Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters are an American rock band from Seattle, formed in 1994 and active since then. The group begins as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, who creates it to record solo material after Nirvana ends in 1994. Grohl handles vocals and guitar, and the band develops into a full lineup that includes Nate Mendel on bass, Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett on guitar, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, and drummers William Goldsmith, Taylor Hawkins, Josh Freese and Ilan Rubin at different points. Franz Stahl also appears as a former guitarist.

Formation and early releases

Grohl records the self-titled debut album, Foo Fighters (1995), largely by himself over six days. After label interest builds, he brings in Mendel and Goldsmith, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate, and Smear, who has already toured with Nirvana. The band plays its first public concert in February 1995, several months before the debut album appears.

Line-up changes and albums

During the recording of The Colour and the Shape (1997), Goldsmith leaves and Grohl re-records most of the drum parts. Smear departs soon after and Stahl replaces him; Stahl had previously played with Grohl in Scream. Stahl is dismissed before There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999) is recorded, and the group continues briefly as a trio before Shiflett joins after the album is completed.

The band then releases One by One (2002), In Your Honor (2005), a double album that combines acoustic and heavier material, and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007). Butch Vig produces Wasting Light (2011), and Smear returns as a full-time member after performing frequently with the band from 2005. Sonic Highways (2014) appears as a soundtrack to a television miniseries directed by Grohl. Concrete and Gold (2017) becomes the band’s second number-one album in the United States and the first to feature Jaffee as an official member. The band releases Medicine at Midnight (2021), its final album recorded before Hawkins dies in March 2022, and But Here We Are (2023). Josh Freese serves as drummer from 2023 to 2025, after which Rubin takes over.

Style, recognition and awards

Foo Fighters are associated with alternative rock, grunge, hard rock, post-grunge and rock. They release music through labels including Capitol Records and RCA. The band wins 15 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album five times. In 2021, it receives the Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards and is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility.