Montreal's music scene is celebrating the triumph of a local indie band that beat out a handful of industry heavyweights to win the biggest prize in the business.

'Everything that our band is, kind of came from [Montreal].'—Win Butler, Arcade Fire

To many here, Sunday's win by Arcade Fire for album of the year at the Grammys was the apotheosis of a sound forged in the city's vibrant underground scene.

The City of Montreal immediately revamped the top of its website with the congratulatory headline, "BRAVO ARCADE FIRE FOR ITS ALBUM OF THE YEAR GRAMMY!"

That wasn't the reaction everywhere as Arcade Fire beat out better-known performers like Eminem, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry at the Grammy Awards.

The internet was awash in incredulous and less-than-laudatory messages such as "What is an Arcade Fire and why are people excited for it?"

But the dominant message in Montreal was: It's about time.

Arcade Fire gives thanks to fans

Montrealers watched proudly in recent years as the band went from playing dingy church basements and community centres to headlining two-night gigs at Madison Square Garden.

'They know how to use the internet and the exposure it brings. They're also very generous in concerts, and with their fans.'—Luc Bérard, owner, L'Oblique record shop

The band has continued to return the favour. It thanked local fans by playing a free concert in a parking lot before launching its latest album.

When that album — The Suburbs — won the Grammy, group members thanked Montreal again with a bilingual shout-out from the stage as they received their prize.

"There's such a beautiful arts scene and music and dance [and] a lot of creative forces there," frontman Win Butler told TV and radio reporters backstage. "So I think everything that our band is, kind of came from that city."

Butler, who grew up in Texas, assembled the band's current formation after moving to Montreal a decade ago.

Band reflects Montreal music esthetic

One indie record-store owner reminisced about the group's work ethic and do-it-yourself attitude.

'A thought: I'm a big U2 fan, but perhaps U2 should be opening for Arcade Fire on July 30th in Moncton instead of the other way around.'—Heritage Minister James Moore, on Twitter

After recording their first half-dozen songs in 2003, band members showed up at Luc Bérard's shop in the Plateau Mont-Royal area trying to convince him to sell it.

That original demo is now a prized possession — not for sale — in Bérard's record collection.

"They're very intelligent," said Bérard, the owner of L'Oblique, nestled on one of Plateau's quieter streets. "They know how to use the internet and the exposure it brings. They're also very generous in concerts and with their fans."

As Arcade Fire's members have readily pointed out, the band did not emerge in a vacuum. Montreal bands such as The Unicorns and Godspeed You Black Emperor achieved a certain critical, if not financial, success.

The City of Montreal updated its website Monday to give Arcade Fire props. (CBC)

Over time, a unique sound emerged from a local scene that was heavy on the reverb and light on commercial polish.

Some critics have also begun speaking of a Montreal esthetic, which favours analog recording and sweeping chord changes.

"In the '70s, '80s and '90s, the city was virtually ignored by the music industry," said Steve Guimond, who as a DJ for McGill University's radio station was among the first to give Arcade Fire airtime.

"The scene was allowed to develop at its own pace … so it really harboured a cool, creative environment that still exists today."

Heritage minister tweets about Grammy win

Of course, Arcade Fire is not so big it won't still open for some acts. The band will warm up the crowd before a U2 concert this summer in New Brunswick.

But following the Grammy win, Heritage Minister James Moore posted the following suggestion on Twitter:

"A thought: I'm a big U2 fan, but perhaps U2 should be opening for Arcade Fire on July 30th in Moncton instead of the other way around."