According to sources close to the band, its record label, Sony/550, was informed of the split about a month ago. No details were given but the decision was said to be amicable and mutual.

The North Carolina-based group (singer/songwriter/piano pounder Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee) formed in 1994 and released three critically acclaimed albums. Widespread success came with the second effort, 1997’s Whatever and Ever Amen, which yielded an unlikely hit, “Brick,” an acoustic ballad about a couple that falls apart following an abortion.

Over the years, the band toured with Neil Young, Jewel, Counting Crows, the H.O.R.D.E and Lollapalooza festivals, Beck, and the Dave Matthews Band to name a few.

Ben Folds Five’s work appeared most recently on the soundtrack to “Me, Myself, and Irene” on which they covered Steely Dan’s “Barrytown.”

Known for its raucous live performances and sharp wit, the band had been uncharacteristically quiet during 2000. Folds has reportedly been recording in Australia, where he and his wife live. Jessee has pursued solo work for more than a year and Sledge is involved with a number of musical projects.

The band’s fans have speculated about the future of the Five ever since Folds, the primary songwriter and frontman, relocated to the bottom half of the world. While no one has cited specific reasons for the breakup, it’s natural to suspect that the distance between Chapel Hill and Port Willunga, South Australia, was a factor.