The National’s sixth album Trouble Will Find Me (May 2013) debuted #3 on Billboard 200, won Best Alternative Album Grammy, and showcased Matt Berninger’s baritone melancholy—selling 500,000 copies and solidifying band as indie rock’s elder statesmen.
Commercial Peak
Debuted #3 on Billboard 200 (67,000 first week), band’s highest chart position to date. Singles “I Need My Girl” and “Demons” topped Alternative charts. Album certified Gold in US, Platinum in UK.
Grammy Victory
Won Best Alternative Music Album Grammy 2014, beating Arctic Monkeys’ AM, Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires, and Queens of the Stone Age’s …Like Clockwork. Performed “Graceless” at ceremony.
Critical Acclaim
Metacritic 81 (universal acclaim). Pitchfork gave 8.5/10, praising “emotional depth.” Rolling Stone gave 4/5 stars. Album topped year-end lists (Stereogum, Consequence of Sound).
Themes & Lyrics
Berninger explored marriage, fatherhood, and aging anxieties. “I Should Live in Salt” and “Slipped” addressed relationship struggles. Lyrics resonated with millennial dads navigating work-life balance.
Dessner Brothers Production
Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s lush arrangements, Bryan Devendorf’s precise drumming, and Scott Devendorf’s basslines created orchestral indie rock. Collaboration with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) on “I Need My Girl” added gravitas.
Legacy: The National’s mature phase. Sleep Well Beast (2017) won Grammy, but Trouble Will Find Me remains fan favorite. Influenced Father John Misty, The War on Drugs, and “dad rock” indie.
Sources:
- Grammy Awards 2014
- Billboard chart data (May 2013)
- Metacritic reviews
- Official band website