Queens of the Stone Age are an American rock group from Palm Desert, United States, formed in 1996 by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme after the breakup of Kyuss. The band is also abbreviated as QOTSA or QotSA, and its early development is closely tied to the Palm Desert rock scene, although it is also associated with Seattle because of early activity there.

Formation and early years

Queens of the Stone Age grows out of Homme’s post-Kyuss project Gamma Ray, which releases the Gamma Ray EP in 1996 and includes early versions of songs such as “Born to Hula”. The project changes name in 1997 after legal pressure from the German band Gamma Ray. The name Queens of the Stone Age comes from a nickname for Kyuss coined by producer Chris Goss. The first release under the new name is “18 A.D.”, which appears on a compilation album.

Early live performances feature a rotating cast of musicians, including Matt Cameron, Mike Johnson and John McBain. Homme remains the only constant member through many lineup changes. Since 2013, the core lineup has included Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore alongside Homme.

Albums and musical development

The self-titled debut album, Queens of the Stone Age (1998), is recorded largely by Homme, who plays most instruments except drums. The drums are handled by former Kyuss member Alfredo Hernández. After the album, Nick Oliveri joins on bass and later also sings lead vocals, and Dave Catching becomes part of the touring lineup.

Rated R (2000), released through Interscope Records, broadens the band’s profile and features contributions from Mark Lanegan and other guest instrumentalists. It includes “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret” and receives strong critical attention.

Songs for the Deaf (2002) becomes a commercial breakthrough. Dave Grohl plays drums on the album, which also includes contributions from Mark Lanegan and others. It features “No One Knows” and “Go with the Flow” and achieves gold certification in several markets.

After extensive touring, Nick Oliveri is dismissed in 2004. Mark Lanegan leaves around the same period after contributing to multiple releases. Lullabies to Paralyze (2005) is made with a changing lineup that includes Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo, plus contributions from Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider. It debuts in the top five of the Billboard 200.

Era Vulgaris (2007) continues the band’s pattern of guest contributions and lineup changes, with Michael Shuman and Dean Fertita taking on more regular touring roles.

Hiatus, return and later records

In 2008, Natasha Shneider dies of cancer. Around this period the band’s activity slows while members work on other projects. Homme forms Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones. In 2010, Homme undergoes surgery and suffers an infection that leads to a long recovery and later influences his songwriting.

The band returns with a reissue of its debut album and live performances in 2011. Work on a new album begins in 2012 with contributions from Dave Grohl, Nick Oliveri and Mark Lanegan. ...Like Clockwork (2013), released on Matador Records, becomes the band’s first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. It includes “My God Is the Sun” and features multiple guest musicians.

Villains (2017) is produced by Mark Ronson and includes “The Way You Used to Do” and “The Evil Has Landed”. The band continues touring, though Homme is involved in an incident at a live performance in 2017 and later apologises.

In Times New Roman... (2023), also released on Matador Records, includes “Emotion Sickness”, “Carnavoyeur” and “Paper Machete”. It features guest contributions from Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys.

Style and recognition

Queens of the Stone Age are generally described as riff-driven rock with elements of alternative rock, hard rock, stoner rock, desert rock, blues rock, electronic music and krautrock. Their sound is associated with unusual rhythms and Homme’s distinctive falsetto.

The band receives multiple Grammy nominations across categories including Best Hard Rock Performance, Best Rock Album, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

Recent activity

In 2025, the band announces Alive in the Catacombs, a concert film recorded in the Paris Catacombs in 2024 with acoustic arrangements and additional string musicians. This is followed by plans for a related tour featuring rearranged versions of the band’s catalogue, and further touring activity is scheduled for 2026.