Matt Berninger | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Berninger in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Matthew Donald Berninger (1971-02-13)February 13, 1971 (age 54) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Member of | |
Matthew Donald Berninger (/ˌbɜːrnɪŋɜːr/, born February 13, 1971) is an American singer, primarily known as the frontman and lyricist ofindie rock bandThe National. In 2014, he also formed theEL VY project with Brent Knopf ofRamona Falls andMenomena. They released the albumReturn to the Moon in November 2015.[1] In May 2020, Berninger issued the title track from his solo debut album,Serpentine Prison, released in October 2020.[2] His second solo album,Get Sunk, was released on May 30, 2025.[3][4]
Berninger is known for his classicbaritone voice.[5]
Berninger is a 1989 graduate ofSt. Xavier High School inCincinnati, Ohio.[6] He went on to studygraphic design at theUniversity of Cincinnati, where he met fellow band memberScott Devendorf in 1991. The two quickly became friends.[5] Berninger quit a career in advertising in his thirties to start The National. He told The Telegraph: "I was doing well [in advertising]. But, once I entertained the thought that maybe I wouldn't ever have to go and sit in conference rooms withMasterCard to discuss web ads again, I couldn't shake it."[7]
Berninger is married to Carin Besser, a one-time fiction editor forThe New Yorker, who has often contributed to the band's songwriting (in songs such as "Brainy" and "Ada" from the albumBoxer, among others) and backup vocals.[8][9] Together with Hope Hall and Andreas Burgess, Besser also helped direct the music video for "Bloodbuzz Ohio". They have a daughter named Isla.[10] Berninger has stated the song "Afraid of Everyone" was influenced by his anxiety about being a new father.[11] In 2023, he, his wife, and daughter moved fromVenice,Los Angeles, to live inConnecticut.[12]
As a child, Berninger knewNeil Armstrong, who was a family friend of his uncle. Armstrong taught him to playpool.[13]
Berninger has two siblings: Tom (who directedMistaken for Strangers, a film about The National) and Rachel.[14][15]
Berninger has discussed his battles withdepression, calling it "like aflu that just holds on." He found that, withantidepressants, he was able to "find a way back to music and happiness."[16]
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In 2011, a portrait of Berninger was painted by British artistJoe Simpson; the painting was exhibited around the UK including a solo exhibition atThe Royal Albert Hall.[17]
In 2019, Berninger appeared inBetween Two Ferns: The Movie. Along withPhoebe Bridgers, they contributed the song "Walking on a String" to its soundtrack.[18]
In 2020, Berninger was the subject of an episode of the fictional erotic podcast, Dirty Diana, produced byDemi Moore.[19]
In December 2023, Berninger was interviewed byDavid Letterman. The interview is up onThe National'sYouTube channel, andpromotional material in the form ofclips can be found on The National'sInstagram account.[20][21]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [22] | AUS [23] | AUT [24] | BEL (FL) [25] | FRA [26] | GER [27] | IRE [28] | NLD [29] | SWI [30] | UK [31] | ||
| Serpentine Prison |
| 161 | 32 | 20 | 1 | 82 | 19 | 11 | 18 | 25 | 21 |
| Get Sunk |
| — | — | 41 | 4 | — | 13 | — | 38 | 23 | 27 |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AAA [33] | US Alt Air | US Alt. Dig. [34] | BEL (FL) Tip. [25] | ||||||
| "Walking on a String"[35] (featuringPhoebe Bridgers) | 2019 | — | — | 24 | —[A] | Non-album single | |||
| "Serpentine Prison"[36] | 2020 | — | — | — | 10 | Serpentine Prison | |||
| "Distant Axis"[37] | — | — | — | 41 | |||||
| "One More Second"[38] | 21 | — | — | 6 | |||||
| "Pray It Away"[39] (with Hannah Georgas) | — | — | — | — | All That Emotion | ||||
| "Let It Be"[40] | 2021 | — | — | — | —[B] | Serpentine Prison | |||
| "Bonnet of Pins" | 2025 | 9 | 47 | — | — | Get Sunk | |||
| "Breaking Into Acting"[41] (featuringHand Habits) | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released | |||||||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Alt. Dig. [34] | US Rock [42] | NZ Hot [43] | SCO [44] | ||||||
| "Representing Memphis"[45] (Booker T. Jones featuringSharon Jones & Matt Berninger) | 2011 | — | — | — | — | The Road from Memphis | |||
| "Coming Down"[46] (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah featuring Matt Berninger) | 2014 | — | — | — | — | Only Run | |||
| "My Enemy" (Chvrches featuring Matt Berninger) | 2019 | 17 | 28 | — | 96 | Love Is Dead | |||
| "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night"[47] (Phoebe Bridgers featuringFiona Apple and Matt Berninger) | — | — | — | — | If We Make It Through December | ||||
| "We All Have"[48] (Julia Stone featuring Matt Berninger) | 2021 | — | — | 37 | — | Sixty Summers | |||
| "South For The Winter" (Adia Victoria featuring Matt Berninger) | — | — | — | — | A Southern Gothic | ||||
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released | |||||||||
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "I'll See You in My Dreams" | 2013 | Boardwalk Empire: Volume 2 |
| "Hush (Theme From Turn)"[49] (withJoy Williams) | 2014 | AMC's Turn: Original Soundtrack |
| "A Lyke Wake Dirge"[50] (withAndrew Bird) | ||
| "I'm Waiting for the Man" | 2021 | I'll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico |
Media related toMatt Berninger at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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