It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson.

Known for their ethereal sound, frontman Jónsi's falsetto vocals, and their use of bowed guitar,[7] Sigur Rós incorporate classical and minimal aesthetic elements.

Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (guitar and vocals), Georg Hólm (bass) and Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson (drums) formed Sigur Rós in Reykjavík in January 1994.

[14] Three songs, "Ágætis byrjun", "Svefn-g-englar", and a live take, from a 2000 concert in Denmark, of the then-unreleased "Njósnavélin" (later 'unnamed' "Untitled #4") appeared in the Cameron Crowe film Vanilla Sky.

In 2004, Wes Anderson used "Starálfur" in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou[16] as did the Emmy-winning 2005 TV film The Girl in the Café.

After the release of Ágætis byrjun, the band became known for Jónsi's signature style of reverb accentuated guitar work using a cello's bow.

In 2001, Sigur Rós christened their newly completed studio by recording an EP titled Rímur with an Icelandic fisherman named Steindór Andersen.

It can also be heard in Skins and CSI: Miami and the British TV Documentary Protecting Our Children as well as during a section of the London 2012 summer Olympics on the BBC.

In July 2006, Sigur Rós finished a major world tour with stops in Europe, the United States (where they played a headline show at the Hollywood Bowl), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan.

Upon return to their homeland, Sigur Rós provided a series of free surprise outdoor concerts throughout Iceland in July and August, playing in various venues such as abandoned bunkers and community coffee shops, all of which were included in the 2007 documentary film Heima.

Hvarf/Heim was released on 5 November (6 November in the U.S.), a double compilation album containing studio versions of previously unreleased songs — "Salka", "Hljómalind" (formerly known as "Rokklagið"), "Í Gær" and "Von" on Hvarf, and acoustic studio versions of the songs: "Samskeyti", "Starálfur", "Vaka", "Ágætis Byrjun", "Heysátan" and "Von", on Heim.

The 2007 feature-length documentary from Sigur Rós's summer tour in Iceland, which occurred in 2006, attempts to shed light on the band's homeland.

Sigur Rós's fifth regular studio album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, was released in June 2008 to generally positive reviews.

Stylistically different from their earlier releases, it featured fewer strings and more guitar,[26] and had more pop-oriented songs, making it "the group's most accessible effort" while maintaining the "majestic beauty that defines the band's music.

[36] The band said the album was taking form as a slower and more ambient record than both Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust and Takk....

[39] On 11 August 2011 Sigur Rós's official website unveiled a trailer for a project called Inní,[40] a DVD and double CD of the band's live performances in London, directed by Vincent Morisset.

[41] On 3 November 2011, following the UK premiere of Inni at the British Film Institute in London, the band members participated in a Q&A session during which Georg promised that 2012 would be a "very busy" year for Sigur Rós.

For a visitor who heard a preliminary recording in which Mr. Birgisson's falsetto was surrounded by rich choral voices and what sounded like a pipe organ, the music was thrilling".

[45] After a four-year hiatus, an interview with the band in the March 2012 issue of Q magazine confirmed the completion of a new album, titled Valtari, scheduling its release on 28 May 2012.

[54] The band performed a new song, entitled "Brennisteinn" ('brimstone'), in Reykjavík on 4 November at the Iceland Airwaves 2012 festival, to favourable reception.

[60][61] The release was marked, by the band, with a new tour, as well as an interactive musical experience, where fans could live stream a concert, taking control of the camera.

It was announced to feature previously unheard studio and live recordings as well as photographic and documentary material from their personal archives.

[citation needed] On 31 January 2017 it was announced that the band would be touring later in 2017, playing concerts in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

[70] The band, in collaboration with Alex Somers, produced two instrumental pieces, "End" and "Match", for the Black Mirror season four episode "Hang the DJ", aired on 29 December 2017.

[71] On 8 May 2018, the band released a new multimedia project called Liminal, which they described as an "endless mixtape" of ambient music which will be continuously added to over time.

[72] In addition, Jónsi, Somers, and frequent collaborator Paul Corley announced a series of "live soundbaths," where the music would be played in front of an audience.

[80] In October 2020, the band announced that a new album, Odin's Raven Magic, an orchestral work that was debuted live in 2002, would be released on 4 December 2020.

[86] Vonlenska (English: Hopelandic) is a term coined by the band to refer to the vocalizations that Jónsi sings on ( ) in lieu of lyrics in Icelandic.

Vonlenska emphasizes the phonological and emotive qualities of human vocalizations, and it uses the melodic and rhythmic elements of singing without the conceptual content of language.

In this way, it is similar to the use of scat singing in vocal jazz and puirt à beul in traditional Irish folk music and Scottish.