2008–2011: Early releases Before signing to a record label, Howard had already released some material. In 2008, he self-released his debut EP
Games in the Dark. His first major release was
These Waters, an EP featuring six tracks, including "
The Wolves". In 2010, Howard released the
Old Pine EP, followed by a number of singles, such as "
The Fear" and "
Keep Your Head Up". Howard now had enough material to release a studio album,
Every Kingdom, which would feature a number of his previous singles. One of the songs from this album, "Promise" was used in the first episode of the American television series
The 100. In 2010, he also supported the Australian folk and
indie pop group
Angus & Julia Stone during their concerts in Europe. He also joined them for one live performance of "Yellow Brick Road" in
Paris, France.
2011–2013: Every Kingdom Howard signed a recording contract with Island Records in 2011, due to the label's history of
English folk singers, including
Nick Drake and
John Martyn. After singles "
Old Pine" and "
The Wolves" were released in 2011, Howard recorded his debut studio album entitled
Every Kingdom, which was released on 30 September 2011. He was nominated for the 2012
Mercury Prize. Howard worked alongside India Bourne, Marcus Wright and Chris Bond to make
Every Kingdom, with Bourne playing cello, keyboards, ukulele, bass and contributing backing vocals and percussion, Bond playing guitars, bass, double bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, accordion, contributing to the backing vocals, and also producing the record, and additional modular-dynamic (MD) synthesisers provided by Wright. He also toured with Bourne and Bond on his 2012 Every Kingdom tour, with support from the American singer-songwriter
Willy Mason. In 2012, Howard launched his music in America with
Every Kingdom being released on 3 April 2012, and appearances at
South by Southwest (SXSW) in
Texas and a US tour confirmed. His song "Promise" was featured at the end of season 8, episode 12 of the American television series
House. In May 2012, Howard performed "The Wolves" on
Later... with Jools Holland. He played at
Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands on 26 May and
BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in
Hackney, London on 24 June 2012. He also played at the
2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival in
Manchester, Tennessee, the 2012
T in the Park music festival in Scotland, as well as
Beach Break Live 2012 in South Wales,
Bestival 2012 and
Splendour in the Grass 2012. Howard also played a slot at the
Austin City Limits Music Festival in October 2012. In November 2012, Howard released
The Burgh Island EP produced by Chris Bond, which featured four new tracks. Once again released to critical acclaim, the EP had a darker, more menacing tone than most of Howard's previous work, with Howard also playing electric guitar, rather than his traditional acoustic. The second track from the EP, "Oats in the Water", was featured in "
Internment", the 5th episode in Season 4 of AMC's
The Walking Dead, in the 1st episode in season 3 of Fox's
The Following, and in the release trailer for
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. In 2014, the song "Promise" from the album
Every Kingdom featured in the USA Network drama,
Suits Season 3 Episode 11, "Buried Secrets" along with The CW drama
Reign Season 1 Episode 10, "Sacrifice". In 2013, Howard began collaborating with the musician and filmmaker Mickey Smith, who would become a mainstay co-writer and performer on all of Howard's subsequent studio albums. Smith joined Howard's band for their performance on the main Pyramid Stage at
Glastonbury Festival 2013, on Saturday 29 June 2013, which saw them play six tracks from
Every Kingdom.
2014–2015: I Forget Where We Were In 2014, Howard headlined the inaugural Somersault Festival, based in North Devon, with other artists such as
Jack Johnson. On 5 August 2014, Howard's first single "End of the Affair" from his second studio album was played on
Zane Lowe's
BBC Radio 1 and
Danielle Perry's
Xfm shows. On 18 August 2014, Howard announced the title of his second studio album,
I Forget Where We Were on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 whilst releasing the title track from the record at the same time. On 26 October,
I Forget Where We Were became number 26 in the UK Albums Chart. The album went on to peak at number-one on the UK Albums Chart, and the
Scottish Albums Chart. It also peaked at number two in Belgium, and the Netherlands, and the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. On 6 April 2015, Howard announced a short string of tour dates in the US with the English indie folk band
Daughter as support. These dates were announced following a string of successful shows in Canada and the US. Howard also played on the Other Stage during
Glastonbury Festival 2015.
2018-2020: Noonday Dream On 4 April 2018, it was announced that Howard's third studio album, titled
Noonday Dream, would be released on 1 June 2018. A new single was also released, titled "A Boat to an Island on the Wall". The single debuted on
Annie Mac's Radio 1 station with accompanying 2018 UK tour dates announced. A track listing for the upcoming album was released on his website, along with 2 bonus vinyl-only tracks "Bird on a Wing" and "Interlude". Together with his band Howard performed two songs from the album, "Nica Libres at Dusk" and "Towing the Line", on
Later... with Jools Holland on 15 May 2018. On 13 September 2018, Howard released
Another Friday Night / Hot Heavy Summer / Sister an EP of three different singles, with "Heavy Summer" featuring the American
electropop duo
Sylvan Esso. Shortly after, he went on to release another single "Heave Ho" in January 2019.
2021-present: Collections from the Whiteout and Is It? On 26 January 2021, Howard announced that his fourth studio album,
Collections from the Whiteout, would be released on 26 March 2021. In promotion of the album, Howard and his band performed it in full at
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station for a show that was live-streamed globally on 8 April 2021. On 20 April 2023, Howard announced the release date for his fifth studio album,
Is It?, as 16 June 2023. The announcement was accompanied by the single "Couldn't Make It Up". Howard recorded the album over a 10-day period, alongside songwriter and record producer
Nathan Jenkins, at Le Manoir de Léon studios. It explores his experience following two
TIAs in March 2022. In support of the record, he embarked upon a 23 date UK and European tour from May to July 2023. On 9 January 2024, Howard shared "Rumble Strip", a standalone collaboration with
Aaron Dessner which previously had only been available on the vinyl deluxe version of
Collections from the Whiteout. On 24 May, Howard announced a UK and Ireland tour for October, commemorating the 10th anniversary of
I Forget Where We Were. == Personal life ==