Performers

Named for singer Jonsi's youngest sister Sigurros -- born just before the band started in 1994 -- Iceland's Sigur Rós were formed by guitarist and vocalist Jon Thor Birgisson (Jónsi), bassist Georg Holm and drummer Agust Gunnarsson, while all were teenagers. Their sprawling debut LP, Von ('Hope'), was released in 1997 on the local label Bad Taste. In 1998 Kjartan Sveinsson joined the band on keyboards and the expanded band made the string-heavy Ágætis Byrjun ('A Good Start'), which was released the following year to huge accolade in their homeland. Agust then departed and was quickly replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason. Svefn-