Download Free Staind * Songs

Staind music biography continued...

by two musicians who met at a party-- lead singer/guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok. They were later joined by drummer Jon Wysocki and bassist/vocalist Johnny April. The band started to tour extensively throughout New England and self-released their debut album, Tormented, in November 1996. Their big break came in October 1997 after Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst saw the band open up for them at a Hartford, Connecticut show, and eventually got them signed to his Flip record label. After playing the Vans Warped Tour, they began work on their first album, Dysfunction. The album was produced by Terry Date (Deftones, Pantera, Soundgarden) and was released in April 1999. A tour with Kid Rock followed that spring and later the band reunited with by now good friends Limp Bizkit for a summer tour. Staind's follow-up album, Break the Cycle, peaked at number one and stayed there for several weeks in 2001. Chartbusting hits like "It's Been a While," "Fade," "For You," and "Epiphany" propelled Staind into the mainstream, ultimately turning their 2002 DVD MTV Unplugged gold. In early 2003, Staind took off on a worldwide trek to promote the release of the follow-up to Break The Cycle, 14 Shades Of Grey, which sold two million albums and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The fourteen-track collection was the band's most mainstream yet, and greatly expanded a growing fan base.



In August 2008, Staind released their 5th studio album (6th overall), The Illusion of Progress. The album debuted at #3 on US Billboard 200, #1 on the Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums Chart, #1 on the Top Digital Albums Chart, and also #1 on the Top Internet Albums Chart. While Staind's fans now included those interested in alternative rock, as well as metal, the band stayed true to their core audience. When Staind's frontman, Aaron Lewis, was named in metal magazine Hit Parader's Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists list, placing at number 49, Metalheads everywhere were delighted.