Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997.

The band comprises Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass) and Jason McGerr (drums). In 2014, founding guitarist and producer Chris Walla, announced that he would be departing from the band after recording their forthcoming eighth studio album.

Originally a solo project of Ben Gibbard, he released the demo album, You Can Play These Songs with Chords, to positive reception, which led to a record deal with Barsuk Records. Gibbard decided to expand the project into a complete band, releasing their debut album, Something About Airplanes in 1998, and their second album, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, in 2000; both records were positively received in the indie community. Their third album, 2001's The Photo Album, gave the band their first charting single, however the release of the group's fourth album, Transatlanticism, in 2003 gained the band mainstream critical and commercial success. After signing with Atlantic Records, Death Cab For Cutie released their fifth album and major-label debut, Plans, in 2005, which received platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The band released their sixth album, Narrow Stairs, in 2008 served as a stylistic departure for the group, and their seventh album, 2011's Codes and Keys, featured the band's first number one single, "You Are a Tourist". Their eighth studio album Kintsugi, the last to feature Walla, is set for release in March 2015.

Death Cab for Cutie's music has been labeled as indie rock, indie pop, emo, and alternative rock, and is noted for its use of unconventional instrumentation, as well as Gibbard's distinctive voice and unique lyrical style. Since their formation, the band has released seven full-length studio albums, four EPs, two live EPs, one live album, and one demo album to date.