Semisonic

Semisonic
Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	1995
Headquarters	Minneapolis, United States
Products	Music albums, singles, EPs

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Semisonic, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025

Semisonic is a rock group originating from Minneapolis, established in 1995. The lineup includes Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals). Their most notable achievement in the United States is the 1998 top-20 hit single "Closing Time".

Origins and initial release

After the dissolution of Trip Shakespeare, Wilson and Munson joined forces with drummer Slichter to create the band Pleasure in 1993. By 1995, they adopted the name Semisonic, issuing the Pleasure EP through Boston’s indie label CherryDisc and following up with their debut album Great Divide in 1996 under MCA Records.

Rise to prominence and global recognition

Semisonic achieved widespread recognition in 1998 with their sophomore album Feeling Strangely Fine, which entered the Top 50 charts propelled by the successful single "Closing Time". Wilson has shared that this track was inspired by the arrival of his first child.

Abroad, the song "Secret Smile" gained popularity on UK radio in 1999, reaching number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.

Third studio effort and subsequent pause

Their third album, All About Chemistry, was released in 2001. While the single "Chemistry" found some success internationally, the album did not meet expectations in the U.S. The track "Over My Head" appeared in the teen movie Summer Catch, coinciding with their tour across the UK.

Wilson has mentioned that new Semisonic projects remain a possibility but have been postponed due to other priorities. The band’s last studio album before a long hiatus was All About Chemistry, preceding their 2020 release of the You're Not Alone EP.

2017–2019 activities

To celebrate two decades since their debut album Great Divide, Semisonic reunited for a trio of concerts in June 2017, performing the entire album live. Later that year, in December, they marked the approaching 20th anniversary of Feeling Strangely Fine with three sold-out shows in the Twin Cities featuring the full album. The 2018 reissue of Feeling Strangely Fine featured its first-ever vinyl edition and included four previously unreleased songs: "Long Way from Home", "I'm a Liar", "Beautiful Regret", and "Makin' a Plan."

In July 2019, Semisonic appeared at Milwaukee's Summerfest as well as Minneapolis' Basilica Block Party. Their performances between 2017 and 2019 also showcased new unreleased material like "Basement Tapes", "All It Would Take", and "You're Not Alone."

First Avenue recognition

Semisonic earned a star on Minneapolis' renowned nightclub First Avenue’s exterior mural. This accolade honors artists who have sold out shows or contributed significantly to the venue’s cultural legacy and is regarded as one of Minneapolis’ highest public musical honors. Moreover, Wilson and Munson’s former band Trip Shakespeare also holds a star there, making them among the select few artists with multiple stars at First Avenue.

2020 to present developments

On June 26, 2020, Semisonic unveiled "You're Not Alone," marking their first new release after nearly two decades. This was followed by the complete You're Not Alone EP on September 18, 2020.

In January 2023, they performed two concerts at First Avenue celebrating The Current's eighteenth anniversary. Between June 2 and June 26, 2023, Semisonic toured alongside Barenaked Ladies on the Last Summer on Earth tour.

During summer 2023, singles from their upcoming album Little Bit of Sun were issued: “Little Bit of Sun” and “Grow Your Own” on June 5; “The Rope” accompanied by a Phil Harder-directed video on August 1; and “Out of the Dirt,” co-written by Lori McKenna featuring Jason Isbell on guitar, released on September 12.

Their full-length twelve-track album Little Bit of Sun was officially released on November 3, 2023.

Studio albums

Compilation of studio albums including key details, chart rankings, and certifications
Year	Album information	Highest chart positions						Certifications (sales criteria)
Year	Album information	US	AUS	CAN	IRL	NZL	UK	Certifications (sales criteria)
Great Divide	Released: April 9, 1996 Record label: MCA	—	—	—	—	—	—
Feeling Strangely Fine	Released: March 24, 1998 Record label: MCA	43	66	55	53	17	16	RIAA: Platinum MC: Gold BPI: Platinum
All About Chemistry	Released: March 13, 2001 Record label: MCA	103	—	—	28	—	13
Little Bit of Sun	Released: November 3, 2023 Record label: Pleasuresonic	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not issued in that region.

Live albums

One Night at First Avenue (2003)

EPs

Pleasure EP (1995)
You're Not Alone (2020)

Singles

Song title	Release year	Highest chart rankings										Certifications	From album
Song title	Release year	US Airplay	US Alt	US Main	US AAA	AUS	CAN	IRL	NLD	NZL	UK	Certifications	From album
"Down in Flames"	1996	—	—	43	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Great Divide
"If I Run"		—	38	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"F.N.T."		—	35	30	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Closing Time"	1998	11	1	13	4	40	33	48	84	50	25	BPI: Gold	Feeling Strangely Fine
"Singing in My Sleep"	1998	—	11	31	—	70	—	—	—	—	39
"Secret Smile"	1999	—	21	—	17	—	30	26	—	—	12	BPI: Silver
"Chemistry"	2001	—	39	—	6	—	—	39	84	21	35		All About Chemistry
"Get a Grip"	2001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	109		All About Chemistry
"You're Not Alone"	2020
	You're Not Alone EP
"Little Bit of Sun"/"Grow Your Own"	"2023"
	"Little Bit of Sun"
"The Rope"	"2023"
	"Little Bit of Sun"
"Out of the Dirt"	"2023"
	"Little Bit of Sun"

Soundtracks and compilations

Semisonic collaborated with Mary Lou Lord to perform "Sugar, Sugar" for the 1995 tribute collection Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, which was produced by Ralph Sall and released through MCA Records.
The band provided the theme track for the 1999 film starring Kevin Costner, For Love of the Game.
Multiple Semisonic tracks were featured in the TV series Friends, including "Delicious" and "Closing Time," both of which appeared on the show's soundtrack albums Friends Again and Friends: The Ultimate Soundtrack.
The song "Over My Head," included as a bonus on select versions of All About Chemistry, was part of the soundtrack for the 2001 movie Summer Catch.
"Closing Time" was also used in the 2011 romantic comedy film Friends with Benefits.
In 2001, Semisonic recorded a cover of Wings' hit "Jet" for the Paul McCartney tribute album Listen to What the Man Said.
Dan Wilson and Bic Runga collaborated on the track "Good Morning Baby" for the soundtrack of the 1999 film American Pie.
The song "F.N.T." was featured in two movies: The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).
"Closing Time" made appearances on an episode of The Office as well as during the finale of The Real World: Seattle.
Additionally, Weird Al Yankovic referenced the song on his 1999 album Running With Scissors.

Other projects by members

Dan Wilson engaged in solo endeavors and toured throughout the Midwest in December. John Munson teamed up with Wilson's brother, Matt Wilson—former lead singer of Trip Shakespeare—to create The Flops in 2001, a group that remained active until early 2005. Later, in 2009, Munson and Matt Wilson formed The Twilight Hours, releasing two albums, Stereo Night (2009) and Black Beauty (2016), alongside consistent touring.

In 2004, Jacob Slichter authored So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star, a memoir detailing his experiences with touring and navigating U.S. radio exposure.

John Munson co-founded jazz ensemble The New Standards in 2005 with Chan Poling (The Suburbs) and Steve Roehm, focusing on jazz interpretations of well-known songs.

October 2007 saw the release of Dan Wilson's solo album, Free Life, on Rick Rubin's label American Recordings. This project featured collaborations with both Munson and Slichter, with "Cry" serving as its lead single.

External links