Hootie & the Blowfish announced the re-release of their latest album, Imperfect Circle, under the Rock category as further evidence of the band’s musical home in several genres. Initially released in the Country space in November 2019, the re-release of the album also adds their take on the classic “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M., who the band has credited as a major inspiration since their earliest days at the University of South Carolina.
“Hootie now occupies an anomalous cultural space, residing on both Spotify’s Fresh Country and All Out 90s playlists… the band is seemingly at home in both realms,” notes Billboard of the album encouraging “good times and easy-to-love music, sure, but also an incrementally more just and inclusive world for everyone – black, white and otherwise.”
“It was so special to all be back together recording again for this album,” notes guitarist Mark Bryan. “We're excited to reissue the album to fans with the addition of 'Losing My Religion' after covering the song in our sets last year night-after night.”
The album featuring single “Hold On” marked the first studio project for the Grammy Award-winning band in nearly 15 years, and came on the heels of their sold-out Group Therapy Tour – their first full-time return to the road in over a decade.
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About Hootie & the Blowfish
With the rich, bluesy vocals of Darius Rucker and gleeful harmonies of guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish have sold over 25 million records worldwide to date after their infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.”
The quartet met at the University of South Carolina where endless gigs at frat houses and local bars built a major local buzz. Their blend of pop, folk, blues, soul and rock made them hard to pigeonhole, but easily accessible to anyone who loved good music.
Atlantic Records, impressed by their regional draw, signed them and released Cracked Rear View in 1994. The album had been out for six months before the band played on the Late Show with David Letterman which sent sales skyrocketing, eventually landing at No. 1 on the Billboard chart the following spring. Cracked Rear View and the band went on to win two GRAMMY Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and multiple People's Choice Awards. Cracked Rear View went on to earn the band Billboard's Band of the Year Award in 1996 and the RIAA's Diamond Award for sales in excess of 10 million units. Cracked Rear View remains the 5th most certified studio album in music business history.
The band remained a top draw nationwide and released five more albums for Atlantic: Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, Hootie & The Blowfish and The Best of Hootie & The Blowfish, as well as Looking For Lucky on their own Sneaky Long Records and LIVE in Charleston, The Homegrown Concert Event DVD and CD. The band took a break from full-time touring in 2007, reuniting annually for a variety of philanthropic events while also pursuing solo projects. 2019 marked the band's first full-time touring year in over a decade as they embarked on the sold-out Group Therapy Tour in support of Imperfect Circle, released in November 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group.