Metric (band)
Canadian indie rock band formed in 1998 in Toronto.
Metric started in 1998 as a duo called Mainstream, formed by Emily Haines and James Shaw in Toronto. After putting out the *Mainstream EP*, they switched the name to Metric—borrowed from a keyboard sound Shaw had programmed. The lineup later expanded to include Joshua Winstead on bass and Joules Scott-Key on drums. Haines handles lead vocals, synthesizers, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, and piano; Shaw plays guitar, synthesizers, theremin, and sings backup; Winstead covers bass, synthesizers, and backing vocals; Scott-Key handles drums and percussion.
The band’s first proper studio album, *Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?*, arrived in 2003. Their follow-up, *Live It Out* (2005), earned a nomination for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize and a Juno nod for Best Alternative Album. A third record, *Grow Up and Blow Away*, had been recorded in 2001 and was originally meant to be their debut, but label delays kept it shelved until 2007, when it finally came out with some changes.
*Fantasies* (2009) made the shortlist for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize and won Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards, where Metric also took home Group of the Year. *Synthetica* (2012) won Alternative Album of the Year at the 2013 Junos, plus Producer of the Year for Shaw; the album’s art director, Justin Broadbent, also won for Recording Package of the Year. *Pagans in Vegas* came out in 2015, followed by *Art of Doubt* in 2018. The band released two records in quick succession—*Formentera* in 2022 and *Formentera II* in 2023—and then *Romanticize the Dive* in 2026. In 2023, *Rolling Stone* ranked Metric 41st on its list of the 50 Greatest Canadian Artists of All Time.
Haines was born in New Delhi to American parents and raised in Fenelon Falls, Ontario, holding dual citizenship. Her father, poet Paul Haines, made her cassettes of eclectic music, exposing her to Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt. She attended Etobicoke School of the Arts, where she met Amy Millan and Kevin Drew, and briefly formed a band with Millan around 1990. After stints at the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and Concordia University, she self-released a limited-run album, *Cut in Half and Also Double*, in 1996. Shaw, born in England and raised in Ontario, studied classical trumpet at a Boston music school before a friend convinced him to apply to Juilliard; he moved to New
- formed
- 1998
- origin
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- genre
- Indie rock
- members
- Emily Haines, James Shaw, Joshua Winstead, Joules Scott-Key
- notable_awards
- Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year (2010, 2013), Juno Award for Group of the Year (2010), Juno Award for Producer of the Year (2013)
Lore & Background
Emily Haines was born in New Delhi, India, to American-born parents and raised in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. Her father, poet Paul Haines, exposed her to eclectic music. She attended Etobicoke School of the Arts, where she met Amy Millan and Kevin Drew. James Shaw, born in England and raised in Ontario, studied classical trumpet at a Boston music school and later at Juilliard. Haines and Shaw met in mid-1996 at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern, began dating and writing songs together. In 1998, as Mainstream, they self-released the Mainstream EP. The band changed its name to Metric after a sound Shaw programmed into his keyboard. They moved to a Brooklyn loft, struggling financially, and signed a development deal with Warner Bros. Records. In early 2000 they went to London, signing a publishing deal with Chrysalis Records. They recruited Joules Scott-Key as drummer and later Joshua Winstead as bassist.
Reader's Guide
Metric's significance lies in their sustained output and critical recognition within Canadian indie rock. Their second studio album, Live It Out (2005), was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize and a Juno Award. Fantasies (2009) won the Juno for Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize. Synthetica (2012) won two Juno Awards, including Producer of the Year for James Shaw. The band's later albums include Pagans in Vegas (2015), Art of Doubt (2018), Formentera (2022), Formentera II (2023), and Romanticize the Dive (2026). In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Metric 41st on its list of the 50 Greatest Canadian Artists of All Time. The band's early work, including the delayed debut Grow Up and Blow Away (recorded 2001, released 2007), and their presence in the 2004 film Clean, contributed to their legacy as a durable and award-winning act.
Did You Know?
- Metric was originally named Mainstream and changed its name after a sound programmed into James Shaw's keyboard.
- The band's debut album, Grow Up and Blow Away, was recorded in 2001 but not released until 2007.
- Metric appeared as themselves in the 2004 French film Clean, performing the song 'Dead Disco'.
- In 2023, Metric was ranked 41st on Rolling Stone's The 50 Greatest Canadian Artists of All Time.
More in Alternative rock groups from Toronto 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record