Craig Finn

Born on August 22, 1971, in Boston, Massachusetts, Craig A. Finn grew up in Edina, Minnesota, and was raised Catholic. He attended Valley View Middle School and graduated from Breck School. In 1993, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. Before moving to New York City in 2000, Finn worked as a financial broker for American Express Financial Advisors in Minneapolis. After relocating to New York City, he took a job at Digital Club Network, a live music webcasting company, and did not play music for two years before forming The Hold Steady.

Finn’s musical career began with the band Lifter Puller, active from 1994 to 2000, where he served as frontman alongside Tad Kubler, who would later join him in The Hold Steady. Lifter Puller released three albums, two compilations, an EP, and several singles. The material was re-issued digitally in 2009, accompanied by a book titled “Lifter Puller vs. the End Of”. After Lifter Puller disbanded, Finn moved to New York City and, following a hiatus from music, formed The Hold Steady. With The Hold Steady, Finn aimed to create a more positive, coherent, story-based message in his music. He has been the frontman for the band through nine studio albums.

In addition to his band work, Finn has released six solo albums: “Clear Heart Full Eyes” (2012), “Faith in the Future” (2015), “We All Want the Same Things” (2017), “I Need a New War” (2019), “A Legacy of Rentals” (2022), and “Always Been” (2025). His solo work expanded his songwriting to explore more personal narratives. He also hosts two podcasts, “That’s How I Remember It” (started 2022) and “Summer Album/Winter Album” (started 2025), which delve into the relationship between memory and creativity through interviews with other artists and musicians. He has collaborated with various artists, including Titus Andronicus, P.O.S, Mark Mallman, The Living End, The Baseball Project, Joe Pug, and Cheap Girls.