Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1999. They were founded by Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deakin (Josh Dibb), and Geologist (Brian Weitz). Records released under the name Animal Collective may include contributions from any or all of these members; the lineup is not uniform, though Portner and Lennox have been on every Animal Collective release.

The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age. Their music is characterized by studio experimentation, vocal harmonies, and an exploration of various genres which include freak folk, noise rock, ambient drone, and psychedelia. In 1999, they established the record label Paw Tracks, on which they issued their debut album, Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished (2000), as well as work by other artists. In 2009, the band released their most commercially successful album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, which Uncut magazine called: "one of the landmark American albums of the century so far".

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