Arcade Fire’s comeback is slowly building, despite the sexual assault allegations against frontman Win Butler. The band was quietly announced as a late addition to this year’s Bonnaroo lineup last week, and they played a tribute to David Bowie on stage with St. Vincent and David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) at SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.
In 2022, a Pitchfork article reported four people had accused Butler of serious sexual misconduct, and listed the allegations in graphic detail. The women listed in the story range from 18 to 23, when Butler was older than 35. Each story details Butler going too far in a wide variety of instances, with one woman alleging his “very aggressive” non-consensual sexual behavior, and another alleging he showed up at their apartment despite multiple text messages telling them not to come.
Videos by PopCulture.com
After the Pitchfork report released, the band’s opening acts Feist and Beck dropped out of their current tour. Butler acknowledged the allegations by saying he was aware of his misconduct but that “these relationships were all consensual.”
“As I look to the future, I am continuing to learn from my mistakes and working hard to become a better person, someone my son can be proud of,” Butler wrote. “I f—ed up, and while not an excuse, I will continue to look forward and heal what can be healed, and learn from past experiences.” His wife, fellow bandmember Régine Chassagne, wrote in a statement, “He has lost his way, and he has found his way back.”
Arcade Fire is well-known for their indie rock sound that incorporates elements of dance and baroque music. Most members, including Butler, Chassagne, Richard Perry, and former member Will Butler, all play more than five instruments and bring all of the instruments on tour for their lengthy live shows. Each of the group’s six albums have been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards—winning Album of the Year for The Suburbs—and critics often name their first album Funeral as one of the greatest albums of the decade.
Most Viewed
-
(Photo by Ben Curtis – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images) -
US singer Miley Cyrus attends the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Angeka Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) -
Antique TV set with color bars, on black background. 3D rendering -
NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
