HAIM’s Days Are Gone made three sisters from LA the coolest band of 2013, blending 80s pop, indie rock, and R&B into irresistible earworms.
The Sisters
HAIM (pronounced “HY-um”) is Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, three sisters from Los Angeles. They grew up playing in their parents’ cover band Rockinhaim. After years of touring and struggling, they self-released EPs in 2012 that caught fire. Days Are Gone, their debut album, arrived September 27, 2013.
The Sound
Days Are Gone blended 80s soft rock (Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks), 90s R&B (TLC, Destiny’s Child), and modern indie rock. The Haim sisters sang in tight harmonies, played their own instruments (bass, guitar, drums), and wrote punchy pop-rock songs. Producer Ariel Rechtshaid polished their sound for mainstream appeal.
Standout Tracks
- “The Wire” - Lead single, breakup anthem with “I know I’m a liability” hook
- “Don’t Save Me” - Funk-rock jam, slap bass by Este, “Get up and shake it off”
- “Falling” - 80s power ballad, soaring chorus
- “Forever” - Opening track, propulsive drums, “Give me your forever”
- “If I Could Change Your Mind” - Guitar-driven plea
- “My Song 5” - R&B-influenced closer
Critical and Commercial Success
Days Are Gone debuted #6 on Billboard 200 and topped the UK Albums Chart. Critics loved it: Pitchfork 8.0/10, Rolling Stone 4/5, NME 8/10. It was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2014 Grammys. The album sold over 1 million copies globally.
Este’s Bass Face
Este Haim became a meme for her “bass face”—exaggerated expressions while playing funky bass lines. She leaned into it, becoming the band’s comedic foil. The sisters’ sisterly banter in interviews made them relatable.
Later Career
HAIM released Something to Tell You (2017) and Women in Music Pt. III (2020), evolving their sound and earning more Grammy nominations. They collaborated with Taylor Swift (“no body, no crime”) and starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza (2021). Days Are Gone remains their most immediate, joyful record—a reminder that family bands can rock.
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