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Dan Wilson
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Dan Wilson is an American musician, songwriter and producer, born in 1961 and raised in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He studied visual art at Harvard and afterwards first worked as a draughtsman and painter. While still a student he was already making music with his brother Matt. In 1987 he joined Trip Shakespeare, his brother's psychedelic pop rock band in Minneapolis.
Music and breakthrough
After the end of that band he formed the group Semisonic in 1992 with bassist John Munson and drummer Jacob Slichter. Their 1998 album Feeling Strangely Fine brought the breakthrough, with the song Closing Time, which Wilson wrote. It became one of the best-known rock songs of the late 1990s. Secret Smile was also an international hit. Semisonic made clear, melodic guitar pop.
Influence
After that Wilson became best known as a writer for others. He wrote Not Ready to Make Nice with The Chicks and Someone Like You with Adele. For Adele's album 21 he received a Grammy. He also worked with Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton, Jon Batiste and many others, and made solo albums such as Free Life, produced by Rick Rubin. He has been called the songwriter's songwriter: someone who helps others pour their own story into a strong song.
Listening
Discography
Studio albums
- 2007Free Life
- 2014Love Without Fear
- 2017Re-Covered
- 2025good night, los angeles
- ?Minneapolis 2010
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- Mixtape 12: The Hit FactoryNL Reader
Mentioned in other articles
- Someone Like You Song
She wrote it with the American songwriter Dan Wilson, in two days.