Sleeper comprises Louise Wener (vocals, guitar), Jon Stewart (guitar), Andy Maclure (drums), and Diid Osman (bass). Wener and Stewart met while studying politics at school in Manchester, England.

The group made its debut in 1993, which led to a series of positive reviews in the British music weeklies, and later rose within the Britpop scene with hits such as Nice Guy Eddie, Sale of The Century and What Do I Do Now?