Are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released twelve studio albums. They are often compared with acts such as the Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1966 children's book by French writer Cécile Aubry adapted from a television series of the same name. Though consistently lauded by critics, Belle and Sebastian's "wistful pop" has enjoyed only limited commercial success