), Ewan Pearson (who has also produced for Tracey Thorn, The Rapture and Ladytron) and Morgan Kibby (of The Romanovs).

"[22] Four singles were released from the album: "Couleurs" in February 2008, "Graveyard Girl" in April, "Kim & Jessie" in July, and "We Own the Sky" in December.

"[32] He recorded again with Morgan Kibby as well as others, including Medicine's mastermind Brad Laner, Nine Inch Nails bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen and Zola Jesus.

"[33] On 19 July 2011, the breakthrough single "Midnight City",[18] the first from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, was released for streaming and free download on the band's official website.

The track received further exposure in 2013 as the remixed soundtrack to the Gucci Premier fragrance television advert featuring Blake Lively.

On 28 June 2012, it was announced that M83 would compose the soundtrack for the 2013 movie Oblivion, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Tom Cruise.

Gonzalez justified the reissues by noting that physical copies of the albums were hard to find and sold for "a ridiculous amount of money".

[18] On 2 March 2015, M83, with indie pop group Haim, released the song "Holes in the Sky" from The Divergent Series: Insurgent soundtrack.

[46] On 5 December 2016, it was announced that Gonzalez of M83 would be the composer and musical director for Cirque du Soleil's touring show, Volta.

[51] The band's aesthetic is characterized by dense guitar and synthesizer layering, extensive use of reverb effects, and lyrics often sung softly in a dream pop style.

[18] Inspiration for his music includes bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Tangerine Dream.