Shinedown’s first hit “Fly From The Inside” was the result of one of those fortunate “demanding” situations. While recording ’03 release “Leave A Whisper,” the Jacksonville, Floridia group was getting pressured to write a hit single. So “Fly From The Inside” was composed in a few hours. It was time well spent since the song scored on the Billboard Modern Rock chart (breaking the Top 10). As a result, there were tour opportunities opening for Seether and 3 Doors Down.Shinedown formed in ’01 after Brent Smith left his previous band at the altar – they were just about to sign a recording contract. Though claiming Lynyrd Skynyrd (local heroes) and Led Zeppelin as major influences, Shinedown leaned more toward the Tool-Staind vein. They found local success “selling the drama” – riding Smith’s vocal fury and strident guitar lines – that led Atlantic Records to sign them. Shinedown followed “Leave A Whisper” with the superior ’05 effort, “Us And Them,” containing the #1 Mainstream Rock and Active Rock hit “Save Me.” In April, ’08, Smith reported that Silvertide guitarist Nick Perri had replaced Jasin Todd. The announcement came just two days after Todd was arrested in Jacksonville on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer. Smith added that Todd’s departure “all went down a while ago.” Todd eventually landed with Fuel. Save Me Smith also announced that Eric Bass was the band’s new bassist. Drummer Barry Kerch was able to put on good spin on the changes. “The guys that were with us before just didn’t work out,” explained Kerch. “The last thing Brent and I could do was let this band die, for ourselves and our fans.”Shinedown released their third album, “The Sound Of Madness” in ’08. “Honestly, that is the only name that this record could have been called,” said Smith. “It’s built around the madness that happens in everyday life.” Smith went on to say, “When I am dead and gone, I want people to say that this was a record that the world needed.” Devour Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), “Devour,” the lead single, was Shinedown’s second #1 on the Active Rock chart. The song was heard on WWE pay-per-view Night of Champions 2008, in the soundtrack for the ‘09 film, “The Final Destination” and on Madden NFL 09. “Second Chance,” the second single, became the group’s biggest hit to date peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually going double platinum. Ironically, the band hated the song when they first wrote it. “The Sound Of Madness” spent 120 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and also went platinum. Second Chance Later in the year, Shinedown appeared in the HBO documentary “Blindsided,” which told the story of guitarist Jared Hara who went blind at the age of 11 due to a genetic disease. As part of the film, Hara jammed with Shinedown on their tour bus and performed in-concert with the group.The Sight Of Madness, the band’s first digital video album, dropped in ’09.Off the road, Shinedown began work on a new album in ’11 but according to guitarist Zach Myers it would be a while before it came out. “We aren’t a band that goes into the studio and makes a record in six weeks,” stated Myers. “‘The Sound Of Madness’ took 24 months to write.”In the meantime, Shinedown issued “Somewhere In The Stratosphere,” a deluxe 2 CD/2 DVD package with audio and video from two full live sets, one acoustic and one electric.As work on their next album progressed Smith discussed the project in an interview with Artisan News. “We can’t compare any of the other records to this one – just like we can’t compare the first one to the second one or the third one to the first one,” said Smith. “We pride ourselves on being a band that each record sounds completely different than the last.”Shinedown unfurled their fourth full-length album “Amaryllis” in ’12. “It’s not a record for the faint of heart,” admitted Smith. “Every single song makes a statement. I was looking for the kind of emotion that made every hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Because of that, I feel in my heart and soul that this album is a game changer for our band.” The set was recorded at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood with Cavallo returning to produce.Accompanying the album was an e-book titled “For Your Sake: Inside the Making of Shinedown’s ‘Amaryllis’.” It had behind the music stories and was available for iPad via Apple’s iTunes store. “With so many people getting their music digitally these days, they don’t always get to enjoy the full experience that you get by exploring physical CDs or vinyl albums,” noted Smith.Three years passed before Shinedown issued their fifth album, “Threat To Survival.” The ’15 set was delayed when Smith suffered nodules (abnormal tissue growth) on his vocal cords and then had to deal with a fungal infection in his throat. How Did You Love Produced by Bass, the album contained “How Did You Love,” the fourth single from the album, went #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart. It was the eleventh time they topped the survey. “We have poured our entire being into these songs and into this album,” wrote the band in a statement. “Attention Attention,” with lead single “Devil,” dropped in ’18. Myers described the album’s sound as “heavier than “Threat To Survival.” Shinedown’s first album produced and mixed entirely by Bass debuted at #1 on the Top Rock Albums, Hard Rock Albums, and Alternative Albums charts. They eclipsed Three Days Grace to regained sole possession of the most Top 10 chart placements on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart with “Get Up,” the second single from “Attention! Attention!” Get Up The band presented the previously unreleased “Atlas Falls” to raise money for Direct Relief and organization that provided equipment to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The band donated $20,000 themselves, and ultimately raised, through various channels, $300,000. In early ’22. Shinedown issued “Planet Zero,” the title track from their seventh full-length studio effort. Planet Zero Another track from the album, “A Symptom Of Being Human” ruled the Mainstream Rock chart for four weeks.  It was their 19th #1 on the chart – more than any other band to date.  A Symptom Of Being Human A year later, Shinedown became the first act to have 20 songs reach #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. The 20th song was “Dance, Kid, Dance.” Dance, Kid, Dance Six months later, Shinedown scored another Mainstream Rock #1 with “Killing Fields.” ### The post Shinedown appeared first on RockinTown.