Having just released their fourth album 'High as Hope', Florence and the Machine have remained iconic on the indie pop scene. It all started with their critically acclaimed debut 'Lungs', released on July 3rd 2009 via Island Records, and it just got better and better.

Florence and the Machine - LungsFlorence and the Machine - Lungs

With singles the likes of 'Dog Days Are Over' and 'You Got the Love' becoming particularly noteworthy, it's unsurprising that 'Lungs' peaked at number one on the UK albums chart when it was released nine years ago by a brand new female-fronted indie band from London. 

Quite the team was behind the production of the album, including the Grammy and Oscar winner Paul Epworth, Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford and Pulp's Steve Mackey, as well as Eg White and Charlie Hugall and it was recorded at a variety of London studios. That may make it sound like your average manufactured-pop output, but it was Florence Welch's unique vocal style that really put them on the map in terms of British pop music. 

She and bandmate Isabella Summers worked together on creating the band's sound, drawing inspiration from the heartbreaking dissolution of Florence's then-recent relationship. 'Kiss with a Fist' and 'Between Two Lungs' were the only tracks that Florence had previously penned on her own that ended up in the final release.

Few realise that stand-out single 'You Got the Love' was actually a cover of the 1986 Candi Staton song, remixed by The Source in 1991 and then covered by Joss Stone for her fourth studio album 'Colour Me Free!' in 2008. The song was also recorded as a mash-up with Dizzee Rascal's 'Dirtee Cash' in a release called 'You Got the Dirtee Love', first performed by the rapper and Florence and the Machine at the 2010 Brit Awards.

In 2009, the band won the Brits Critics' Choice award, with 'Lungs' going on to be named MasterCard's British Album of the Year, and it was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize (which ultimately went to Speech Debelle's 'Speech Therapy'). Last year Florence Welch was honoured with an Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement.

Florence and the Machine are currently on tour promoting their latest record 'High as Hope', which marks their departure from Island Records, being their first release with Virgin EMI. Their tour includes a number of festival dates such as Melt Festival, Osheaga, Life Is Beautiful, Outside Lands and Skookum.

More: Florence and the Machine announces High As Hope Fall Tour

This Fall, they'll be performing across North America, followed by shows in Europe with two London O2 dates in November and a stint in Australia and New Zealand.