Hootie & The Blowfish

No matter how many arenas Hootie & The Blowfish filled or how many millions of albums they sold—over 20 in the case of their 1994 debut, Cracked Rear View—they somehow retained their most fundamental quality: the low-key charm you find in a college bar band eager to please their classmates on a Friday night. In that respect, Hootie & The Blowfish very much remained the same group of musicians who first met while attending University of South Carolina in the mid-’80s. It was during this time that they developed their warm-hearted blend of folk, rock, and pop: an engaging sound that had surprising depth and richness thanks to frontman Darius Rucker’s gruff but emotive baritone. On the albums that followed their breakthrough hits, including “Hold My Hand” and the irrepressibly joyful “Only Wanna Be With You,” the band embraced a wider span of American roots music, including the Nashville-ready country sound that became Rucker’s forte once he launched his solo career in 2008. Reuniting to tour and record in 2019, Hootie & The Blowfish rewarded the patience of their loyal fans with Imperfect Circle, another set of unflashy and amiable songs that fit right in the sweetest of sweet spots.