Elbow is a band that emerged from the late 1990s music scene in Manchester, England.

Acclaimed for their innovative sound and candid, evocative lyrics, Elbow has received vast critical acclaim and been endorsed by major artists Blur, R.E.M. and U2. The Velvet Underground's co-founder John Cale selected Elbow's "Switching Off" as one of his eight chosen records on the BBC's "Desert Island Discs" radio programme. Commercial success, however, has yet to match Elbow's critical acclaim and status among fans.

Elbow was formed in 1990 at a sixth-form college in Bury, Lancashire, England. They began specialising in “ chilled funk ”, but changed the direction of their music after unanimously deciding they were “shit”. The new songs got notice from both Island Records and Universal , but after signing with both the band was dropped before anything was released. After this much trouble releasing an album, their debut Asleep in the Back was released on V2 . The album was a surprise moderate success