Chairlift was an American indie pop band formed in 2005 in Boulder, Colorado by Caroline Polachek and Aaron Pfenning. His music had synth-pop as the main reference genre. In 2006, the band moved to Brooklyn, where they gained a new member, Patrick Wimberly. The debut album, Does You Inspire You, arrived in 2008 on the Kanine Records label. Does You Inspire You featured the hit "Bruises", which was used in Apple's fourth-generation iPod Nano launch commercial. After the band signed to Columbia Records, that album was re-released in 2009 with additional tracks.

In 2010, Pfenning left the band. As a duo, Chairlift released Something in 2012, which has been featured on many "Best of 2012" lists. In 2014, Caroline Polachek released Arcadia, a solo album under the moniker Ramona Lisa. In 2016, the band returned with Moth, their third and final album. The following year, the band disbanded and Polachek began to dedicate himself to a solo career.