The Microphones is the name of a project that Anacortes, WA's Phil Elverum has headed since 1996. Its sound is best described as lo-fi "fuzz folk," including drum-crashing, bass-thrashing sonic freakouts, strummy classical guitar love songs, angelic vocal choirs, and almost-whispered vocals over harmoniums and bell kits.

In 2004, Elverum abandoned the "Microphones" name to begin recording as Mount Eerie, briefly returning in December 2007 when he began selling a new 7" single by the Microphones ("Don't Smoke" / "Get Off the Internet") on his website and at concerts.

In 2020, Elverum returned to the Microphones name once more to release the project's 14th album Microphones in 2020. Microphones members/collaborators include Karl Blau, Dennis Driscoll, Kyle Field aka Little Wings, Mirah, Khaela Maricich aka The Blow, Adrian Orange aka Thanksgiving, Adam Forkner and K Records' founder, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and the Halo Benders. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.