Wilco are an American rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1994, led by Jeff Tweedy after the breakup of alt-country greats Uncle Tupelo. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) is the essential — alt-country roots pulled apart into art rock, with a label saga as famous as the songs. Dig into Wilco vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Wilco formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1994 when Jeff Tweedy launched the band after the dissolution of the influential alt-country group Uncle Tupelo. Over the following decades, Wilco evolved through significant lineup changes, settling into a celebrated configuration including guitarist Nels Cline, and became one of the most respected American rock bands of its generation. The making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and its label drama, became a famous chapter in modern rock history.
Wilco began in alt-country and Americana and progressively incorporated experimental, art rock, pop, and noise elements, most strikingly on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tweedy's literate songwriting, combined with the band's adventurous arrangements and Cline's inventive guitar work, gives Wilco a distinctive balance of melody and experimentation.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has been reissued in expansive deluxe and box-set editions, and Wilco's catalog appears across numerous colored-vinyl variants and anniversary pressings. Original pressings and the band's vinyl-friendly releases are widely collected.
Listeners new to Wilco almost always start with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002). For related listening, see and .
