Semisonic

Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1993, consisting of Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals). They are best known in the U.S. for their 1998 top-20 single "Closing Time". In 2025, Chad Childers of Loudwire included the band in his list of "10 '90s Post-Grunge Bands That Should Have Been Bigger".

History

Formation and debut album After the breakup of Trip Shakespeare, Wilson and Munson joined up with drummer Slichter to form the band Pleasure in 1993. By 1995, they had changed their name to Semisonic. An EP, Pleasure, was released that year on Boston indie label CherryDisc. Semisonic had signed a record contract with Elektra Records to record the Great Divide album. During recording, Bob Krasnow, the president of Elektra Records had quit, and in the changeover to a new president, the label dropped Semisonic. The band then signed with MCA Records, and finished recording the album. The studio full-length Great Divide was released in 1996 on MCA.

Breakthrough and international success Semisonic's breakthrough came two...