Foo Fighters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters at Glastonbury Festival 2023. From left to right: Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Josh Freese and Pat Smear.
Background information
Also known as	The Holy Shits Dee Gees The ChurnUps
Origin	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock post-grunge hard rock
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Roswell Capitol RCA
Members	Dave Grohl Nate Mendel Pat Smear Chris Shiflett Rami Jaffee
Past members	William Goldsmith Franz Stahl Taylor Hawkins Josh Freese

The Foo Fighters are a famous American rock band that started in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. The band was first a solo project by Dave Grohl, who used to be the drummer for the band Nirvana. Today, the band includes Dave Grohl (who sings and plays guitar), Nate Mendel (bass guitar), Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett (guitars), and Rami Jaffee (keyboards). Some past members include guitar player Franz Stahl and drummers William Goldsmith, Taylor Hawkins, and Josh Freese.

Dave Grohl started the Foo Fighters to release his own music after Nirvana ended in 1994. He recorded their first album, Foo Fighters (1995), mostly by himself in just six days. When record labels showed interest in his songs, he asked Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith, who were from the band Sunny Day Real Estate, to join him. Pat Smear, who had played with Nirvana on tour, also joined. The band played their first public show in February 1995, a few months before their first album came out.

William Goldsmith left the band while they were recording their second album, The Colour and the Shape (1997). Dave Grohl re-recorded most of the drum parts himself. Pat Smear also left soon after. Taylor Hawkins joined as the new drummer, and Franz Stahl became the new guitar player. Stahl had played with Dave Grohl in a band called Scream before Nirvana. Franz Stahl left before the band recorded their third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999). The band was a trio for a short time until Chris Shiflett joined after the album was finished.

The band released their fourth album, One by One, in 2002. Then came the two-disc album In Your Honor (2005), which had both acoustic (quieter) songs and heavier rock songs. Their sixth album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, was released in 2007.

For their seventh album, Wasting Light (2011), Pat Smear returned as a full-time member. He had often played with the band since 2005. Sonic Highways (2014) was released as the soundtrack for a TV show directed by Dave Grohl. Concrete and Gold (2017) was the second Foo Fighters album to reach number one in the United States. It was also the first album to feature Rami Jaffee as an official member, after he had played with them for many years. Their tenth album, Medicine at Midnight (2021), was the last one before Taylor Hawkins passed away in March 2022. Josh Freese joined as the new drummer in 2023. Their eleventh album, But Here We Are, came out in June 2023.

The Foo Fighters have won 15 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album five times. This makes them one of the most successful rock bands in Grammy history. In 2021, they received the first "Global Icon" award at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. They were also added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, which was their first year of being eligible.

Band History

Early Days and First Album (1990–1995)

Dave Grohl (pictured in 2019) started Foo Fighters after his band Nirvana ended in 1994.

In 1990, Dave Grohl became the drummer for the grunge band Nirvana. While on tour, he would write songs on his guitar. He felt a bit shy about sharing them with the band because he admired Nirvana's singer, Kurt Cobain, so much. Grohl sometimes booked studio time to record his own songs and covers. In 1992, he released an album of his demos called Pocketwatch under the name Late!.

Nirvana ended in April 1994. Dave Grohl received many offers to work with other artists. There were rumors he might join Pearl Jam, and he almost became the drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. But Grohl decided he wanted to do something unexpected. In October 1994, he went into a studio and recorded 15 of his own songs. He played every instrument and sang all the vocals, except for one guitar part played by Greg Dulli. He finished the album in five days and shared copies with friends for their thoughts.

Grohl wanted to keep his identity a secret at first. He planned to release the songs in a small batch under the name Foo Fighters. This name came from "foo fighter", a World War II term for unidentified flying objects. He hoped the name would make people think the music was made by a group, not just one person. He later said he would have chosen a different name if he knew it would become his career. The demo tape became popular in the music industry, and record labels became interested.

Grohl then formed a band to play the songs live. He thought about asking Nirvana's bass player, Krist Novoselic, to join, but decided it might feel strange for everyone. Instead, he asked bass player Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith, both from the band Sunny Day Real Estate. Nirvana's touring guitar player, Pat Smear, joined as the second guitarist. Grohl signed a deal with Capitol Records and released the album on his new label, Roswell Records.

The Foo Fighters played their first public show on February 23, 1995, in Arcata, California. They then played shows in Portland and Seattle. One show was a benefit concert to help with an investigation. Dave Grohl did not want to do interviews or play big venues to promote the album at first. The band went on their first major tour in the spring of 1995, opening for Mike Watt. Their first single, "This Is a Call", came out in June 1995. Their first album, Foo Fighters, was released the next month. Other singles from the album included "I'll Stick Around", "For All the Cows", and "Big Me". The band spent the next few months touring, including their first performance at the Reading Festival in England.

The Colour and the Shape (1996–1997)

The Foo Fighters performing at Phoenix Festival in 1996

After touring in 1996, the Foo Fighters went to a studio in Woodinville, Washington, with producer Gil Norton to record their second album. Dave Grohl wrote all the songs again, but the rest of the band helped arrange them. When the recording was almost done, Grohl took the mixes to Los Angeles to finish his singing and guitar parts. There, he realized he wasn't happy with the drumming. He re-recorded most of William Goldsmith's drum parts himself. Goldsmith felt upset and left the band, even though Grohl hoped he would still tour with them.

Long-time drummer Taylor Hawkins (pictured in 2017) joined the band in 1997.

Grohl needed a new drummer. He asked Alanis Morissette's touring drummer, Taylor Hawkins, for a suggestion. Grohl was surprised when Hawkins offered to join the band himself. Taylor Hawkins played his first show with the band just in time for their second album, The Colour and the Shape, which was released in May 1997. This album included popular songs like "Monkey Wrench", "Everlong", and "My Hero".

Pat Smear left the Foo Fighters in 1997 because he felt tired from touring. Franz Stahl, who had been in the band Scream with Dave Grohl, replaced him. Stahl toured with the Foo Fighters for several months. He also played on two songs for movie soundtracks: a new version of "Walking After You" for The X-Files and "A320" for Godzilla. Another song, "Dear Lover", was used in the horror film Scream 2. The band toured for The Colour and the Shape album in 1998, playing at festivals like Glastonbury Festival and the Reading Festival.

There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1998–2001)

In 1998, the Foo Fighters went to Dave Grohl's home state of Virginia to write their third album. However, Grohl and Franz Stahl found it hard to write songs together. Grohl said that the other three band members were moving in one direction, and Stahl was not. Grohl was sad about having to let Stahl go, as they had been friends since childhood. Soon after, Nate Mendel called Grohl to say he was leaving to rejoin Sunny Day Real Estate, but he changed his mind the next day. The remaining three members—Grohl, Mendel, and Hawkins—spent several months recording the band's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose, in Grohl's home studio. This album had several hit singles, including "Learn to Fly", which was their first song to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles were "Stacked Actors", "Generator", "Next Year", and "Breakout".

Before the album was released, the president of Capitol Records, Gary Gersh, left the company. The Foo Fighters' contract had a special clause that allowed them to leave the label if Gersh left. So, they left Capitol and signed with RCA, which later bought the rights to the band's earlier albums.

Chris Shiflett (pictured in 2017) joined as guitarist in 1999.

After There Is Nothing Left to Lose was finished, the band looked for a new guitar player. They chose Chris Shiflett, who had played in other bands. Shiflett first joined as a touring musician but became a full-time member before they recorded their fourth album.

Around 2001, the Foo Fighters became friends with the English rock band Queen, as Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins were big fans. In March of that year, Grohl and Hawkins helped induct Queen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They also played Queen's 1976 song, "Tie Your Mother Down", with Hawkins playing drums alongside Roger Taylor. Queen's guitar player, Brian May, added a guitar part to the Foo Fighters' cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar", which was on the soundtrack for the movie Mission: Impossible 2. In 2002, May also played guitar on "Tired of You" and another song called "Knucklehead". The Foo Fighters and Queen have played together many times since then.

One by One (2001–2004)

Grohl performing with the Foo Fighters in 2003

Near the end of 2001, the Foo Fighters started recording their fourth album. After four months in a Los Angeles studio, the band felt the album "just didn't sound right" and worried it wouldn't sell well. There was a lot of disagreement within the band. Dave Grohl then spent some time helping Queens of the Stone Age finish their 2002 album Songs for the Deaf.

With their own album not meeting expectations and arguments happening, the Foo Fighters were close to breaking up. Grohl reunited with Hawkins, Shiflett, and Mendel to play the Coachella Festival. Hawkins and Grohl talked about working on One by One again. After a great performance, they decided to stay together. The band re-recorded almost the entire album in just ten days at Grohl's home studio in Alexandria, Virginia, the next month. The original version of One by One was never fully released, though some songs were leaked online later.

The album was released in October 2002 as One by One. Singles from the album included "All My Life", "Times Like These", "Low", and "Have It All". The tour for this album included a main performance at the 2002 Reading and Leeds Festivals.

For most of their history, the band tried to stay out of politics. However, in 2004, when they learned that a political campaign was using their song "Times Like These" at rallies, Grohl decided to support a different campaign. He said he wanted the song's message to be heard where it made more sense. Grohl attended several rallies and sometimes played acoustic sets by himself. The whole band joined him for a performance during one of the presidential debates.

In Your Honor (2005–2006)

Grohl performing with the Foo Fighters in 2006

After touring for a year and a half for One by One, Dave Grohl did not want to rush into recording another Foo Fighters album. At first, he planned to write acoustic songs by himself, but eventually, the whole band became involved. To record their fifth album, the band moved to Los Angeles and built their own recording studio called Studio 606 West. Grohl wanted the album to have two discs: one with rock songs and one with acoustic songs. In Your Honor was released in June 2005. The album's singles included "Best of You", "DOA", "Resolve", and "No Way Back/Cold Day in the Sun".

In September and October 2005, the band toured with Weezer on what was called the Foozer Tour. The Foo Fighters also played a main performance at the 2005 Reading and Leeds Festivals. On June 17, 2006, the Foo Fighters played their biggest non-festival concert ever at Hyde Park in London. Lemmy from the band Motörhead joined them on stage to sing a song. As a surprise, Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen also appeared. They played part of "We Will Rock You" before leading into "Tie Your Mother Down".

To further support In Your Honor, the band went on a short acoustic tour in the summer of 2006. Other musicians joined them, including Pat Smear, Petra Haden on violin and backing vocals, Drew Hester on percussion, and Rami Jaffee on keyboard and piano. While many songs from In Your Honor's acoustic half were played, the band also took the chance to play less-known songs. They also performed "Marigold", a song from Dave Grohl's Pocketwatch album that was also a B-side for Nirvana.

In November 2006, the band released their first live CD, Skin and Bones. It featured fifteen songs recorded during three nights in Los Angeles.

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007–2009)

The Foo Fighters performing live in 2007

For their next album after In Your Honor, the band worked again with Gil Norton, who produced The Colour and the Shape. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace was released on September 25, 2007. The album's first single, "The Pretender", was sent to radio stations in early August. In late 2007, "The Pretender" was number one on Billboard's Modern Rock chart for a record 19 weeks. The second single, "Long Road to Ruin", came out in December 2007, with a music video directed by Jesse Peretz. Other singles included "Let It Die" and "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)".

In October 2007, the Foo Fighters began their world tour to support the album. They played shows across the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. This included headlining the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore in August. At the European MTV Music Awards in 2007, Pat Smear confirmed he was back with the band for touring.

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2008. The Foo Fighters won Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance (for "The Pretender"). The album was also nominated for Album of the Year. "The Pretender" was also nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rock Song.

Hawkins (second from left) and Grohl (right) with John Paul Jones (left) and Jimmy Page (second from right) of Led Zeppelin performing at Wembley Stadium, London, in 2008

On June 7, 2008, the band played at Wembley Stadium in London. Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin joined them on stage. They played "Rock and Roll" (with Grohl on drums and Hawkins singing) and "Ramble On" (with Grohl singing and Hawkins on drums). As Page and Jones left the stage, Dave Grohl excitedly shouted, "Welcome to the greatest day of my whole entire life!" Throughout the tour for Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, the Foo Fighters wrote and practiced new songs during sound checks. After this tour ended in September 2008, they recorded 13 new songs in Studio 606. They then announced a break from touring until January 2011. Most of these songs were not released at the time. Three of them were later released: "Wheels" and "Word Forward" (on their 2009 Greatest Hits album), and a new version of "Rope" (which was on Wasting Light).

Wasting Light (2010–2012)

The Foo Fighters in 2009. From left to right: Hawkins, Shiflett, Grohl, Mendel.

In August 2010, the band started recording their seventh studio album with producer Butch Vig. He had previously produced two new songs for their Greatest Hits album. This album was recorded in Dave Grohl's garage using only old-fashioned analog equipment. This means they used tape recorders and no computers for recording, mixing, or mastering. Butch Vig said the album was entirely analog until the very last step. Pat Smear was seen in many photos Dave Grohl posted online. A press release in December confirmed that Smear played on every song and was officially a band member again.

The first single from Wasting Light, "Rope", was released to radio in February 2011. On April 16, 2011, the Foo Fighters released an album of cover songs called Medium Rare. It was a special limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day. The way they promoted the album was praised for being very creative. Wasting Light debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, which was the first time a Foo Fighters album did that. Other singles from the album included "Walk", "Arlandria", "These Days", and "Bridge Burning".

Along with Wasting Light's release, the Foo Fighters released a rockumentary (a documentary about rock music) directed by James Moll. The film, called Back and Forth, tells the story of the band's career. Current and past members, along with producer Butch Vig, share the band's story through interviews. It first showed on March 15, 2011, at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, and was released on DVD three months later.

On May 21, 2011, the Foo Fighters were the main act on the middle day of the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. On June 4, 2011, they played a surprise show at the 2011 KROQ Weenie Roast. They also headlined two sold-out shows at the Milton Keynes National Bowl on July 2 and 3. Artists like Alice Cooper and John Paul Jones joined them on stage. They were the main act on the last night of the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 7, 2011. They even played part of their set in a heavy rainstorm.

The Foo Fighters performing in December 2011

In September 2011, before a show in Kansas City, the band performed a funny song in front of a protest. They made fun of the protest and wore funny outfits, like those seen in their "Hot Buns" video.

On August 27, 2012, the Foo Fighters finished their European tour with a main performance at the Reading and Leeds Festival. On September 5, the band played a show in Charlotte, North Carolina, to benefit Rock the Vote. This show was announced only two weeks before and sold out in under 60 seconds, setting a record for the venue. The band also set a personal record during the show, playing for almost 3.5 hours with 36 songs, their longest show to date. On September 21, the band headlined the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. The next evening, they headlined the DeLuna Festival in Pensacola Beach, Florida. On September 29, the band performed at the Global Citizens' Festival before taking a break.

Sonic Highways and Saint Cecilia EP (2013–2015)

Even though they said they would take a break after touring for Wasting Light, Dave Grohl announced in January 2013 that the band had started writing songs for their eighth album. On February 20, 2013, at the Brit Awards, Grohl said he would continue working on the album the next day.

On September 6, 2013, Chris Shiflett posted a photo online that showed 13 songs were being recorded. He later said it was "pretty fun." Rami Jaffee recorded parts for two songs. Butch Vig, who worked on Wasting Light, confirmed in August 2013 that he was producing the new album. The band confirmed they would end their break by playing two shows in Mexico City in December. In October, a video appeared on the Foo Fighters' YouTube channel showing a motorcyclist, who was actor Erik Estrada, delivering invitations to the band members to play in Mexico.

On January 16, 2014, a picture was posted on the Foo Fighters' Facebook page showing master tapes labeled "LP 8". On May 15, it was announced that the album would be released in November. The Foo Fighters would also celebrate the album and their 20th anniversary with an HBO TV series directed by Dave Grohl called Sonic Highways. Eight songs were written and recorded in eight different studios in eight American cities. The TV show captured the history and feeling of each city. On July 30, Butch Vig said that the Foo Fighters had finished recording and mixing the album. It was planned to be released a month after the TV show premiered.

In June 2014, the band agreed to play a show in Richmond, Virginia, that was fully paid for by fans through a website. The show took place on September 17, with 1,500 fans attending. The band played 23 songs over two and a half hours. The Foo Fighters announced their tour would include shows in Cape Town, South Africa, in December and South America in January 2015. It continued to Australia and New Zealand in February and March.

The band played three shows under the name The Holy Shits in September 2014. The first was in Brighton, England, where Grohl invited the singer of a tribute band, Jay Apperley, to sing on stage. They also played at the House of Vans and the Islington Assembly Hall. On September 14, 2014, the band performed at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. This was their first official show in England since the Reading Festival in 2012. They closed the 2014 VooDoo Music and Arts Festival in New Orleans in November 2014. Their two-and-a-half-hour performance included an appearance by New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty, who played "This Is a Call" with the band.

On August 11, the band announced that the new album would be called Sonic Highways and released on November 10, 2014. An international tour, called the Sonic Highways World Tour, followed.

On May 20, 2015, the Foo Fighters were the last musical act to perform on Late Show with David Letterman. They had a long connection with the host as he ended his 33-year career in late-night television. The show ended with a video of Letterman's highlights while the Foo Fighters played "Everlong". Letterman said this song was very important to him after his heart surgery in 2000. He introduced them as "my favorite band, playing my favorite song." The band changed their tour plans to be on the show. The tour started again on May 24, with a performance in Norwich, England.

On June 12, Dave Grohl fell from the stage in Gothenburg, Sweden, during the band's second song and broke his leg. The band kept playing while Grohl received medical help. He then returned to the stage and finished the last two hours of the show from a chair while a medic took care of his leg. After the concert, Grohl was flown to London for surgery, where he needed six metal pins to fix the break. Because of this injury, the band canceled their remaining European tour dates.

In July, a thousand Italian fans gathered in Cesena, Italy, to perform "Learn to Fly" and ask the Foo Fighters to come play in their town. The video of their performance became very popular and impressed Dave Grohl. As a result, the band played in Cesena on November 3.

Grohl performing at Fenway Park in 2015 on a custom-built throne while recovering from a broken leg

The Foo Fighters planned to follow their international tour with a North American tour to promote Sonic Highways. It was supposed to start with a special Fourth of July event in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. The event was planned for RFK Stadium and would feature performances by other artists. Dave Grohl's injury first made people wonder if the band would cancel, but they later confirmed they would perform. However, the injury did stop them from headlining the 2015 Glastonbury Festival. The band played for 48,000 people with Grohl in a special moving throne, which he said he designed himself while on pain medication.

Starting with the show on July 4, the Foo Fighters renamed their North American tour the Broken Leg Tour. The band continued to use this name for later shows in North America. Before their August 21 concert in Kansas City, Missouri, the band played a funny song in front of protesting members of a church, just as they had done in 2011.

On November 23, 2015, a surprise release followed a month-long countdown on the Foo Fighters' website. It was a free EP called Saint Cecilia, which included a song of the same name. Along with its release, Grohl announced that the band would be taking a break for an unknown amount of time.

Concrete and Gold (2016–2019)

The Foo Fighters performing in 2017

To respond to rumors that they were breaking up, the Foo Fighters released a funny video in March 2016. It showed Dave Grohl leaving the band to make electronic music and another singer joining the group. The video ended with the message: "For the millionth time, we're not breaking up. And nobody's going solo!"

Dave Grohl announced that the Foo Fighters would spend much of 2017 recording their ninth studio album. On June 1, 2017, their new single "Run" was released. It became number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart the next month. The band confirmed that their touring keyboardist Rami Jaffee was now officially the sixth member of the group. On June 20, 2017, the band announced that their new album, Concrete and Gold, would be released in September. On August 23, 2017, "The Sky Is a Neighborhood" was released as the second single and also topped the Mainstream Rock chart. "The Line" was released to promote the album and later became the third single in 2018. Concrete and Gold was officially released on September 15, 2017, and was produced by Greg Kurstin. The album was noted for being influenced by bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles. Concrete and Gold also featured Justin Timberlake singing on one song, Shawn Stockman from Boyz II Men on backing vocals, and Paul McCartney playing drums on another song. The band started touring in June 2017, including headlining the Glastonbury Festival 2017. The tour for Concrete and Gold continued until October 2018.

Medicine at Midnight and Studio 666 (2019–2022)

In October 2019, the band announced they were recording their tenth studio album, based on demo songs by Dave Grohl. In November 2019, the band started releasing a series of EPs called Foo Files. These EPs mostly included songs that were previously B-sides (extra songs on singles) and live performances. By February 2020, Grohl said the new album was finished. However, by May, its release was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting in November 2020, the band began promoting the album more. Its title, Medicine at Midnight, and release date, February 5, 2021, were announced. The band released three singles before the album: "Shame Shame", "No Son of Mine", and "Waiting on a War". In January 2021, the band performed at the US Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden.

On February 10, 2021, the Foo Fighters were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, as their first album had been released 25 years earlier. On May 12, 2021, the Foo Fighters were announced as one of six performers to be inducted. For Record Store Day on July 17, 2021, the Foo Fighters released an album of disco cover songs called Hail Satin under the name Dee Gees. The album had four Bee Gees covers, a cover of Andy Gibb's "Shadow Dancing", and five live versions of songs from Medicine at Midnight.

On February 25, 2022, the Foo Fighters released a comedy horror film called Studio 666, directed by BJ McDonnell. The band members played themselves in the movie, along with other actors. In the film, Dave Grohl becomes possessed by a spirit and harms the other band members while they record in a haunted house. The movie was filmed in the same house where the Foo Fighters recorded Medicine at Midnight. Studio 666 received mixed reviews and did not do very well in its first week. Grohl released an EP of songs from the film, called Dream Widow, on March 25, 2022.

Loss of Taylor Hawkins and But Here We Are (2022–present)

On March 25, 2022, Taylor Hawkins passed away in his hotel room in Bogotá, Colombia. The cause of his passing was not officially announced. His last performance with the Foo Fighters was at Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20, 2022, in Buenos Aires.

On the night of his passing, the Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform at the Estéreo Picnic Festival. The festival stage was instead turned into a candlelight vigil for Hawkins. A few days later, the band canceled their remaining tour dates. In September, the Foo Fighters held tribute concerts for Hawkins at Wembley Stadium in London and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Josh Freese played drums at both concerts. Shane Hawkins, Taylor's 16-year-old son, played drums on "My Hero" at the Wembley concert.

The Foo Fighters performing at Glastonbury 2023; drummer Josh Freese (right) joined the band earlier that year

In January 2023, the Foo Fighters started announcing festival appearances for the year. On May 21, in a funny video featuring several famous drummers, they announced Josh Freese as their new drummer. The Foo Fighters' eleventh studio album, But Here We Are, was released on June 2, 2023. It featured the single "Rescued". A press release described the album as a "very honest and emotional response to everything Foo Fighters went through over the last year." The Foo Fighters made a surprise appearance at Glastonbury Festival 2023, which was their first Glastonbury performance since headlining in 2017.

In August 2024, the Foo Fighters announced that they would donate all money earned from their song "My Hero" to a political campaign. This was because another politician had used the song without permission at a rally. In May 2025, the Foo Fighters announced a performance at the Singapore Grand Prix, which will happen on October 4. On May 16, 2025, Josh Freese announced that his time with the band had ended. On July 2, 2025, to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, Foo Fighters released the single "Today's Song".

On July 30, 2025, it was reported that Ilan Rubin, who used to tour with Nine Inch Nails as a drummer, would perform with the group. It is not yet clear if he will be a full band member or a touring musician.

Band Style and Influences

The Foo Fighters performing at Download Festival Paris in June 2018

The Foo Fighters' music has been described as alternative rock, post-grunge, hard rock, power pop, and pop rock. Their early music was also called grunge. People often compared them to Dave Grohl's previous band, Nirvana. Grohl said that Kurt Cobain influenced his songwriting. He learned from Cobain the beauty of simple music. The Foo Fighters also use a style where they switch between quiet parts and loud, energetic choruses. Grohl said this was influenced by Nirvana members liking bands like the Knack, Bay City Rollers, Beatles, and ABBA, as much as they liked punk bands. One writer described the Foo Fighters as "excellent at being mainstream" and compared them to Tom Petty, who consistently made hit songs.

When Dave Grohl wrote and recorded songs for the first album by himself, he wanted the guitar parts to be very rhythmic, like drums. He played the guitar in a similar way to how he played drums, assigning different drum parts to strings on the guitar. This made it easy for him to put songs together. He said he could "hear the song in my head before it was finished." Once Grohl put a full band together, the other members helped arrange the songs.

The band members combine melodic (singable) and heavy (loud, powerful) elements in their music. Grohl noted in 1997, "We all love music, whether it's the Beatles or Queen or punk rock." He added that the appeal of punk rock was its energy, but they also loved beautiful melodies. In 2005, Grohl said, "I love being in a rock band, but I don't know if I necessarily wanna be in an alternative rock band from the 1990s for the rest of my life." He mentioned that the band's acoustic tour was a way to make their sound broader.

Band Members

Member Timeline

Music Albums

Studio Albums

Concert Tours

Awards and Recognitions

Foo Fighters won their first Grammy Award in 2000 for their music video "Learn to Fly". They have won ten more Grammys since then. These include four Grammys in the Best Rock Album category for: There Is Nothing Left to Lose; One by One; Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace; and Wasting Light. They also won three awards for Best Hard Rock Performance for the songs "All My Life", "The Pretender", and "White Limo". The band also received three Kerrang! Awards. At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, the band won Best Rock Video for "Walk". They were named Radio Contraband Major Label Artist of the Year in 2011 and 2014. The band won Song of the Year for "Something from Nothing" and Album of the Year for Sonic Highways in 2014.

The band was nominated for six Grammy Awards in February 2012. These included Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance, Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album, and Best Long Form Music Video (for Back and Forth). They won five of the six awards, only losing to Adele for Album of the Year.

In September 2021, the band received the first Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. The next month, they were added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was their first year of being eligible for this honor.

Images for kids

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  Dave Grohl (pictured in 2019) started Foo Fighters after his band Nirvana ended in 1994.

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  The Foo Fighters performing at Phoenix Festival in 1996

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  Long-time drummer Taylor Hawkins (pictured in 2017) joined the band in 1997.

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  Chris Shiflett (pictured in 2017) joined as guitarist in 1999.

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  Grohl performing with the Foo Fighters in 2003

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  Grohl performing with the Foo Fighters in 2006

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  The Foo Fighters performing live in 2007

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  Hawkins (second from left) and Grohl (right) with John Paul Jones (left) and Jimmy Page (second from right) of Led Zeppelin performing at Wembley Stadium, London, in 2008

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  The Foo Fighters in 2009. From left to right: Hawkins, Shiflett, Grohl, Mendel.

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  The Foo Fighters performing in December 2011

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  Grohl performing at Fenway Park in 2015 on a custom-built throne while recovering from a broken leg

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  The Foo Fighters performing in 2017

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  The Foo Fighters performing at Glastonbury 2023; drummer Josh Freese (right) joined the band earlier that year

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  The Foo Fighters performing at Download Festival Paris in June 2018

See also

In Spanish: Foo Fighters para niños