We (Arcade Fire album)

In April 2020, Win Butler posted a letter to his Instagram account indicating that work on a new Arcade Fire album had commenced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the writing continued during the lockdown measures. He noted that he had written a song entitled "Age of Anxiety" before the pandemic, and that many of the themes he had begun to explore felt appropriate, given the circumstances surrounding the pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-say-work-is-flowing-on-new-album//|title=Arcade Fire Say "Work Is Flowing" on New Album|website=Pitchfork |date=April 14, 2020}} Later that month, Butler shared some snippets of the new material.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/win-butler-shares-more-snippets-of-a-new-arcade-fire-song-2657223|title=Win Butler shares more snippets of a new Arcade Fire song|website=NME |date=April 30, 2020}}

On October 21, 2020, Butler commented about Arcade Fire's sixth album during an interview for the Broken Record podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/all|title=All Episodes|website=Broken Record}} The band had been writing for a year before the COVID-19 lockdown, and, during the lockdown, Butler kept working and wrote "two or three" new albums.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/win-butler-gives-update-on-arcade-fires-new-album-i-think-youll-be-surprised-2793963|title=Win Butler gives update on Arcade Fire album: "I think you'll be surprised"|website=NME |date=October 22, 2020}} Arcade Fire planned to record the album in Texas "during the election".{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2020/10/win-butler-arcade-fire-new-albums-quarantine/|title=Win Butler hints that Arcade Fire have written "two or three" albums in quarantine|date=October 21, 2020}}

According to the producer, Nigel Godrich, We was recorded "in the middle of nowhere" outside El Paso, Texas, during the COVID-19 lockdown. He said: "[We] basically lived in a cult for a couple of months. Nobody came in and nobody came out, people delivered the shopping, that sort of vibe just so we could be able to do it. It was a method to make it possible."{{Cite web |last=Doherty |first=Niall |date=2022-07-27 |title=Lost in music: Nigel Godrich |url=https://thenewcue.substack.com/p/the-new-cue-191-july-27-lost-in-music |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=The New Cue |language=en-GB}}

Musically, We shifts "smoothly and deliberately" between "gentle" folk rock and "grooving" dance-pop.

The track “Unconditional II (Race and Religion)” features backing vocals by Peter Gabriel.{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=Jeremy |date=2022-04-22 |title=How Arcade Fire Found a Way Back |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/22/arts/music/arcade-fire-we.html |access-date=2022-05-06 |issn=0362-4331}}

On April 14, 2021, Arcade Fire released a 45-minute instrumental piece entitled "Memories of the Age of Anxiety" on the meditation app Headspace.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-share-new-45-minute-song-for-headspace-meditation-app/ |title=Arcade Fire Share 45-Minute Song for Headspace Meditation App|first=Evan|last=Minsker|work=Pitchfork|access-date=April 21, 2021|date=April 15, 2021}}

In March 2022, fans received postcards marked with the band's logo. The postcards included the note "WE missed you" above musical notations on the front, and an image of an eye with the word "Unsubscribe" written below it on the back. Those same images began to appear in signage around London and on the band's social media pages, indicating the album's impending release.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2178399/arcade-fire-fans-teaser-postcards-music-notation/news/|title=Arcade Fire Fans Receive Teaser Postcards With Music Notation|first=Rachel|last=Brodsky|work=Stereogum|access-date=March 5, 2022|date=March 3, 2022}}

On March 14, the band announced that a new song titled "The Lightning I, II" would be released on March 17.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-releasing-the-lightning-i-ii-first-new-song-in-5-years/|title=Arcade Fire Releasing 'The Lightning I, II,' First New Song in 5 Years|work=Pitchfork|first=Madison|last=Bloom|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 14, 2022}} In concert with the release of the single, it was announced that the album would be titled We and released on May 6, 2022, and that it was produced by Nigel Godrich, Win Butler, and Régine Chassagne, and recorded in studios in New Orleans; in El Paso, Texas; and on Mount Desert Island in Maine. The cover artwork featuring a photograph by French artist JR with airbrush color tinting by Terry Pastor was also revealed.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Arcade Fire Announce New Album WE, Share Video for New Song "The Lightning I, II" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-announce-new-album-we-share-video-for-new-song-the-lightning-i-ii-watch/ |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} Later in March, Will Butler announced he had amicably left the band after the new album was completed in late 2021.{{cite web |last1=Corcoran |first1=Nina |title=Will Butler Says He's Left Arcade Fire |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/will-butler-says-hes-left-arcade-fire |website=Pitchfork |access-date=19 March 2022 |date=19 March 2022}}

The day after the release of the album, the band appeared on Saturday Night Live. They played "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" and "The Lightning I, II", as well as "End of The Empire II" over the closing credits.

The album was released in Dolby Atmos.

{{expand section|date=November 2023}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.2/10{{Cite web|url= http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13269/Arcade-Fire-WE.aspx|title=WE by Arcade Fire reviews|work=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=July 12, 2022}}

| MC = 73/100{{Cite web|url= https://www.metacritic.com/music/we/arcade-fire/critic-reviews |title=WE by Arcade Fire Reviews and Tracks|work=Metacritic|access-date=July 12, 2022}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web|url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/we-mw0003691640|last=Yeung|first=Neil Z.|date=May 6, 2022|title=WE - Arcade Fire {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|work=AllMusic|access-date=May 7, 2022}}

| rev2 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/arcade-fire-review-big-ideas-grand-emotions-right-best/|last=McCormick|first=Neil|author-link=Neil McCormick|date=May 5, 2022|title=Arcade Fire, WE: big ideas, grand emotions, and right up there with their best|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

| rev3 = Exclaim!

| rev3score = 7/10{{Cite web|url= https://exclaim.ca/music/article/arcade_fire_we_album_review|last=Bobkin|first=Matt|date=May 4, 2022|title= Arcade Fire Step Off Their Pedestal for 'WE'|work=Exclaim!|access-date=May 4, 2022}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/may/05/arcade-fire-we-review-goodbye-cod-reggae-hello-stadium-singalongs|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=May 5, 2022|title= Arcade Fire: We review – goodbye cod reggae, hello stadium singalongs|work=The Guardian|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/arcade-fire-review-we-win-butler-b2072149.html|last=Brown|first=Helen|date=May 5, 2022|title= Arcade Fire review, WE: Jittery isolation and modern love are explored in this album of two halves|work=The Independent|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

| rev6 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev6score = 9/10{{Cite web|url= https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/arcade-fire-we|last=Hamilton-Peach|first=Christopher|date=April 28, 2022|title=All the facets of Arcade Fire's 20-year career synchronise on WE|work=The Line of Best Fit|access-date=May 4, 2022}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url= https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/arcade-fire-we-review-3219045|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=May 6, 2022|title=Arcade Fire – 'WE' review: Canadian collective's most focussed record since 'The Suburbs'|work=NME|access-date=May 7, 2022}}

| rev8 = Paste

| rev8score = 8.3/10{{Cite web|url= https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/arcade-fire/we-album-review/|last=Sharples|first=Grant|date=May 4, 2022|title=On WE, Arcade Fire Recapture Their Former Glory|work=Paste|access-date=May 4, 2022}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9score = 7.0/10{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/arcade-fire-we/|last=Sodomsky|first=Sam|title=Arcade Fire: WE|work=Pitchfork|date=May 4, 2022|access-date=May 4, 2022}}

| rev10 = Slant Magazine

| rev10score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/arcade-fire-we-album-review/|last=Winograd|first=Jeremy|date=May 5, 2022|title=Arcade Fire WE Review: A Half-Convincing Return to Sweeping Seriousness|work=Slant Magazine|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

}}

We was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 29 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". It was longlisted for the 2022 Polaris Music PrizeAllie Gregory, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/heres_the_2022_polaris_music_prize_long_list "Here's the 2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List"]. Exclaim!, June 14, 2022. and nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

In the United States, the album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, marking Arcade Fire's fifth top-ten debut on the chart. During its first week of release in the US, it earned 32,000 album-equivalent units, of which 26,500 came from sales of the full album, 5,000 came from 6.43 million on-demand official streams of songs from the album, and 500 came from 5,000 paid downloads of individual tracks from the album.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/bad-bunny-un-verano-sin-ti-billboard-200-chart-debut-1235071183/|title=Bad Bunny's 'Un Verano Sin Ti' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|magazine=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=May 15, 2022|access-date=May 16, 2022}}

All tracks written by Win Butler and Régine Chassagne; additional writing on "Unconditional II (Race and Religion)" by Will Butler.

;Digital track listing

{{Track listing

| headline =

| title1 = Age of Anxiety I

| length1 = 5:27

| title2 = Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)

| length2 = 6:41

| title3 = Prelude

| length3 = 0:30

| title4 = End of the Empire I–III

| length4 = 5:23

| title5 = End of the Empire IV (Sagittarius A*)

| length5 = 3:54

| title6 = The Lightning I

| length6 = 3:01

| title7 = The Lightning II

| length7 = 2:34

| title8 = Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)

| length8 = 4:33

| title9 = Unconditional II (Race and Religion)

| note9 = featuring Peter Gabriel

| length9 = 4:20

| title10 = WE

| length10 = 3:51

| total_length = 40:18

}}

;CD/vinyl track listing

{{Track listing

| headline = "I"

| title1 = Age of Anxiety I

| length1 = 5:27

| title2 = Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)

| note2 = ends with "Prelude"

| length2 = 7:05

| title3 = End of the Empire I–IV

• I. Last Dance
• II. Last Round
• III. Leave the Light On
• IV. Sagittarius A*

| length3 = 9:17

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = "WE"

| title4 = The Lightning I, II

| length4 = 5:36

| title5 = Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)

| length5 = 4:33

| title6 = Unconditional II (Race and Religion)

| note6 = featuring Peter Gabriel

| length6 = 4:20

| title7 = WE

| length7 = 3:51

| total_length = 40:09

}}

Adapted from the full album credits, with track numbers corresponding to the digital release.{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=Arcade Fire Release New Album WE: Listen and Read the Full Credits |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-release-new-album-we-listen-and-read-the-full-credits/ |website=Pitchfork |date=May 6, 2022 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |access-date=6 May 2022}}

• Régine Chassagne – keyboards, piano, accordion, backing and lead vocals, orchestral arrangements, production
• Win Butler – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, percussion, production
• Richard Reed Parry – electric guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
• Tim Kingsbury – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
• Jeremy Gara – drums, percussion
• Will Butler – keyboards, bass guitar, backing vocals

{{div col}}

• Josh Tillman – "stomps and breaths" (track 1)
• Geoff Barrow – granular synthesis (track 2)
• Paul Beaubrun – sound effects (track 3, 4, 5)
• Owen Pallett – orchestral arrangements, strings (tracks 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
• Sally Herbert – conductor, additional arrangements (tracks 2, 4, 5, 10)
• Helen Gillet – strings (tracks 4, 5, 8)
• Harry Hardin – strings (tracks 4, 5, 8)
• Matt Rhody – strings (tracks 4, 5, 8)
• Andre Michot – accordion (tracks 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
• Liza Rey – harp (tracks 4, 5, 10)
• Charlie Gabriel – saxophone (tracks 4, 5)
• Mark Braud – trumpet (tracks 4, 5)
• Wendell Brunious – trumpet (tracks 4, 5)
• Sarah Neufeld – strings (tracks 6, 7)
• Louis Michot – fiddle (tracks 6, 7, 8)
• Orlando Primo – congas, djembe (tracks 8, 9)
• Peter Gabriel – additional vocals (track 9)
• Willonson Duprate – congas (track 9)
• Romeo Bougere – agogô bell (track 9)
• Michael Brun – additional synthesis (track 9)
• Everton Nelson – additional strings
• Natalia Bonner – additional strings
• Ian Burdge – additional strings
• Louisa Fuller – additional strings
• Richard George – additional strings
• Marianne Haynes – additional strings
• Oli Langford – additional strings
• John Metcalfe – additional strings
• Tom Piggott Smith – additional strings
• Rachel Robson – additional strings
• Lucy Wilkins – additional strings
• Chris Worsey – additional strings
• Edwin Farnham Butler IV – whispers ("End of the Empire")

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• Nigel Godrich – production, mixing
• Eric Heigle – co-production (tracks 1, 2, 8, 9), recording
• Josh Tillman – additional production (tracks 1, 2)
• Geoff Barrow – additional production (track 2)
• Mikko Gordon – additional production (track 5), recording, mixing assistance
• Steve Mackey – pre-production
• Emily Eck – recording
• Suvi-Eeva Äikäs – additional recording (track 2)
• Julia Simpson – additional recording (track 2)
• Owen Pallett – additional recording (tracks 6, 7)
• James Seymour – additional recording (track 6, 7)
• Mark Lawson – additional recording (track 9)
• Jerry Ordonez – recording assistance
• Marco Ramirez – recording assistance
• Justin Tocket – recording assistance
• Matt Aguiluz – recording assistance
• Nathanael Graham – recording assistance
• Francesca Edwards – recording assistance
• Joy Stacey – recording assistance
• Pablo Godin – recording assistance
• Felipe Gutierrez – recording assistance
• Craig Silvey – mixing
• Dani Bennett Spragg – mixing assistance
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Steve Fallone – mastering
• Ryan Smith – vinyl mastering

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• JR – cover image, WE poster image, additional eye photography
• Terry Pastor – airbrush color tinting
• Ping Pong Ping – album graphic design
• Julia Simpson – album creative production
• Alison Green – center image and Polaroids
• IV – "I Guy" Character, handwriting
• Camille Pajot – studio art direction
• Marc Azoulay – art production
• Rick Rose – digitech
• Fabien Barrau – cover image photo post-production
• Chroma Center – photo printing, post-production
• EHT Collaboration – "Black Hole" image
• Danny Clinch – David Bowie photograph
• Pneuhaus – "Giant Eye"
• Maria Jose Govea – additional photography
• JF Lalonde – additional photography
• Wes Winship – "Acropolis Is Burning" poster
• Don Hertzfeldt – still from World of Tomorrow: Episode 2
• Gift Horst Tintypes – WE poster photo development

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifiications for We}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Arcade Fire|title=We|award=Silver|id=20945-1810-2|relyear=2022|certyear=2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Arcade Fire}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2022 albums

Category:Arcade Fire albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Albums impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Category:Albums produced by Nigel Godrich