Editing Powderfinger (section)

== History ==
===1989–1993: Formation and early releases===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Powderfinger-Polydor contract.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Black and white photo showing two men. Man at left is leaning forward, biting the knuckle of his right fore-finger. He is partly obscured by the next man who is shown in left profile, he is holding a typed document and is looking down at it. He has a pen in his right hand, his left is out of shot.|[[Darren Middleton]] (left) and [[Jon Coghill]] prepare to sign a contract with [[Polydor Records|Polydor]], late 1993.]] -->
Powderfinger were formed in 1989<ref name=formed>{{cite web|title=History |url=http://www.hindleysite.com/history/history.htm |access-date=12 July 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022083014/http://www.hindleysite.com/history/history.htm |archive-date=22 October 2007 }}</ref> by [[Steven Bishop]] (ex–the Eternal) on drums, [[John Collins (Australian musician)|John Collins]] (the Eternal) on bass guitar, and Ian Haug (the Vibrants, the Fossils) on guitar and vocals.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="db"/><ref name="h2g2"/> The Eternal, the Vibrants, and the Fossils were other Brisbane-based outfits.<ref name="pch"/> All three members of Powderfinger were students at [[Brisbane Grammar School]]—a private school in [[Spring Hill, Queensland|Spring Hill]]—and they started as a [[cover band]] playing [[pub rock (Australia)|pub rock]] classics by [[the Rolling Stones]], [[the Doors]], [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]], [[Sixto Rodriguez|Rodriguez]], and [[Neil Young]].<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="h2g2"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> The band's name comes from Young's [[Powderfinger (song)|song of the same name]].<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="rockd" /><ref name="AutoF1-2"/> Despite their popularity in Brisbane, when playing a [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] gig in [[Newcastle, New South Wales]], in 1990, Powderfinger were booed off stage.<ref name="AutoF1-4"/>

After completing secondary education, Collins and Haug attended the [[University of Queensland]], where the latter met [[Bernard Fanning]] in an economics class – and learned that Fanning had similar interests in music and could sing.<ref name="hindley-bios"/> Fanning took over the role of [[lead singer|lead vocals]] from Haug and also provided guitar and harmonica.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Late in 1990, Jon Coghill—another university student with Fanning and Haug—replaced Bishop on drums, which was described as a "mutual leaving".<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="AutoF1-3"/> Bishop later worked in London-based bands based in [[London]], UK, before returning to Brisbane where he was a member of Moonjuice and then the Haymakers. Powderfinger's final line-up change was in 1992 with the addition of [[Darren Middleton]] (The Pirates) on guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals.<ref name="rockd"/><ref name="amg-bio"/> Powderfinger initially performed cover versions of other artists' songs, but gradually developed by writing and performing their own material.<ref name="rockd"/>

In August 1992, the group self-funded a seven-track [[Powderfinger (EP)|self-titled extended play]], also known as the ''Blue EP'', on their own Finger label, and the album was distributed by MDS.<ref name="h2g2" /><ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Holmgren"/> It was produced by Leroy Bath and Ian Taylor, and recorded at Broken Toys Studios, Brisbane.<ref name="SaveSkin"/> The EP has an early version of "[[Save Your Skin]]", co-written by Coghill, Collins, Haug, Middleton, and Fanning;<ref name="APRA Save"/> it was later expanded and released in July 1994 as a [[single (music)|single]] from their debut album, ''[[Parables for Wooden Ears]]''.<ref name="SaveSkin"/> Their second EP, ''[[Transfusion (EP)|Transfusion]]'', was issued in September 1993 and distributed by [[Polydor Records]].<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> At that time, Simon McKenzie of ''Time Off'' noted they were "hoping the major label will put a bit of weight behind the disc, but it's not as though they've signed a record deal or anything".<ref name="McKenzie"/> McKenzie felt the EP showed they were "wanting to get heavier and louder for a long time, but is it also a reaction against the sixties tags they've been stuck with?".<ref name="McKenzie"/> The five tracks include "Reap What You Sow", which reached the No.&nbsp;1 spot on the [[ARIA Charts|ARIA Alternative Singles Chart]],<ref name="McPherson"/> replacing [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]'s "[[Heart-Shaped Box]]".<ref name="hindleysite"/> The group recorded their first [[music video]], for "Reap What You Sow"; it was directed by David Barker, who subsequently directed their next seven videos.<ref name="db"/><ref name="Scatena191"/><ref name="ADG2007"/> After the EP's success, the group were signed by Polydor.<ref name="Nimmervoll"/>

===1994–1998: Early albums ===
[[Image:John Collins.JPG|thumb|upright|alt=Collins is playing his bass guitar with his left hand on the fret board and right hand with fingers plucking at the strings. His head is bent to his left and down, his fair haired fringe hangs over his eyes. He wears a dark long shirt. A drum kit is beyond him, further to his left. Stage lights shine down from above.|Bass guitarist [[John Collins (Australian musician)|John Collins]], one of the founders of Powderfinger, is shown at the Rock and Soul Revue, Brisbane, in January 2005.]]
In January 1994, Powderfinger performed on the [[Big Day Out]] Tour (see [[Big Day Out lineups by year#1994|1994 line-up]]).<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="AutoF1-7"/> On 18 July that year, they released their debut studio album, ''Parables for Wooden Ears'', under Polydor. According to Australian rock music historian [[Ian McFarlane]], it "featured complex, meticulously crafted rock but was somewhat ponderous and sombre, which did little to fulfil the promise displayed on ''Transfusion''".<ref name="McFarlane"/> The album was produced by [[Tony Cohen]] ([[Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds]], [[The Cruel Sea (band)|The Cruel Sea]]),<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Holmgren"/> and Fanning later described it as the band's "dark dark days". It received limited radio coverage.<ref name="h2g2"/><ref name="hindleysite"/> Supporting the album's release, the band toured heavily, appearing at the [[Livid (festival)|Livid]] and [[Homebake]] music festivals.<ref name="AutoF1-6"/> Powderfinger supported United States visitors [[Pantera]] on that group's Driven Downunder Tour '94.<ref name="McFarlane"/> Another Australian support act on the tour was Newcastle-formed band [[Silverchair]].<ref name="Silverfinger"/> Three singles were released from Powderfinger's debut album—"[[Tail (song)|Tail]]", "[[Grave Concern]]", and "[[Save Your Skin]]"—but none appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart Top&nbsp;50.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="AutoF1-1"/> Following the album's release and lukewarm reception, in April 1995, the band recorded at Melbourne's Metropolis Studio with [[Magoo (Australian producer)|Lachlan "Magoo" Goold]] ([[Regurgitator]]) and in July released a five-track EP, ''[[Mr Kneebone]]''.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="Magoo"/>

The band's second studio album, ''[[Double Allergic]]'', was issued on 2 September 1996; it peaked at No.&nbsp;4 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified triple&nbsp;[[Music recording sales certification|platinum]] by ARIA for shipment of 210,000 units by 2007.<ref name="AutoF1-1"/><ref name="aria-accred-2007albums"/><ref name="AutoF1-8"/> It was co-produced by [[Tim Whitten]] and the group.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="DoubleAllergic"/> McFarlane felt this album was "more self-assured and textured [it] consolidated the band's position at the forefront of the [[alternative rock]] scene, alongside the likes of [[You Am I]], [[Spiderbait]], Silverchair, Regurgitator and Tumbleweed. [The album] was full of accessible, spirited rock".<ref name="McFarlane"/> Australian rock music journalist [[Ed Nimmervoll]] noted "[it] revealed a significant shift towards accessible rock songs rooted in melodic grooves. Powderfinger's reason to be is to create songs strong enough for the band and audience to play and hear months or years down the line".<ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Four singles were released from the album—"[[Pick You Up]]", "[[D.A.F. (song)|D.A.F.]]", "[[Living Type]]", and "[[Take Me In (Powderfinger song)|Take Me In]]". "Take Me In" was released as a video single featuring several other music videos by the group. FasterLouder, a music review web site, recalled that "when ''Double Allergic'' was released in 1996, it showed the band were here for the long haul to become arguably one of the best of the decade".<ref name="AutoF1-9"/> In 1997 the album was issued in Canada and the group toured North America to promote it.<ref name="McFarlane"/>

===1998–2003: Critical acclaim and chart success===
[[File:IanHaug2007.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Haug is playing his guitar, while leaning forward and to his right. His hair is shoulder-length, he wears a dark shirt and dark pants. Some band and stage equipment is near his feet.|[[Ian Haug]], another founding mainstay, on lead guitar in Sydney in September 2007.]]
On 7 September 1998, Powderfinger released their third studio album, ''[[Internationalist (album)|Internationalist]]'', which peaked at No.&nbsp;1 and spent 101 weeks in the Top&nbsp;50 of the ARIA Albums Chart; it was produced by [[Nick DiDia]] ([[Rage Against the Machine]], [[Pearl Jam]]).<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="AutoF1-1"/><ref name="Lawrence"/> [[AllMusic]]'s Jonathan Lewis had mixed feelings about the album. He was enchanted by its lead single, "[[The Day You Come]]"; however, he believed "the rest of the album didn't measure up" except for "some fine tracks" in "Don't Wanna Be Left Out" and "Already Gone".<ref name="Lewis"/> Nevertheless, by 2007 the album had shipped over 350,000 copies and was certified five times platinum domestically,<ref name="db"/><ref name="aria-accred-2007albums"/> and it had reached European audiences.<ref name="AutoF1-11"/> ''Internationalist'' was the first Powderfinger album to win any [[ARIA Music Awards]].<ref name=ARIAawardlist/> At the [[ARIA Music Awards of 1999|1999 ceremony]] it won "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album", and "Best Cover Art" (by Kevin Wilkins), and "The Day You Come" won "Single of the Year".<ref name=ARIAawardlist/><ref name="AutoF1-12"/> "[[Passenger (Powderfinger song)|Passenger]]", another single from ''Internationalist'', was nominated for three additional categories in the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2000|following year]].<ref name=ARIAawardlist/> The band was both praised and criticised for their political views on ''Internationalist''. In a November 1998 interview with Benedict Watts of ''Juice Magazine'', Haug said that political messages in "The Day You Come" were not something they were just preaching about, but rather were something they saw as a responsibility.<ref name="AutoF1-13"/>

Powderfinger's fourth studio album, ''[[Odyssey Number Five]]'', was released on 4 September 2000, and also peaked at No.&nbsp;1.<ref name="AutoF1-1"/> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{'}}s Marc Weingarten provided a positive review and found the group "prove that there's still terrain left to be explored [in] guitar rock ... melancholy is the default mode ... [they] can be as prim as [[Travis (band)|Travis]] or as mock-grandiose as [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]]".<ref name="Weingarten"/> However, Allmusic's Dean Carlson was more negative, seeing the album as "little more than a slightly off-base perspective into the world of mid-90s American [[grunge]]".<ref name="Carlson"/> ''Odyssey Number Five'' is Powderfinger's most commercially successful album, shipping 560,000 copies and certified eight&nbsp;times platinum by 2004.<ref name="aria-accred-2004albums" /> It also appeared on the [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand|New Zealand]] Albums Chart at No.&nbsp;15.<ref name="NZ Charts"/> At the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2001]], the group won "Album of the Year", "Highest Selling Album", "Best Rock Album", "Best Cover Art" (by Wilkins), and "Best Group".<ref name=ARIAawardlist/><ref name="AutoF1-17"/>

Two of ''Odyssey Number Five''{{'}}s tracks featured on film soundtracks: "[[These Days (Powderfinger song)|These Days]]", written for ''[[Two Hands (1999 film)|Two Hands]]'' (1999),<ref name="AutoF1-14"/> and "[[My Kind of Scene]]" in ''[[Mission: Impossible 2]]'' (2000).<ref name="AutoF1-15"/> Singles from the album are "My Kind of Scene", "[[My Happiness (Powderfinger song)|My Happiness]]", "[[Like a Dog (song)|Like a Dog]]", and the [[A-side and B-side#Double A-side|double A-side]] "[[The Metre/Waiting for the Sun|The Metre" / "Waiting for the Sun]]". "My Happiness", which peaked at No.&nbsp;4 in Australia and No.&nbsp;7 in New Zealand, is the group's highest-charting single in both countries.<ref name="AutoF1-1"/><ref name="NZ Charts"/> At the ARIA Awards ceremony, "My Happiness" won "Single of the Year",<ref name="AutoF1-18"/> and other songs were nominated in various categories.<ref name=ARIAawardlist/> Their tracks received votes from national radio station [[Triple J]]'s listeners on annual [[Triple J Hottest 100|Hottest 100]] lists: "These Days", "Already Gone", "[[Don't Wanna Be Left Out/Good-Day Ray|Good-Day Ray]]", and "Passenger" were ranked in [[Triple J Hottest 100, 1999|1999]], and "My Happiness" and "My Kind of Scene" in [[Triple J Hottest 100, 2000|2000]].<ref name="Triple J Hottest 100"/> In 2009, "These Days" was voted at No.&nbsp;21 and "My Happiness" at No.&nbsp;27 in the Hottest 100 of all time, placing them as second- and fourth-highest Australian tracks after the [[Hilltop Hoods]]' "[[The Nosebleed Section]]" and [[Hunters & Collectors]]' "[[Throw Your Arms Around Me]]", respectively.<ref name="AutoF1-19"/>

===2003–2005: Rock resurgence===
[[File:Jon Coghill (4308453805).jpg|thumb|alt=Coghill is playing his drum kit, his right arm is crooked, holding a drumstick and hitting the drum rim situated slightly to his left. His left arm and most of his lower body is obscured by the rest of the kit. He stares off to his right with his lightly bearded chin slightly raised. He is dressed in a pale blue sleeveless shirt and similar coloured pants. In front and above his kit are microphones and band equipment. Behind him is a large graphic design, consisting of red-orange lights and black dots.|Coghill on drums, in Melbourne, January 2010. He joined in 1990.<ref name="McFarlane"/>]]
Powderfinger's ''[[Vulture Street (album)|Vulture Street]]'' was released on 4 July 2003, and became their third album to peak at No.&nbsp;1 in Australia,<ref name="AutoF1-1"/> while in New Zealand it reached No.&nbsp;17.<ref name="NZ Charts"/> Recorded in January and February 2003, it was named for the location of the band's first recording room in [[West End, Queensland|West End]], Brisbane. ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]''{{'}}s music critic [[Bernard Zuel]] approved of "a rawer, louder, but by no means unrefined, album" with "a real energy here that has some connections to early Powderfinger, but bears the mark of a superior intellect"; he felt it had Haug and Middleton "dominating in a way they had not since their 1994 debut" album.<ref name="SMGVulture"/> Simon Evans of [[musicOMH]] described the group as having "opted for a visceral live feel, adding a real punch to songs".<ref name="AutoF1-20"/> Middleton explained that the band's aim was to "get a sound in the songs that was reminiscent of things we grew up loving, which was [[David Bowie|Bowie]], [[Led Zeppelin|Zeppelin]], [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] ... that sort of thing; all based in the 70s. We wanted to sonically have that as well, so it's a very old-school-sounding record. It's all the old amps, we used old guitars and [[tape recorder|recorded to tape]], of course. It's fairly organic in that sense".<ref name="Lawrence"/> ''Vulture Street'' won four ARIA Awards in [[ARIA Music Awards of 2003|2003]]: "Album of the Year", "Best Group", "Best Rock Album", and "Best Cover Art" (by Steven Gorrow, Revolution Design).<ref name=ARIAawardlist/> Singles issued from the album are: "[[(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind]]", "[[Since You've Been Gone (Powderfinger song)|Since You've Been Gone]]", "[[Love Your Way]]", and "[[Sunsets (song)|Sunsets]]". Tracks were also nominated for awards in 2003 and [[ARIA Music Awards of 2004|2004]].<ref name=ARIAawardlist/>

In September 2004 the group issued their first live album, ''[[These Days: Live in Concert]]'', initially as a [[compact disc|CD]], and followed in October with a two-disc [[DVD]]. One single, "[[Stumblin']]", which had appeared on ''Vulture Street'', was issued as a live version. In late October they released a compilation album, ''[[Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994–2000]]'', which included many of their singles from the first four albums as well as non-singles "Thrilloilogy" and "Belter", and a re-release of "These Days". "These Days", although never officially released as a single, was ranked at No.&nbsp;1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll of 1999.<ref name="Triple J Hottest 100"/> The album also included two new songs: "[[Bless My Soul]]" and "Process This", although only "Bless My Soul" was released as a single. Following the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami]], Powderfinger appeared at the [[WaveAid]] fundraising concert in January 2005 in Sydney, to raise funds for aid organisations working in the disaster-affected areas.<ref name="waveaid-review"/> Fanning, as a member of [[The Wrights (Australian band)|The Wrights]], sang lead vocals on "[[Evie (song)|Evie, part 2]]" at the concert.<ref name="AutoF1-21"/> The Wrights released a studio version in March as a single with some of the proceeds going to tsunami relief efforts.<ref name="AutoF1-21"/>

===2005–2006: Side projects===
[[File:Darren Middleton (4309194080).jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Middleton is playing his guitar with his left hand on the fret board and right hand on the strings. His knees are flexed, he wears dark glasses, dark pants and a dark shirt. His stage pass dangles from the end of the guitar. His hair is brown and hangs partly into his eyes. He wears a wide ring on his right hand's fourth finger. There is band equipment nearby.|left|[[Darren Middleton]] on guitar in January 2010 at [[Big Day Out]], Melbourne. He joined in 1992 and formed a side project, [[Drag (band)|Drag]], in 2001. During Powderfinger's 2005–07 hiatus, Drag regrouped.]]
After the WaveAid concert, from early 2005, Powderfinger had a period of hiatus. During the separation, most band members pursued other musical projects; on the personal front, Haug and Middleton each had children, and Fanning met his future wife.<ref name="AutoF1-22"/><ref name="Christie"/> Middleton's side project, [[Drag (band)|Drag]], had issued an EP, ''[[Gas Food Lodging (EP)|Gas Food Lodging]]'', in 2002.<ref name="DragMSN"/> Zombos Reviews found the EP was "full of well-written jangly pop, and has some rather nice ballads".<ref name="Zombos"/> Their debut album, ''[[The Way Out (Drag album)|The Way Out]]'', recorded in March 2005 and released on 10 July,<ref name=AMOInterview/><ref name="DP"/> was "a tad disappointing [compared with the EP] ... mostly mid-tempo pop-rock songs, mixed with some slower, pretty ballads. Everything's tastefully arranged, and there's always nice melodies and harmonies".<ref name="Zombos"/> Collins and Haug formed [[The Predators (Australian band)|The Predators]] with Powderfinger's former drummer, Steven Bishop, now on drums and lead vocals. The group released a six-track EP, ''[[Pick Up the Pace]]'', in July 2006 and undertook a short tour around Australia.<ref name="AutoF1-23"/>

In October 2005 Fanning issued his debut solo album, ''[[Tea & Sympathy (Bernard Fanning album)|Tea & Sympathy]]'',<ref name=AMOTnS/><ref name="AutoF1-24"/> which reached No.&nbsp;1 in Australia and No.&nbsp;11 in New Zealand.<ref name="AUS Charts BF"/> At the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2006]], Fanning won in four categories including "Album of the Year" for ''Tea & Sympathy'' and "Best Video" for its lead single, "[[Wish You Well (Bernard Fanning song)|Wish You Well]]".<ref name="bernie-arias"/> "Wish You Well" was ranked at No.&nbsp;1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll in 2005.<ref name="AutoF1-26"/> At the end of 2006, Fanning toured in support of the album's release in the United Kingdom and North America; at its conclusion, Powderfinger resumed from their hiatus.<ref name="BF Solo"/><ref name="Connors"/> Fanning compared his solo work to Powderfinger recordings, saying, "when a problem came up in the studio, especially guitar-wise, I've always had Darren and Ian to call on. They could usually come up with something good. But I played all the guitar on it, and my abilities are fairly limited" and that "Powderfinger is my real job and I'm looking forward to doing it again".<ref name="Connors"/>

===2007–2008: Return from hiatus===
[[Image:Powderfinger performing September 2007 (c).jpg|thumb|alt=A wide shot of a stage with only four musicians visible: each is playing a type of guitar. A drum kit is mid-stage but the Coghill is obscured by lighting and equipment. The audience are across the front, below stage, some have one fist raised. A photographer is centred, front of stage, another is further to the right with a camera pointing at the band, a third cameraman is at left pointing into the crowd. Behind the group on the left is a large screen which depicts various words including "Fight clouds baby blue despair skin red lies lost stars ith empty rocket paint love g". Overhead lights shine down on the performers. To the right is a large sign with white writing "bring your living room to life" on red-orange background.|A performance of "[[I Don't Remember]]" on the [[Across the Great Divide tour]]. Middleton, Fanning, Collins and Haug are visible, Coghill is obscured.]]
Powderfinger started recording their sixth studio album, ''[[Dream Days at the Hotel Existence]]'', in January 2007; it was released on 2 June. Debuting at No.&nbsp;1 on the [[ARIA Albums Chart]]—their fourth to do so consecutively<ref name="AutoF1-1"/>—it broke the Australian digital sales record with over 3,000 copies sold online.<ref name="AutoF1-27"/> In general, reviewers did not rate it as highly as its predecessor ''Vulture Street'', with Cameron Adams of the ''[[Herald Sun]]'' HiT describing it as "No radical reinvention, no huge change in direction ... In a word: consistent".<ref name="CAdams"/> Zuel described it as "Powderfinger's first dull album" but the band as "the biggest rock band in the country."<ref name="SMH-Dream Days"/> "[[Lost and Running]]", their first single for three years, had been issued in May, and reached No.&nbsp;5.<ref name="AutoF1-1"/> A second single, "[[I Don't Remember]]", appeared in August. One song from the album, "[[Black Tears]]", was amended following concerns that it could prejudice a trial over the [[2004 Palm Island death in custody]] case. Fanning stated that an alternative version would be on the album as a result of the concerns.<ref name="AutoF1-29"/> On 18 August that year, Powderfinger performed a concert in [[Karratha, Western Australia|Karratha]] as part of Triple J's AWOL Series.<ref name="AutoF1-34"/> The band was supported by [[The Grates]] and Muph N Plutonic, and various local acts.<ref name="AutoF1-35"/> While in Karratha, Fanning and Coghill visited Gumala Mirnuwarni, a local school in Roebourne that encourages children to stay in school.<ref name="AutoF1-36"/>

In June 2007 Powderfinger and [[Silverchair]] announced the nine-week [[Across the Great Divide tour]] to promote reconciliation with [[Indigenous Australians]].<ref name="AutoF1-51"/> From August to October that year the two groups toured all state capital cities as well as fourteen Australian regional centres, and included four performances in New Zealand.<ref name="SoundBuzz"/> They performed 34 concerts in 26 towns across Australia, with an estimated total of 220,000 people in attendance.<ref name="SoundBuzz"/><ref name="AutoF1-55"/> On 1 December, a triple-DVD set was released with the [[Across the Great Divide tour (DVD)|same title as the tour]], with the Melbourne performances for both bands and backstage footage from the tour.<ref name="SoundBuzz"/><ref name="AutoF1-55"/><ref name="AutoF1-54"/> The schedule consisted of three main parts, beginning with a supporting artist performing one set, followed by Silverchair and then Powderfinger playing the final set. The two bands united on stage during only three performances throughout the tour, including [[Daniel Johns]] (Silverchair) and Fanning sharing lead vocals on a cover version of [[The Who]]'s "[[Substitute (The Who song)|Substitute]]" at one show in Sydney and two in Melbourne.<ref name="SoundBuzz"/><ref name="Savage"/>

''Dream Days at the Hotel Existence'' was the recipient of the ARIA Award for "Best Cover Art" in [[ARIA Music Awards of 2007|2007]].<ref name=ARIAawardlist/><ref name="AutoF1-30"/> It was also nominated for "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album", and "Best Group", while "Lost and Running" received nominations for "Single of the Year" and "Best Video".<ref name=ARIAawardlist/><ref name="AutoF1-31"/> Powderfinger failed to win any of these awards, with tour mates Silverchair's ''[[Young Modern]]'' and "[[Straight Lines (song)|Straight Lines]]" obtaining all five.<ref name=ARIAawardlist/><ref name=SilverchairARIAawardlist/><ref name="AutoF1-32"/> On 28 October at the ceremony, Powderfinger performed "Lost and Running".<ref name="AutoF1-33"/> The third single from ''Dream Days at the Hotel Existence'', "[[Nobody Sees]]", was released in December 2007.<ref name="AutoF1-56"/> On 27 September 2008, Powderfinger performed "(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind" and [[AC/DC]]'s "[[Long Way to the Top]]" at the [[2008 AFL Grand Final|AFL Grand Final]].<ref name="AutoF1-37"/> Their song "Drifting Further Away" featured on ''Grey's Anatomy''{{'}}s fifth season in episode&nbsp;13, "[[Grey's Anatomy (season 5)#Episodes|Stairway to Heaven]]", which aired on 21 January 2009.<ref name="NME Video"/><ref name="Bebo Video"/>

===2009–2010: ''Golden Rule'' and disbandment===
[[File:PowderfingerNov2010.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Powderfinger are on stage, with Coghill at left on drums, then Middleton on guitar, Fanning mid-stage singing into a microphone, Collins on his bass guitar and Haug at extreme right.|Powderfinger performing on their [[Sunsets Farewell Tour]], 6 November 2010, Sydney. They played their final show at the River Stage in Brisbane one week later in front of 10,000 fans. The last song was "These Days"; the group disbanded after the tour.<ref name="AutoF1-42"/>]]
From mid-June 2009 Powderfinger worked with DiDia producing their seventh studio album, ''[[Golden Rule (album)|Golden Rule]]'', which was issued on 13 November. The album peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the ARIA albums chart, becoming their fifth studio album in a row to do so.<ref name="AutoF1-1"/> The album's lead single, "[[All of the Dreamers]]", was released in September.<ref name="AutoF1-38"/><ref name="heraldsun.com.au"/> "Burn Your Name", the second single, followed in December. That same month the band performed at the 2009 [[Homebake]] festival after a 10-year absence.<ref name="Homebake2009"/> In late January they toured on the 2010 Big Day Out. The third single from the album, "Sail the Widest Stretch", appeared in April.<ref name="AutoF1-39"/>

Also in April 2010, Powderfinger announced that after 21 years the group would disband following their [[Sunsets Farewell Tour]] in September and October that year:<ref name="breakup"/><ref name="AutoF1-40"/><ref name="powderfinger.com"/>

{{blockquote|text=With the completion of our last album, ''Golden Rule'', we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group. We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date.|sign=Bernard Fanning on behalf of Powderfinger|source=Powderfinger Official Website, April 2010<ref name="powderfinger.com"/>}}

[[File:Jetstar Airbus A320-200 Powderfinger logojet Gilbert.jpg|thumb|alt=Left side on view of an aeroplane. It is basically silver in colour with the standard logo of the airline. Added to the side of the plane is a large print of 'Powderfinger' in black-bordered yellow to orange-brown colouring. It spans the distance from where the wings join to just before the rear doorway. To the right and just below the band's name, in smaller lettering, is the word 'Sunsets', coloured mostly in brown. Either side of the runway are grassed areas, beyond the jet are buildings – mostly obscured.|A [[Jetstar]] [[Airbus A320]] with Powderfinger logo at [[Newcastle Airport, New South Wales|Newcastle Airport]] in September 2010. It was used on the [[Sunsets Farewell Tour]].]]
Coghill told ''Australian Times'' that the final tour is "going to be great fun, but it's also going to be sad".<ref name="AutoF1-41"/> He confirmed that he had no plans to start a new band or for a solo project. Instead he intended to finish his degree, "[o]nce I'm done with that, I might put the feelers out and see what's happening. I don't think I'd be doing anything solo, but I might look to join other bands, just to have a chance to keep playing. I'm just not keen to be off touring the world anymore".<ref name="AutoF1-41"/> Powderfinger played their final show at the River Stage in Brisbane on 13 November 2010 in front of 10,000 fans; the last song they performed was "These Days".<ref name="AutoF1-42"/> On 25 January 2011 the band issued a previously unreleased track, "I'm on Your Side", as a fundraiser for the Premier's Flood Appeal as a result of [[2010–2011 Queensland floods|major flooding in Queensland]] from December the previous year into January. The song was available via the band's website with all proceeds going towards the cause. On 8 November 2011, the group released a second compilation album, ''[[Footprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 2001–2011]]'', containing two new tracks. There was also a 2-disc release, ''Fingerprints & Footprints – The Ultimate Collection'', combining both ''Fingerprints'' and ''Footprints'' in one set.<ref name="AutoF1-43"/> Also in November, Dino Scatena, together with the band, published a biography, ''Footprints: the inside story of Australia's best loved band''.<ref name="Scatena2"/> Scatena, a rock music journalist, had started writing the book in October of the previous year, during the Sunsets Farewell Tour.<ref name="Scatena2"/>

===2010–present: Afterwards===
Former Powderfinger member Bernard Fanning worked on his second solo album ''[[Departures (album)|Departures]]'' during late 2012 in Los Angeles, with [[Joe Chiccarelli]] producing.<ref name="McCabe2012"/> It was released in June the following year and peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the ARIA Albums Chart.<ref name="AUSCharts Fanning"/> Middleton had relocated to Melbourne and worked with Red Door Sounds' Paul Annison, producer of [[Children Collide]]'s album ''[[Monument (Children Collide album)|Monument]]'' (April 2012). In December that year Middleton revealed that "I’m halfway through a new record".<ref name="Egging"/> Middleton's album, ''Translations'', was released independently in November 2013.<ref name="Translations"/> Around the same time Coghill was working as a journalist on the Gold Coast, while Collins was "developing business projects in Queensland".<ref name="Zuel 13 Nov"/>

In January 2013 Haug produced the second album, ''Sins of a Li'l Later Kiss'', by Brisbane-based folk duo Cole and Van Dijk.<ref name="ColeVanDijk"/> He then joined [[The Church (band)|the Church]], replacing [[Marty Willson-Piper]], and featured on their 2014 album ''[[Further/Deeper]]''.

On 23 May 2020, Powderfinger reformed for a one-off live-streamed [[YouTube]] charity performance titled ''[[One Night Lonely]]'', with all proceeds going to [[Beyond Blue]] and Support Act.<ref name="TheGuardian"/> On 25 May, an EP of the performance was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/one-night-lonely/1514512509|title=One Night Lonely|website=Apple Music|date=25 May 2020|access-date=29 May 2020}}</ref>

On 31 August 2020, Powderfinger confirmed the release of a compilation album of unreleased songs titled ''[[Unreleased (1998–2010)]]'', released on 27 November 2020. It was preceded by the single "Day by Day", released on 18 September.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/music-news/powderfinger-new-album-2020/12605624|title=Powderfinger will release a new album of unreleased songs in 2020|website=ABC|date=31 August 2020 |access-date=4 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=brownypaul|date=2020-09-17|title=Powderfinger Drop First New Song in 10 Years 'Day By Day'|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/09/18/powderfinger-new-song-day-by-day/|access-date=2020-09-17|website=Wall of Sound|language=en-US}}</ref>

On 13 November 2020, Powderfinger released "Daybreak", the second single preceding the release of the album.