System of a Down facts for kids

Quick facts for kids System of a Down
System of a Down performing in Wantagh, New York, in 2012. From left to right: Daron Malakian, John Dolmayan, Serj Tankian, and Shavo Odadjian.
Background information
Origin	Glendale, California, U.S.
Genres	Alternative metal nu metal hard rock progressive metal
Years active	1994–2006 2010–present
Labels	American Columbia
Members	Serj Tankian Daron Malakian Shavo Odadjian John Dolmayan
Past members	Andy Khachaturian

System of a Down is a famous Armenian-American heavy metal band. They formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has had the same members: Serj Tankian (who sings and plays keyboards), Daron Malakian (who plays guitar and sings), Shavo Odadjian (who plays bass and sings backup), and John Dolmayan (who plays drums). John joined in 1997, replacing the first drummer, Andy Khachaturian.

The band became very popular after releasing five studio albums. Three of these albums reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. System of a Down has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Their song "B.Y.O.B." even won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2006! The band took a break in 2006 and got back together in 2010. They released two new songs in 2020, "Protect the Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Before that, they hadn't released new music since their albums Mezmerize and Hypnotize in 2005. System of a Down has sold over 12 million records around the world. Two of their songs, "Aerials" and "Hypnotize", reached number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart.

All the band members are of Armenian background. Some were born to Armenian immigrant parents, and others moved to the U.S. themselves.

Band History

Early Days: Soil (1992–1994)

Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian went to the same Armenian school when they were kids. But they didn't meet until 1992 because of their age difference. They were both working on music projects at a recording studio. They decided to form a band called Soil. Serj sang and played keyboards, and Daron sang and played guitar. Dave Hakopyan played bass, and Domingo "Dingo" Laranio played drums. Shavo Odadjian, who also went to their school, became their manager. Later, Shavo joined Soil as a second guitarist. In 1994, after just one live show, Dave and Domingo left the band.

Forming System of a Down (1994–1997)

After Soil ended, Serj, Shavo, and Daron started a new band called System of a Down. The name came from a poem Daron wrote called "Victims of a Down." They changed "victims" to "system" because Shavo thought it would appeal to more people. Also, they wanted their records to be placed alphabetically closer to their favorite band, Slayer. Shavo switched from guitar to bass. The band hired a new manager, David "Beno" Benveniste. They also found a new drummer, Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian, who was an old school friend of Daron and Shavo.

In 1995, System of a Down played a show in Los Angeles. Soon after, they made their first demo tape, which was not sold to the public. It later appeared online when the band became famous. They released Demo Tape 2 in 1996 and Demo Tape 3 in 1997. In mid-1997, drummer Andy Khachaturian left the band because of a hand injury. John Dolmayan then became the new drummer.

The band's first official song was on a collection called Hay Enk (which means "We're Armenian"). This collection was released in 1997 to help recognize the Armenian genocide. After playing at famous clubs in Hollywood, the band got the attention of music producer Rick Rubin. He liked them and signed them to his record labels, American and Columbia Records. Rick Rubin said he loved the band, even though he didn't expect many people to like an Armenian heavy metal band. He felt they were so good they would become popular anyway. In 1997, the band won the Best Signed Band Award from the Rock City Awards.

First Album: System of a Down (1998–2000)

In June 1998, System of a Down released their first album, also called System of a Down. Their first songs, "Sugar" and "Spiders", became popular on the radio. Their music videos were often shown on MTV. After the album came out, the band toured a lot. They opened for bands like Slayer and played at Ozzfest. They also toured with Fear Factory and Incubus.

In November 1998, System of a Down appeared on the South Park album Chef Aid. They provided music for the song "Will They Die 4 You?"

Toxicity and Steal This Album! (2001–2003)

Guitarist Daron Malakian met Serj Tankian in 1992 before they formed the band.

On September 3, 2001, System of a Down planned a free concert in Hollywood to thank their fans. Many more people showed up than expected, so the event was canceled at the last minute. Fans waited for the band, but when the stage banner was removed, the crowd rushed the stage. Some equipment was damaged, and there was a disturbance that lasted for hours. The band's manager said the situation could have been avoided if the band had been allowed to perform or explain the cancellation.

The band's big success came with their second album, Toxicity. It debuted at number one in the U.S. and Canada. The album has sold over three million copies in the United States.

In 2001, the band toured with Slipknot. After one show, bassist Shavo Odadjian had a problem with security guards backstage. Despite this, the tour was successful. System of a Down and Slipknot later went on the Pledge of Allegiance Tour with Rammstein in 2001.

In late 2001, some unfinished songs from the Toxicity recording sessions appeared online. Fans called this collection Toxicity II. The band said these were not finished songs. So, they released the final versions of these songs as their third album, Steal This Album!, in November 2002. The album cover looked like a CD that someone had burned and written on with a marker. The name of the album is a nod to a book called Steal This Book and also a message about the songs being leaked online. The song "Innervision" was played a lot on alternative radio. A music video for "Boom!" was made with director Michael Moore to protest the War in Iraq.

Mezmerize, Hypnotize, and Break (2004–2008)

Serj Tankian is known for his wide vocal range and unique singing style.

In 2004, the band recorded two albums at once. They released them six months apart. The album covers were designed by Daron Malakian's father, Vartan Malakian, and they connected to form one big picture. The first album, Mezmerize, came out on May 17, 2005. Critics liked it a lot. It debuted at number one in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries. This made it System of a Down's second number one album. Over 800,000 copies were sold worldwide in the first week. The main song, "B.Y.O.B.", which questions military recruiting, became popular on rock charts. It won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2006. "Question!" was the next song released, and Shavo Odadjian helped direct its music video. After the album, the band toured a lot in the U.S. and Canada.

The second part of the double album, Hypnotize, was released on November 22, 2005. Like Mezmerize, it also debuted at number one in the U.S. With this, System of a Down became one of only a few artists to have two albums debut at number one in the same year.

On earlier albums, Serj Tankian wrote and sang most of the lyrics. Daron Malakian and sometimes Shavo Odadjian wrote the music. But on Mezmerize and Hypnotize, Daron wrote much of the music and lyrics. He also sang more, with Serj often playing keyboards and singing backup.

System of a Down's song "Lonely Day" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards in 2007.

In May 2006, the band announced they were taking a break. Daron Malakian said the break would last a few years. Shavo Odadjian said it would be at least three years. He told MTV, "We're not breaking up. We're going to take a very long break and do our own things. We've been System for over ten years, and I think it's good to rest." System of a Down's last show before their break was on August 13, 2006, in Florida. Daron told the crowd, "Tonight will be the last show we play for a long time together. We'll be back. We just don't know when."

During the break, the band members worked on their own music projects. Daron Malakian started a band called Scars on Broadway, and John Dolmayan joined him. John also started his own band, Indicator, and opened a comic book store. Shavo Odadjian worked on a hip-hop group called AcHoZeN with RZA from Wu-Tang Clan. He also worked on his website and performed with George Clinton. Serj Tankian started a solo career and released his first solo album, Elect the Dead, in 2007. He has continued to release solo albums.

Getting Back Together (2010–2020)

On November 29, 2010, System of a Down announced they would reunite for several big European music festivals in June 2011. The reunion tour started on May 10, 2011, in Canada. They also toured Mexico and South America. From February to March 2012, they played at the Soundwave festival in Australia. The band has continued to play shows around the world. In August 2013, System of a Down played at the UK's Reading and Leeds Festivals.

System of a Down played their only U.S. show in 2013 at the Hollywood Bowl on July 29. Tickets sold out in hours. On November 23, 2014, System of a Down announced the Wake Up The Souls Tour to remember the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The tour included a free concert in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 23, 2015. This was their first show in Armenia.

Bassist Shavo Odadjian

In November 2016, drummer John Dolmayan said that System of a Down was working on many new songs for their next album. He said they didn't know when it would be released. He added that there was a lot of pressure because it had been over 11 years since their last albums.

In July 2017, Shavo Odadjian was asked about a new album. He replied, "It's not happening. I don't know when it's gonna be. Not right now." In December 2017, Serj Tankian said the band had written some new music but wasn't sure what to do with it. He didn't want to commit to a new album because he didn't want to commit to long tours.

Daron Malakian said Serj Tankian was the reason no new album had been released. Serj explained his view of the band's disagreements. He said, "As we couldn't agree on all these points, we decided to put aside the idea of a record for now." John Dolmayan blamed all the members for the personal and creative differences. Serj also wasn't sure if a new album would be made, but he didn't say it was impossible. He imagined the album would sound "organic" and "right."

Shavo Odadjian said the band had music written from "like the last 10, 12 years." But he wasn't sure if it would become a System of a Down album. He also said Daron and Serj had different ideas for the album's sound. He felt the band's internal tension had been building for a long time, even though they still loved and respected each other. Later, he said there was no conflict and that System of a Down would eventually record a new album. He claimed they had their best music written. Serj Tankian, however, denied any talk of a new album.

Daron Malakian explained that the band's hesitation to record a new album was due to different creative ideas and a lack of desire to tour. He didn't rule out a new album in the future. He felt that fans mostly wanted a new album. He hoped the members would make new music but was happy with his band Scars on Broadway. Daron said Serj and the other band members couldn't agree on how to make new music, but he insisted there was no negativity between them.

Drummer John Dolmayan

Even though System of a Down can perform live, Shavo Odadjian was disappointed they couldn't record new music. He explained that the other members had written new material for a possible album. But without Serj, no recordings were made. He wondered why the band hadn't made an album, pointing to creative differences. Serj Tankian was open to releasing old, unreleased System of a Down songs if his bandmates agreed.

John Dolmayan started a project in 2014 to cover other artists' songs, called "These Grey Men." In 2020, he released the first song, a cover of Radiohead's "Street Spirit." Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows sang on the track. The second song featured Serj Tankian in a cover of David Bowie's "Starman." The album, These Grey Men, came out on February 28, 2020. It included covers of songs by Radiohead, Madonna, and others.

Because of the differences among band members, John Dolmayan became unsure about making new music. He said, "It takes four people to make this band, and it takes four people to unmake it. I think that we're all to blame." He felt that putting the band on break was a big mistake. He believed the band could have become even more popular if they had kept going. On December 17, 2020, Serj Tankian announced he would release an EP (a short album) called Elasticity under his own name. He had written these songs for System of a Down, but the band decided not to record them.

New Songs for Artsakh (2020–Present)

On November 5, 2020, System of a Down released their first new songs in 15 years: "Protect the Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz." They released these songs because of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. The songs talk about the serious war happening in their homeland, Artsakh and Armenia. Music videos were made for both songs. "Protect the Land" was the band's first music video in 14 years. The money from these songs went to help Armenia Fund and families affected by the war.

Regarding a possible new album, John Dolmayan told Rolling Stone, "If it was up to me, we'd have a new album every three years." But he accepted that it's not just up to him. He said they have five albums and two new songs, and they've achieved a lot. In the same interview, Daron Malakian said "Protect the Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" were originally for his band Scars on Broadway. But because of the conflict, System of a Down decided to release them. Daron also said he doesn't see the band making new music anytime soon, calling the singles a "one-off" event. Shavo Odadjian said it was amazing to make music together again, like brothers. When asked if the two songs would lead to more new music, Serj Tankian said in December 2020 that they were focused on helping Armenia. He said, "Time will tell whether this leads to something else or not."

In January 2023, John Dolmayan said that Serj Tankian "hasn't really wanted to be in a band for a long time." He felt they probably should have gone their separate ways around 2006. He said they tried to make an album many times, but there were rules that made it hard. Despite this, he said the band still plays great live together. On May 14, 2023, System of a Down played their only live show of the year at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.

In 2024, the band played two concerts. They headlined the Sick New World festival again on April 27. They also played a concert with Deftones at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. This was the first time a ticketed concert took place at that venue.

Band's Music Style

System of a Down's music is influenced by many different styles. These include alternative rock, art rock, classic rock, gothic rock, hip hop, jazz, and various types of metal. They also use sounds from Middle Eastern music. Their music has been called alternative metal, nu metal, hard rock, progressive metal, and avant-garde metal.

The band uses a wide range of instruments. These include electric mandolins, baritone electric guitars, acoustic guitars, ouds (a stringed instrument from the Middle East), sitars, and twelve string guitars. Daron Malakian often writes songs in a certain guitar tuning (E♭ tuning). This is then changed to drop C tuning for the band to play. Daron says drop-C tuning is "right down the center" because it's clear but also sounds "thicker and ballsier."

Influences and Comparisons

System of a Down is influenced by many artists. These include Middle Eastern music, Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Slayer, Radiohead, and The Beatles. Some people have said their music sounds like "Fugazi playing Rush" or even like Frank Zappa. Daron Malakian says he is a fan of music in general, not just one band. John Dolmayan believes they don't sound like anyone else. Shavo Odadjian says, "You can compare us to whoever you want. I don't care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are."

Band Members

System of a Down in 2013

Current members

• Serj Tankian – lead vocals, keyboards, samples (1994–2006, 2010–present), rhythm guitar (2001–2006, 2010–present)
• Daron Malakian – lead guitar, backing vocals (1994–2006, 2010–present), co-lead vocals (2004–2006, 2010–present), rhythm guitar (1994–2001)
• Shavo Odadjian – bass, backing vocals (1994–2006, 2010–present)
• John Dolmayan – drums, percussion (1997–2006, 2010–present)

Former members

• Andy Khachaturian – drums (1994–1997)

Timeline

Albums

• System of a Down (1998)
• Toxicity (2001)
• Steal This Album! (2002)
• Mezmerize (2005)
• Hypnotize (2005)

Awards and Nominations

System of a Down has won several awards for their music. Here are some of them:

See Also

In Spanish: System of a Down para niños