History YMMV / TheNational

** Although Aaron's involvement with Music/TaylorSwift from 2020 onward starting with''[[Music/{{Folklore2020}} folklore]]'' and other artists like Music/BonIver, Music/BenHoward, Music/MayaHawke, Music/GracieAbrams, Music/GirlInRed, Music/KingPrincess, Music/EdSheeran have raised his mainstream profile and fame substantially.

* DullSurprise: A criticism of their recorded material being Matt's dulled-down vocals [[CarefulWithThatAxe compared to when he performs live]]. "Graceless" on ''Trouble Will Find Me'' is a particularly bad example; Matt lets loose and screams most of the lyrics live but rather boringly mutters them on the album itself.
** Averted with "Turtleneck" on ''Sleep Well Beast''.

** ''I Am Easy To Find'' has definitively broken the base - some people think that adding female voices was a smart move eight albums in, while others missed Matt Berninger's voice. Others still think that the gimmicks disguuise what's basically just another National album.

* BrokenBase: The studio version of Graceless has divided the fan base between those who view it as a boring rendition of an excellent live tune, and those who view it as being just as effective on the album.
** More infamously, the studio version of Terrible Love, which had distorted drums. Fans complained to the point where the band released an alternate version at the end of the year.
** In regards to their discography, there exists a divide between fans regarding whether or not the band's decision to change to a slower, quiet, and denser sound, was a good thing or not.
** Turtleneck; a welcome change of pace, or an embarrassing, cringe-worthy attempt at a 'hard rock song'? Who knows?

** As of 2019, though, Matt Berninger's released song (and first solo song) with Phoebe Bridgers seems to be turning him into this.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Basically everything. [[http://www.metacritic.com/person/the-national?filter-options=music All of their albums have been critically acclaimed except for their first two, but even the second and eighth ones were pretty close to universal acclaim on Metacritic.]]

** Subverted, as the band talked about releasing songs that didn't make the album as a separate project.

** The question as to whether or not the unreleased fan favorite "Rylan" will ever be on an album is still sort of up in the air; though it's been previously hinted by the band that it may not ever see a commercial release, it's frequent inclusion in setlists for the ''Sleep Well Beast'' tour might suggest otherwise.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Basically everything. [[http://www.metacritic.com/person/the-national?filter-options=music All of their albums have been critically acclaimed except for their first two, but even the second one was pretty close to universal acclaim on Metacritic.]]

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Basically everything. [[http://www.metacritic.com/person/the-national?filter-options=music All of their albums have been critically acclaimed except for their first two, but even the second one was pretty close to universal acclaim on Metacritic.]]
** "The Rains of Castamere" certainly count for ''Series/GameOfThrones'' fans.
** The instrumental arrangements are always incredible, especially on the later albums.
** Their covers of two songs from ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' have the band singing light-hearted lyrics about gravy boats and turkeys with the signature beauty of their normal output. It's as good as it sounds.

* MostlyNarmless: Matt's voice makes even the most ridiculous lyrics seem deep and serious, [[http://www.last.fm/user/evilsoybean/journal/2010/07/13/3ru58d_top_10_the_national_lyrics_that_would_sound_silly_if_sung_by_anyone_else as seen here]].

* MainstreamObscurity: Contender with Arcade Fire for the most triumphant example of the last decade.

** The question as to whether or not the unreleased fan favorite "Rylan" will ever be on an album is still sort of up in the air.

** Main/{{Portal 2}} gives another song to the general masses, "Exile (Vilify)"

** Subverted, as the band talked about releasing songs that didn't make the album as a separate project.

* EpicRiff: Basically every instrument in Fake Empire. From the piano to the horns.

** They nearly sell out the Barclays Center, play on pretty much every tv show in existence, GET A FEATURE IN THE NY TIMES MAGAZINE... and still they are quite possibly the most famous band that absolutely nobody has heard of.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[https://www.reddit.com/r/TheNational/comments/6l0zca/any_theories_on_what_happened_to_the_song_in_the/ The fate of the mysterious song teased on Instagram.]]

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse?: [[https://www.reddit.com/r/TheNational/comments/6l0zca/any_theories_on_what_happened_to_the_song_in_the/ The fate of the mysterious song teased on Instagram.]]

** Main/{{Portal 2}} gives another song to the general masses, "Exile (Vilify)"

** Turtleneck; an incredible change of pace from a band getting perilously close to stagnating, or an embarrassing, cringe-worthy attempt at a 'hard rock song' that fails miserably? Who knows?

** Main/{{Portal 2}} gives another song to the general masses, "Exile (Vilify)"
* TearJerker: They thrive off of this trope.

** Their covers of two songs from ''[[{{Series/BobsBurgers}} Bob's Burgers]]'' have the band singing light-hearted lyrics about gravy boats and turkeys with the signature beauty of their normal output. It's as good as it sounds.

** Their covers of two songs from ''[[{{BobsBurgers}} Bob's Burgers]]'' have the band singing light-hearted lyrics about gravy boats and turkeys with the signature beauty of their normal output. It's as good as it sounds.

* TearJerker: They thrive off of this trope.

* MagnumOpus: Each album from ''Alligator'' onward (including ''Boxer'', ''High Violet'' and ''Trouble Will Find Me'') is this in the eyes of a subset of fans. Although rivalry is downplayed somewhat though, fans of each album will offer numerous differing reasons on why their favorite one is the band's best work.

** Although, this is in YMMV seeing as how many people are still aware that The National created it.
* CreatorBreakdown: Though not entirely clear, a lot of the songs on ''High Violet'' appear to be about a rough break-up. Whether or not it's a [[BreakupSong Breakup Album]] is not known. It does appear that Matt sounds rather heartbroken about something, though, and every song shows it.

* CoveredUp - Birdy's cover of Terrible Love gained significantly more traction than the original or alternate versions.