Matthew Sweet

Pop and rock singer, songwriter and musician Matthew Sweet – born Sidney Matthew Sweet on October 6, 1964, in Lincoln, Nebraska – is best known for his critically acclaimed 1991 album Girlfriend and his collaboration albums with the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs. His musical journey began in high school where he played with several different local bands. After graduating from high school, he moved to Athens, Georgia to attend college and immersed himself in that musical scene. He worked briefly with R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe which led to his stint playing in Oh-OK, a band led by Lynda Stipe (sister of Michael). His next musical project was the Buzz of Delight, a duo featuring Oh-OK’s drummer David Pierce. His talents were finally noticed, and he signed a solo deal with Columbia Records. In 1986, he released his debut album, Inside, but it was a critical success. After the alum failed to sell, he moved over to A&M Records, where he released the album Earth (1989). Another critical success and commercial failure, Matthew Sweet signed with Zoo Entertainment and began working on his next album with musical assistance from Richard Lloyd, Robert Quine, Lloyd Cole, Greg Leisz, and Fred Maher. The resulting album, Girlfriend (1991), was his breakthrough album. Although it was not a huge commercial success, the album reached a much larger audience and was lauded by the critics. Lovers of the musical subgenre power pop adopted Matthew Sweet as one of their own. While Girlfriend only hit number 100 on the Billboard 200, his next three albums did better on the chart: 1993’s Altered Beast (number 75), 1995’s 100% Fun (number 65), and 1997’s Blue Sky on Mars (number 66). However, subsequent albums did not match the commercial success of these releases. Matthew Sweet remained a power pop and alternative rock favorite, releasing acclaimed albums and working with several other artists. His most high profile collaboration was with Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles), with whom he recorded three covers albums: Under the Covers, Vol. 1 (2006), Vol. 2 (2009), and Vol. 3 (2013). Further solo albums by Matthew Sweet include Tomorrow Forever (2017), Tomorrow’s Daughter (2018), Wicked System of Things (2018), and Catspaw (2021). In October 2024, Matthew Sweet suffered a debilitating stroke and was unable to play guitar and sing. He began rehab shortly thereafter.