54-40
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Biography
Formed in 1980 in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada, alternative / roots rock band 54â40 emerged from the fringes of Vancouverâs punk and alternative scene to become one of Canadaâs most enduring and influential rock bands. The group began when highâschool friends Neil Osborne and Brad Merritt, inspired by the energy of the local underground movement, joined forces with drummer Ian Franey after Osborne returned from a short stint at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. 54-40âs first live performance took place on December 8, 1980, the same day that former Beatle John Lennon was killed in New York. The band quickly began crafting music that blended punk urgency with melodic introspection. Their first recordings appeared on an independent compilation before they released their first EP, Selection, in 1982. The groupâs line-up expanded with the addition of Phil Comparelli (guitar / trumpet) and then drummer Matt Johnson who would replace Franey. After the release of their debut album Set the Fire (1984), the group came to prominence with 1986âs self-titled album, which included the popular singles âBaby Ranâ and âI Go Blind.â While they did not achieve a large amount of commercial success outside their home country, 54-40 landed in the Canadian Top 40 with the albums Fight for Love (1989), Dear Dear (1992), Trusted by Millions (1996), Since When (1998), and Casual Viewinâ (2000). They also scored several Top 40 singles including âNice to Luv Youâ (1992), âShe Laâ (1992), âMusic Manâ (1992), âBlame Your Parentsâ (1994), âOcean Pearlâ (1994), âLove You Allâ (1996), âLies to Meâ (1996), âCrossing a Canyonâ (1996) and âSince Whenâ (1998). Since 2000, the groupâs releases havenât been as commercially successful as their earlier album, but theyâve remained a popular live act. In January 2026, 54-40 released Porto, their first studio release since 2024âs West Coast Band.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Ocean Pearl
- Casual Viewin'
- Unbend
- Since When
- One Day In Your Life
- She-La
- The Waiting
- Lucky
- I Go Blind
- Face Your Eyes
- Snap
- Nice To Luv You
- Secret
- Goodbye Flatland
- Broken Girl
- Who Is Sylvia
- Baby Ran
- Not Enough To Make You Happy
- Moonbeach
- Shade Grows
- Hope the Hell I Haven't Died
- Assoholic
- Take Me Out
- Animal In Pain
