Craig Finn

Craig Finn, born in Boston on August 22, 1971, and raised in Minnesota, first gained attention in the mid-1990s as the frontman of Lifter Puller, a cult indie band known for its jagged rhythms and sharp, character-driven lyrics. After moving to New York City in 2000 and briefly stepping away from performing, he returned to music with the formation of The Hold Steady in 2003, blending Springsteen-inspired rock with vivid, story-rich songwriting across nine studio albums, including Separation Sunday, Boys and Girls in America, and Thrashing Thru the Passion. Parallel to his work with the band, Craig Finn launched a solo career in 2012 with Clear Heart Full Eyes, followed by Faith in the Future (2015), We All Want the Same Things (2017), I Need a New War (2019), and A Legacy of Rentals (2022), each exploring the internal lives of flawed but sympathetic characters. His sixth solo album, Always Been, produced by Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs and backed by the band, arrived in 2025. In addition to collaborations with Titus Andronicus, P.O.S, and The Baseball Project, Craig Finn has ventured into podcasting with That’s How I Remember It and Summer Album/Winter Album, examining the role of memory in art.