Racoon

Acoustic rock quartet Racoon scored one of the biggest hits in Dutch chart history with their 2005 ballad "Love You More." Formed in Zeeland in 1997, Racoon began as the duo of singer Bart van der Weide and guitarist Dennis Huige, making their recorded debut via three songs contributed to the Dutch Rock & Pop Institute compilation Characters. With a 1998 relocation to Utrecht, bassist Stefan de Kroon and drummer Paul Bukkens joined the lineup, and the group played the Heineken X-pl'oor Festival prior to self-releasing a demo titled It's an Ice Cream Day. The disc piqued the interest of a number of Dutch labels, and after an appearance at the 1999 Noorderslag Weekend, Racoon signed with Sony's S.M.A.R.T. imprint. Racoon's debut album, Till Monkeys Fly, appeared in 2000. The single "Feel Like Flying" proved a radio favorite, building anticipation for the band's follow-up, Here We Go, Stereo!, issued in late 2001 and buoyed by the hit "Eric's Bar." Racoon then hit the international tour circuit for more than a year, culminating in 2003's all-star Europe Day Festival at Noorderslag Weekend. Their third album, Another Day, finally hit retail in 2005 and launched the band to superstardom, generating a string of hits including the breakthrough smash "Love You More," "Laugh About It," and "Brother" on its way to number two on the Dutch charts. Racoon issued their fourth album, Before You Leave, in 2008 and it continued the band's streak of popularity, thanks in part to a pair of hit singles, "Lucky All My Life" and "Clean Again." Liverpool Rain, released in 2011, became their first number one hit in the Netherlands, driven by a parade of hits: "No Mercy," "Took a Hit," "Don't Give Up the Fight," and the title track. (The album remained on the Dutch charts for nearly two years.) The Singles Collection also hit number one upon release in 2013, and the band's sixth studio album, All in Good Time, became their third straight chart-topper when it appeared in early 2015. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi