The Rasmus

The Rasmus are a Finnish rock band from Helsinki, active since 1994. They form around singer and songwriter Lauri Ylönen, bassist Eero Heinonen, drummer Aki Hakala and guitarist Emppu, also known as Emilia Suhonen. Former guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi leaves the band in 2022. Earlier line-up changes include Janne Heiskanen and Jarno Lahti, who are listed among the band’s members.

Formation and early releases

The band starts out at the end of its members’ school years and is first known as Rasmus before adopting the name The Rasmus in 2000, to avoid confusion with a Swedish electronic artist of the same name. Their first single, 1st, appears independently in 1995. The debut album Peep follows in 1996 through Warner Music Finland and goes gold in Finland. That same year the band wins the EMMA award for Best New Artist.

The second album Playboys and its single Blue are released in 1997 and both go gold in Finland. Hellofatester follows in 1998, producing the singles Liquid and Swimming With The Kids. The video for Liquid receives regular airplay on Nordic MTV.

Breakthrough and international profile

Into appears in 2001 and debuts at number one in Finland, where it goes double platinum. Its single F-F-F-Falling stays at number one in Finland for three months in early 2001, while Chill reaches number two. The band tours Scandinavia and Europe with HIM and Roxette in support of the album.

International recognition follows with Dead Letters in 2003. The album goes gold and platinum in several countries, and In the Shadows reaches number one in multiple territories. The track is also offered through the iTunes Music Store as a free single, leading many listeners to buy the rest of the album.

Later albums and singles

Guilty is issued in 2004, followed by the singles In My Life, First Day of My Life and Funeral Song. Hide from the Sun arrives in 2005, reaches platinum status in Finland and sells more than 15,000 copies in the UK. Its singles are No Fear, Sail Away and Shot.

The band begins work on Black Roses in 2006, recording in Helsinki and continuing in Nashville, with additional parts recorded in Stockholm, Singapore, Berlin and Greece. The album includes the singles Livin' In A World Without You and Justify.

A compilation marking the band’s 15th anniversary, Best of 2001-2009, is released in 2009 and includes the previously unreleased track October & April, featuring Anette Olzon of Nightwish. The self-titled album The Rasmus follows in 2012. Its lead single I'm a Mess serves as the official song for the 2012 European Athletics Championships, and the album wins EMMA awards for Best Album Cover and Best Music Video.

Dark Matters is recorded from 2016 and released in 2017, with Paradise as lead single. In 2021 the band releases Bones and Venomous Moon, the latter featuring Apocalyptica. Rise follows in 2022, alongside the single of the same name.

Eurovision and labels

In 2022 The Rasmus enter the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with Jezebel, their first single with Emppu. They win the selection, represent Finland at Eurovision and reach the final, where they place 21st.

Across their career they are associated with Warner Music Finland, Interscope Records, Playground Music Scandinavia, and Universal Music Oy, and their music spans alternative rock, funk rock, gothic rock, pop rock, rock and symphonic rock.