What were you listening to in 2001? Destiny’s Child? Nelly Furtado, Britney Spears or even ‘N Sync (yes, boy bands were still around and charting back then)? Perhaps you had a preference for something a little rockier, a less bubble-gum? Nickelback, Staind and Incubus were on the charts too. Atlantic Records bet that the hard rock sound was going to dethrone pop and one of the promising new acts they signed was a foursome who joined up in 2001 called Shinedown. In 2003, the first Shinedown cd, titled Leave A Whisper was released and the guys from Florida began their conquest of the hard rock music scene.
Vocalist Brent Smith, drummer Barry Kerch, bass player Brad Stewart and guitarist Jasin Todd represented the original Shinedown lineup. That first CD spawned the hit singles 45 and Fly From The Inside, and the band supported the release with extensive touring that helped cement its reputation as a premier live act. As momentum for Shinedown began to build, tragedy struck the rock world with the 2004 death of Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott, shot to death onstage by a deranged fan. Shinedown responded with a powerful cover version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man, dedicated to the memory of Abbott. Leave A Whisper was then re-released and continued a two-year climb to Gold sales status. Shinedown opened for Van Halen in 2004, further cementing the feeling that Shinedown concerts were something that should not be missed.
In 2005, Shinedown released US and Them, the follow-up to Leave A Whisper. Save Me, one of the singles from the sophomore release, was an immediate hit on rock charts and the album spawned several more hits, including I Dare You and Heroes. Reflecting the band’s increasing popularity, I Dare You was performed on American Idol by contestant Chris Daughtry.
Shinedown has been extremely proactive in pursuing all forms of media as a way for fans and potential fans to access their music. You don’t have to look very hard online to find Shinedown videos, including music videos for singles like 45 (the video was banned on MTV) or the popular Simple Man. The band released a 2005 concert DVD titled Live From The Inside to satisfy fans that needed a concert fix. Shinedown songs have also graced movie, TV and video game soundtracks and most recently, game developer Harmonix added two Shinedown songs as downloadable content for their Rock Band game.
Shinedown’s latest CD, The Sound of Madness, dropped on June 24, 2008. Go to the official band website at shinedown.com or check the band’s MySpace page and you may notice a few new faces in the Shinedown photos to go with the new material. The sound may be amped up a bit with the new band members, but originals Smith and Kerch remain. After an eventual Platinum sales record for Leave a Whisper and Gold for Us and Them, expectations are high for The Sound of Madness.
