Lead singer/guitarist Jason Hill, guitarist Brian Karscig, and drummer Mark Maigaard formed the group in April 2003 while living briefly in Paris, France. Bassist James Armbrust soon joined after.

Louis XIV, the band's first album, was released in November 2003. It was recorded in a basement in the Spanish district in Paris, France and tells the story of a boy living his life while locked in a tiny room. Recorded on a 16-track tape machine, it was released independently through Pineapple Recording Group, a label started by Hill and Karscig. Although the record was only sold at shows, on the band's website, and in some independent records stores, it sold over 22,000 copies in the first six months. First embraced in the UK in 2004, doing the famous Jonathon Ross show television show one week after Oasis and the Mary Hobbs show on BBC Radio 1. They were embraced by Distillers frontwoman Brody Dalle and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme at the 2004 NME Awards.

Their newest album, Slick Dogs and Ponies, produced by Hill, was released on January 28, 2008. The album contained the release of "Guilt by Association", complete with an eight piece cello and eight guitar solo and ending with a flute. The first single, "Air Traffic Control", featuring a 24-piece string section, is currently in the Top 40 Alternative radio charts.

The band toured North America between January and March, supporting Editors. On June 7, 2008 the band opened for The Sex Pistols in Las Vegas, the only U.S. performance of the Pistols' "Combine Harvester" tour.

Louis XIV recently announced a European tour for August 2008, including the Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds Festivals.

In 2008, Karscig produced an album for San Diego-based singer/songwriter Anya Marina, as yet unreleased.

As a producer/engineer Hill has worked with The Killers, The Virgins, The Soft Lightes, Sara Lee Guthrie and The Bronx.

In 2009 LOUIS XIV will be joining The Killers for a European tour beginning in February, followed by a spot on the V Festival tour around Australia in March/April 2009.