Built to Spill is an American indie rock band that formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1992. Centered on lead vocalist and guitarist Doug Martsch, the only permanent member, Built to Spill has released nine albums since its inception. Martsch originally envisioned the band to feature a changing set of backing musicians for each album, but eventually settled with a stable lineup for over a decade before returning to his original plan in 2012.

Having received consistent critical acclaim throughout their career, three of the band's albums—There's Nothing Wrong with Love, Perfect from Now On and Keep It Like a Secret—placed in the top 50 of Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s list. Keep It Like a Secret was the band's first album to chart on the Billboard 200 in the United States, while their 2009 release There Is No Enemy became Built to Spill's highest-charting album of their career.

Former Treepeople guitarist/vocalist Doug Martsch formed Built to Spill in 1992 with Brett Netson and Ralf Youtz as the band's original members. In an interview with Spin, Martsch stated that he intended to change the band's lineup for every album, himself being the only permanent member. The band's name came from an invented phrase in an exquisite corpse-like game Martsch played with his wife. After the band's first album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers, was released in 1993, Netson and Youtz were replaced by Brett Nelson and Andy Capps for 1994's There's Nothing Wrong with Love. A compilation album called The Normal Years followed, which included recordings by both lineups. Built to Spill Caustic Resin, an EP that features Martsch with the members of Caustic Resin, was released in 1995. Between recording albums in 1995, the band gained exposure by playing on the Lollapalooza tour. Also in 1995, the band collaborated on the song "Still Flat" for the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Bothered, produced by the Red Hot Organization.

Martsch signed Built to Spill to Warner Bros. Records in 1995 for a three-album deal. Unlike many artists signed to major labels, the deal the band brokered with Warner Bros. allowed it to retain a large degree of creative control over future albums. Built to Spill produced its first major-label release in 1997 with Perfect from Now On. The album marked a departure from the band's earlier work, with 7 of its 8 tracks stretching beyond the 6-minute mark. As Martsch later explained, "I didn’t like the idea of our stuff being played on the radio a bunch, and I didn’t want us to have a hit." In spite of its unorthodox approach, Perfect from Now On was met with critical success, and Built to Spill became one of the United States' most recognizable indie rock bands of the early 1990s. Before releasing another album, Martsch made Brett Nelson (bass) and Scott Plouf (drums) permanent members of the band. In 1999, the band released Keep It Like a Secret to continued critical success and for the first time, significant commercial success; it debuted at No. 120 on the Billboard 200 and a year after its release had sold 60,000 copies. The band's first live album, Live was released in 2000. By 2001, the band's three albums for Warner Bros. had sold a combined 200,000 copies in the US. The band's fifth studio album, Ancient Melodies of the Future, was released in 2001.

In 2002, Martsch released Now You Know, a solo album with both blues and folk elements. He performed numerous solo concerts in support of the album. Built to Spill was on hiatus for most of this period.

In 2003, Warner Bros. Records optioned the band for another album. From 2003 to 2005, Built to Spill toured extensively, performing over 150 dates that included new songs from as early as 2004. Its sixth studio album, You in Reverse, was recorded in Portland in 2004 but was not released until April 11, 2006. The band's official lineup for the album was Martsch, Nelson, Plouf, and Jim Roth, who was formerly only a touring guitarist. Brett Netson provided guitar work on several songs and later rejoined the band as a full-time member.

After the release of You in Reverse, Built to Spill continued touring almost non-stop. In March 2006, Martsch suffered a detached retina, which required surgery. This forced the band to miss an appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and postpone several dates of the tour. Even worse news came when former drummer Andy Capps was found dead in his home on May 18, 2006.

The band resumed touring on June 3, 2006, with a show that included four new songs. This show and many on the tour included the dedication of the song "Car" to Capps, who had played on the track when it was recorded.