Simple Plan

Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk and alternative rock band from Montréal, formed in 1999. The group’s current line-up consists of Pierre Bouvier on lead vocals and studio bass guitar, Chuck Comeau on drums, Jean-François Stinco on lead guitar, and Sébastien Lefebvre on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. David Desrosiers is listed as a member and serves as the band’s bassist in its later history; he joins the group after its formation and is absent from touring for a period in the late 2010s before leaving in 2020. Before Simple Plan, Bouvier and Comeau co-found the punk rock band Reset in 1993.

Formation and early years

Comeau leaves Reset in 1998 and later forms a new band in 1999 with Stinco and Lefebvre, all high-school friends. Bouvier then leaves Reset and joins the project later that year. Desrosiers subsequently becomes the bassist, which allows Bouvier to concentrate on vocals. The name Simple Plan is reportedly taken from the film A Simple Plan, itself based on Scott B. Smith’s novel.

Albums, EPs and singles

The band signs with Atlantic Records in 2001 and records its debut album with producer Arnold Lanni. No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls appears in 2002 and includes the singles “I’m Just a Kid”, “I’d Do Anything”, “Addicted” and “Perfect”, with guest appearances from Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. The album sells more than four million copies worldwide.

Still Not Getting Any... follows in 2004, produced by Bob Rock, and includes “Welcome to My Life”, “Shut Up”, “Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)”, “Crazy” and “Perfect World”. The record broadens the band’s sound beyond its earlier pop punk style and gains international chart success.

The self-titled Simple Plan album comes out in 2008, produced by Dave Fortman and Max Martin. Its lead single, “When I’m Gone”, becomes the band’s highest-charting single in the United Kingdom at that point. Get Your Heart On! is released in 2011 and features collaborations with Rivers Cuomo, Marie-Mai, Natasha Bedingfield, K’naan and Alex Gaskarth. “Jet Lag” is issued in English and French versions. The companion EP Get Your Heart On - The Second Coming! follows in 2013.

Taking One for the Team is released in 2016 and includes “Boom”, “I Don’t Wanna Be Sad”, “I Don’t Wanna Go to Bed”, “Opinion Overload” and “Singing in the Rain”. Harder Than It Looks arrives in 2022 as the band’s first independently released studio album, distributed by The Orchard. Its singles include “The Antidote”, “Ruin My Life” featuring Deryck Whibley of Sum 41, “Congratulations” and “Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)”.

Other releases and collaborations

Simple Plan also releases the live albums Live in Japan 2002 and MTV Hard Rock Live, and records the theme song for the animated series What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, also appearing as guest characters in the show. The band re-records the theme in 2021. It also records a cover of Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”, which appears on the soundtrack of Fantastic Four.

Later releases include the collaborative single “Where I Belong” with State Champs and We the Kings in 2019, updated versions of earlier songs such as “I’m Just a Kid” featuring LØLØ and “Iconic” featuring Jax, and a cover of Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” for the Disney tribute album A Whole New Sound. Avril Lavigne appears on the 2025 single “Young & Dumb”.

Touring, appearances and projects

The band tours extensively in support of its releases and appears regularly on the Vans Warped Tour between 1999 and 2005, returning for selected editions in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018. It also tours with Avril Lavigne, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, The Offspring, Boys Like Girls and We the Kings. Simple Plan appears at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, performs at Mood Indigo in 2012, and plays the Canada Day concert in Quebec City to a large crowd. It also performs “O Canada” at the 2016 NHL Winter Classic and again appears at the NHL Winter Classic in 2016 during the Taking One for the Team cycle.

Other screen appearances include New York Minute in 2004 and Punk Rock Holocaust in 2003. In 2024 the band releases a limited-edition box set marking its 25th anniversary and has a documentary in production. The documentary Simple Plan: The Kids in the Crowd is released in July 2025 with a soundtrack album including archival material and the unreleased song “Nothing Changes”.

Recent activity

Simple Plan supports Harder Than It Looks with the “Blame Canada” tour alongside Sum 41. In 2025 it announces the “Bigger Than You Think!” anniversary tour of the United States with support from 3OH!3, Bowling for Soup and LØLØ. The band also continues touring across North America and Europe and appears at major rock festivals.