Born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand, he left school and immediately joined a band formed by his elder brother, Tim Finn. By 1981, Neil was the lead singer of Split Enz and they had their first international hit, I Got You, which he wrote himself.
When Split Enz broke up, he formed Crowded House, a band which went on to enormous success worldwide, with two major hits, Weather With You and Don't Dream It's Over, both his own compositions. The group broke up in 1996, and Neil Finn went solo.
He has produced two solo albums, Try Whistling This and One Nil (One All in the USA), as well as joint albums with his brother. He is particularly admired for his live performances, often in small venues. In recent years he has persuaded leading musicians such as Johnny Marr and Sheryl Crow to perform with him on tour or for one-off concerts. One of his greatest contributions to the popular music scene has been the "Band of Strangers" phenomenon, in which he invites local musicians to join him in a band for one night, after a single day's rehearsal.\n