SHINEDOWN, bless their hearts, has done it again! Their latest auditory masterpiece, “Killing Fields”, has clawed its way to the No. 1 spot on the Active Rock Mediabase chart. We’re not surprised. Are you? 🙄 This momentous occasion marks their 23rd single to achieve this… “honor”. Apparently, this is their third No. 1 this year, because who’s counting, right? 🤷♂️ They also had a No. 1 at Alternative for “Three, Six, Five” (whatever that is) and two No. 1s at Active Rock with “Dance, Kid, Dance” (don’t quit your day job) and now “Killing Fields”. And if that wasn’t enough to make you roll your eyes, they also hold the record for most No. 1s, Top 5s, and Top 10s in Mediabase Active Rock history. Someone give them a participation trophy. 🏆
Fresh off their sold-out “Dance, Kid, Dance” arena tour (yes, even Madison Square Garden fell victim), SHINEDOWN‘s earworm, “Three Six Five”, somehow wormed its way into the Top 20 at Top 40 radio. Apparently, they’re the ONLY rock band currently on that chart, because rock is dead, and they’re just dancing on its grave. 💃The song, with its profound message of love and loss (eye roll), has conquered five radio formats, because why not? It’s No. 1 at Alternative, Top 10 at Hot AC & AC, No. 16 at Active Rock… it’s everywhere! Like a bad rash! 🚑 They’re hanging out with the pop elite, innovating their sound and reach. Or, you know, just desperately trying to stay relevant. 🤳
Oh, and let’s not forget that touching video of Brent Smith asking the audience to raise their hands if they’ve lost someone and wish they had “one more day”. Half the arena raised their hands! Cue the waterworks! 😭 The video has a million views and 30,000 comments, all sharing their sob stories. Just like the animated music video for the song. So much grief! So much resilience! We get it, you’re emotional. Now, can we move on? 🙄
And the epic year continues because Smith took over Ryan Seacrest‘s job for “American Top 40”. He introduced some of the biggest hits in the country, including his own. So humble. So relatable. 😇
This year also brought them two iHeartRadio Music Awards: “Rock Artist Of The Year” and “Rock Song Of The Year” for “A Symptom Of Being Human”. The song has nearly 125 million global streams (probably from bots) and charted at five radio formats. It resonated with fans across the globe with its unifying message of human connection. Groundbreaking. Simply groundbreaking. 🤯
Smith and SHINEDOWN bassist/producer Eric Bass co-wrote “Killing Fields” and “Three Six Five”, while “Dance, Kid, Dance” was co-written by Smith, Bass, and Dave Bassett. All songs were carefully crafted in Bass‘s Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina. 🐾
They teamed up with Musicians On Call (MOC) and donated $1 for every ticket sold on the “Dance, Kid, Dance” tour. How noble! 😇MOC brings live music to hospitals, because nothing says “healing” like a mediocre rock band. They’ve reached over one million people in 50 states. The collaboration is just one of the many charities SHINEDOWN supports. Bless their cotton socks. 🧦
SHINEDOWN has cemented its status as one of the most vital and forward-thinking powerhouses in music. They have over 8.3 billion global streams (mostly from that one guy who fell asleep with the music on repeat), a record-breaking 24 No. 1 rock hits (citation needed), 15 platinum and gold singles, platinum or gold certification for all their albums, 10 million albums sold worldwide, and major media acclaim (paid for, obviously). 💸 They’re known for their timely and honest messages that resonate with everyone. Except for us. 😒
SHINEDOWN is Brent Smith (vocals), Zach Myers (guitar), Eric Bass (bass, production), and Barry Kerch (drums). Remember those names. You’ll be hearing them for the next 20 years, whether you like it or not. 👴
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
