History of Foo Fighters in Timeline
Foo Fighters are an American rock band created in 1994 by Dave Grohl, former drummer of Nirvana. Starting as a solo project for Grohl, it evolved into a full band. Key members include Grohl (vocals/guitar), Nate Mendel (bass), Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett (guitars), Rami Jaffee (keyboards) and Ilan Rubin (drums). Former members include guitarists Franz Stahl, and drummers William Goldsmith, Taylor Hawkins, and Josh Freese. They are known for their contributions to rock music.
1976: Queen Releases Tie Your Mother Down
In 1976, Queen released the song "Tie Your Mother Down".
1990: Dave Grohl joins Nirvana
In 1990, Dave Grohl became the drummer for the grunge band Nirvana.
1992: Grohl releases Pocketwatch album
In 1992, Dave Grohl released an album of demos, "Pocketwatch", under the pseudonym Late!.
April 1994: Disbandment of Nirvana After Kurt Cobain's Death
In April 1994, Nirvana disbanded following the death of Kurt Cobain.
October 1994: Grohl Records Solo Songs
In October 1994, Dave Grohl entered Robert Lang Studios to record 15 of his own songs, playing all instruments except for a guitar part on "X-Static".
1994: Grohl creates Foo Fighters to release solo material
In 1994, Dave Grohl created the Foo Fighters as a project to release solo music after the breakup of Nirvana.
1994: Formation of Foo Fighters
In 1994, the Foo Fighters were formed in Seattle as a one-man project by Dave Grohl, following the disbandment of Nirvana. Grohl serves as the band's vocalist and guitarist.
February 1995: Foo Fighters first public performance
In February 1995, the Foo Fighters made their first public performance, five months before the release of their debut album.
February 23, 1995: Live Public Debut
On February 23, 1995, the Foo Fighters made their live public debut at the Jambalaya Club in Arcata, California.
June 1995: Release of "This Is a Call" Single
In June 1995, the Foo Fighters released their first single, "This Is a Call".
1996: Recording of Second Album and Goldsmith's Departure
In 1996, after touring, the Foo Fighters started recording their second album at Bear Creek Studio. Goldsmith left the band after Grohl re-recorded most of his drum tracks.
May 1997: Release of The Colour and the Shape and Hawkins' Debut
In May 1997, the Foo Fighters released their second album, "The Colour and the Shape". Taylor Hawkins made his debut with the band at the same time.
1997: Grohl Discusses Musical Influences
In 1997, Grohl spoke about the Foo Fighter's musical influences including The Beatles, Queen, and punk rock. He highlighted the energy and immediacy of punk rock, along with an appreciation for beautiful melodies.
1997: Smear Leaves and Stahl Joins
In 1997, Pat Smear left the Foo Fighters due to exhaustion and was replaced by Franz Stahl.
1997: Goldsmith Quits and Smear departs
In 1997, William Goldsmith quit during the recording of "The Colour and the Shape" album, with Dave Grohl re-recording the drum parts. Pat Smear also departed shortly afterward.
1998: Tour for The Colour and the Shape
In 1998, The Foo Fighters performed at Glastonbury Festival and the Reading Festival as part of the tour for "The Colour and the Shape".
1998: Writing Third Album in Virginia
In 1998, the Foo Fighters traveled to Virginia to write their third album.
1999: Grohl Fires Stahl
In 1999, Dave Grohl fired Franz Stahl due to songwriting conflicts. Shortly after, Nate Mendel considered quitting but reversed his decision the next day.
1999: Stahl Fired Before Third Album
In 1999, Franz Stahl was fired before the Foo Fighters recorded their third album, "There Is Nothing Left to Lose." The band continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett joined.
January 2000: Mendel's Benefit Concert for AIDS Denialist Group
In January 2000, Nate Mendel led a benefit concert for Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives, an AIDS denialist group.
2000: Grammy Award for "Learn to Fly" Music Video
In 2000, the Foo Fighters received a Grammy Award for their music video for "Learn to Fly".
2001: Establishment of Relationship with Queen
Around 2001, the Foo Fighters established a relationship with the English rock band Queen.
2001: Reconvening to Record Fourth Album
Near the end of 2001, the Foo Fighters reconvened to record their fourth album, but were unsatisfied with the results.
October 2002: Release of One by One Album
In October 2002, the Foo Fighters released their fourth album, "One by One". Singles included "All My Life", "Times Like These", "Low", and "Have It All".
2002: Brian May contributes to Foo Fighters songs
In 2002, Brian May of Queen contributed guitar to the Foo Fighters' song "Tired of You" and the outtake "Knucklehead".
2002: Grohl helps Queens of the Stone Age
In 2002, Dave Grohl helped Queens of the Stone Age complete their album, "Songs for the Deaf".
2002: Release of One by One album
In 2002, the Foo Fighters released their fourth album, "One by One".
March 2003: Removal of Alive & Well References from Website
By March 2003, all links and references to Alive & Well were removed from the Foo Fighters website.
2004: Support for John Kerry's Campaign
In 2004, Dave Grohl decided to support John Kerry's presidential campaign after George W. Bush's campaign used "Times Like These" at rallies.
June 2005: Release of In Your Honor Album
In June 2005, the Foo Fighters released their fifth album, "In Your Honor", which was divided into a rock disc and an acoustic disc.
October 2005: Foozer Tour with Weezer
During October 2005, the Foo Fighters toured with Weezer on the Foozer Tour.
2005: Grohl on Evolving Band Identity
In 2005, Grohl expressed his love for being in a rock band but questioned remaining an alternative rock band from the 1990s, and noted that the band's acoustic tour was an attempt to broaden the group's sound.
2005: Release of In Your Honor album
In 2005, the Foo Fighters released their fifth album, the two-disc "In Your Honor", which was split between acoustic and heavier material.
2005: Collaborations for In Your Honor
In late 2005, musicians such as Pat Smear, Petra Haden, Drew Hester, and Rami Jaffee collaborated with Foo Fighters during performances in support of their album, "In Your Honor".
2005: Pat Smear's regular appearances with the band
Since 2005, Pat Smear has appeared frequently with the band.
June 17, 2006: Hyde Park Concert
On June 17, 2006, the Foo Fighters performed their largest non-festival headlining concert to date at London's Hyde Park. Lemmy from Motörhead joined them to sing "Shake Your Blood". Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen also appeared to play "We Will Rock You" leading into "Tie Your Mother Down".
November 2006: Release of Live CD Skin and Bones
In November 2006, Foo Fighters released their first live CD, "Skin and Bones", which featured fifteen performances recorded over three nights in Los Angeles.
2006: Acoustic Tour in Support of In Your Honor
In the summer of 2006, Foo Fighters organized an acoustic tour to further support "In Your Honor." Past collaborators like Pat Smear, Petra Haden, Drew Hester, and Rami Jaffee joined them. The setlist highlighted the acoustic tracks from the album but also included lesser-known songs and "Marigold".
September 25, 2007: Release of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
On September 25, 2007, Foo Fighters released their sixth studio album, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace", produced by Gil Norton. The album featured the single "The Pretender".
October 2007: World Tour Launch and Pat Smear's Return
In October 2007, Foo Fighters started their world tour in support of the album, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". They performed in various countries. During the European MTV Music Awards in 2007, Pat Smear confirmed his return to the band in a touring capacity.
December 2007: Release of "Long Road to Ruin" Single
In December 2007, Foo Fighters released "Long Road to Ruin" as the second single from the album "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". The release was accompanied by a music video directed by Jesse Peretz.
2007: Release of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace album
In 2007, the Foo Fighters released their sixth album, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace".
June 7, 2008: Performance at Wembley Stadium with Led Zeppelin Members
On June 7, 2008, Foo Fighters performed at Wembley Stadium in London. Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin joined them on stage to play "Rock and Roll" and "Ramble On."
September 2008: Completion of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace Tour and New Song Recording
In September 2008, Foo Fighters completed their tour for "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". Following the tour, they recorded 13 new songs at Studio 606 before announcing a hiatus from touring.
2008: Grammy Wins for Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
In 2008, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" won Best Rock Album and "The Pretender" won Best Hard Rock Performance at the Grammy Awards. The album was nominated for Album of the Year, and "The Pretender" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rock Song.
2009: Shelving of New Album and Greatest Hits Release
In 2009, Foo Fighters initially planned to release a new album from recording sessions, but ultimately shelved most of the songs. Three songs, "Wheels", "Word Forward", and a newly recorded version of "Rope", were released on their 2009 compilation album, "Greatest Hits".
August 2010: Recording of Wasting Light
In August 2010, Foo Fighters began recording their seventh studio album, "Wasting Light", with producer Butch Vig in Dave Grohl's garage using only analog equipment. Pat Smear played on every track and was considered an official member of the band again.
January 2011: End of Touring Hiatus
After a hiatus from touring, Foo Fighters resumed touring in January 2011.
February 2011: Release of "Rope" Single
In February 2011, the first single from "Wasting Light", titled "Rope", was released to radio.
March 15, 2011: Back and Forth Film Debut at SXSW
On March 15, 2011, the Foo Fighters' rockumentary, "Back and Forth", directed by James Moll, debuted at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. The film chronicles the band's career and features interviews with current and past members, as well as producer Butch Vig.
April 16, 2011: Release of Medium Rare
On April 16, 2011, Foo Fighters released "Medium Rare", an album of covers, as a limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day.
May 21, 2011: Hangout Music Festival Headline Performance
On May 21, 2011, Foo Fighters headlined the middle day of the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
June 4, 2011: Surprise Set at KROQ Weenie Roast
On June 4, 2011, the Foo Fighters played a surprise set at the 2011 KROQ Weenie Roast.
August 7, 2011: Lollapalooza Headline Performance
On August 7, 2011, Foo Fighters headlined the final night of Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park, performing part of their set in a rainstorm.
September 2011: Parody Song Performed at Westboro Baptist Church Protest
In September 2011, before a show in Kansas City, Foo Fighters performed a parody song in front of a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church, mocking their opposition to homosexuality.
September 28, 2011: Performance at BlizzCon Closing Ceremony
On September 28, 2011, it was announced that the Foo Fighters would perform during the closing ceremony of Blizzard Entertainment's annual video game convention, BlizzCon.
2011: Release of Wasting Light and Pat Smear Returns
In 2011, the Foo Fighters released their seventh studio album, "Wasting Light", which was produced by Butch Vig. Pat Smear returned as a full-time member, after frequently appearing with the band since 2005.
February 2012: 54th Annual Grammy Awards
At the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held in February 2012, the band was nominated for six Grammy Awards and won five of the six, losing only to Adele in the Album of the Year category.
August 27, 2012: Headline Performance at Reading and Leeds Festival
On August 27, 2012, Foo Fighters ended their European tour with a headline performance at the Reading and Leeds Festival.
2012: Million Dollar Demos Leaked
In 2012, seven tracks from the original version of "One by One", referred to as "Million Dollar Demos", were leaked online.
January 2013: Beginning of Material Writing for Eighth Studio Album
Despite announcing a break after supporting "Wasting Light", Dave Grohl stated in January 2013 that the band had started writing material for an eighth studio album.
February 20, 2013: Resuming Album Work
On February 20, 2013, at the Brit Awards, Dave Grohl said he was resuming work on the Foo Fighters album the following day.
August 2013: Butch Vig Confirmed as Producer
In late August 2013, Butch Vig confirmed via Twitter that he was producing the Foo Fighters' upcoming album.
September 6, 2013: Progress on Recording New Songs
On September 6, 2013, Chris Shiflett indicated that 13 songs were being recorded, describing the process as "pretty fucking fun".
January 16, 2014: Master Tapes Labeled LP 8 Posted
On January 16, 2014, the Foo Fighters' Facebook page featured a picture with several master tapes labeled LP 8, indicating progress on their eighth studio album.
June 2014: Crowd-Funded Show Agreement
In June 2014, the Foo Fighters agreed to play a show in Richmond, Virginia, entirely crowd-funded by fans on Tilt.com.
September 14, 2014: Invictus Games Performance
On September 14, 2014, the Foo Fighters performed at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games, marking their first official show in England since closing Reading Festival in 2012.
September 2014: Performances as The Holy Shits
In September 2014, the Foo Fighters played three performances under the alias The Holy Shits at venues in Brighton and London, including inviting Jay Apperley of the tribute band UK Foo Fighters on stage to sing.
November 2, 2014: VooDoo Music and Arts Festival Performance
On November 2, 2014, Foo Fighters closed out the 2014 VooDoo Music and Arts Festival in New Orleans with a two and a half hour performance, including an appearance from Trombone Shorty.
November 10, 2014: Release of Sonic Highways Album
On November 10, 2014, Foo Fighters released their eighth studio album, "Sonic Highways".
2014: Release of Sonic Highways
In 2014, the Foo Fighters released Sonic Highways as a soundtrack to the television miniseries directed by Dave Grohl.
2014: Radio Contraband Awards for "Something from Nothing" and Sonic Highways
In 2014, the Foo Fighters won Song of the Year for "Something from Nothing" and Album of the Year for Sonic Highways at the Radio Contraband Awards.
January 2015: Start of Sonic Highways World Tour - South America
In January 2015, the Sonic Highways World Tour continued with performances in South Africa, following the album release in November 2014.
May 20, 2015: Final Musical Act on Late Show with David Letterman
On May 20, 2015, Foo Fighters were the final musical act on "Late Show with David Letterman", playing "Everlong".
November 23, 2015: Release of Saint Cecilia EP and Hiatus Announcement
On November 23, 2015, the Foo Fighters released the free EP "Saint Cecilia", which included a single of the same name, following a month-long countdown. The band also announced an indefinite hiatus.
2015: Million Dollar Demos Leaked
In 2015, seven tracks from the original version of "One by One", referred to as "Million Dollar Demos", were leaked online.
2015: 20th Anniversary and Broken Leg Tour
In 2015, the Foo Fighters planned a North American tour to promote "Sonic Highways", starting with a Fourth of July event in Washington, D.C., commemorating their 20th anniversary. Dave Grohl's injury led to the "Broken Leg Tour", and prevented the band from headlining the 2015 Glastonbury Festival.
March 2016: Foo Fighters Deny Breakup Rumors
In March 2016, The Foo Fighters released a mockumentary video to deny rumors of a breakup. The video featured Grohl supposedly leaving the band for electronic music and being replaced by Nick Lachey.
June 1, 2017: Release of "Run" Single
On June 1, 2017, The Foo Fighters released their new single "Run," which reached the top of the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart the following month.
June 2017: Concrete and Gold Tour Begins and Glastonbury Festival Headlining
In June 2017, the Foo Fighters began touring in support of Concrete and Gold, including headlining the Glastonbury Festival 2017.
June 20, 2017: Announcement of Concrete and Gold Album
On June 20, 2017, The Foo Fighters announced their new album, Concrete and Gold, would be released in September.
August 23, 2017: Release of "The Sky Is a Neighborhood" Single
On August 23, 2017, The Foo Fighters released "The Sky Is a Neighborhood" as the second single from their upcoming album. The single topped the Mainstream Rock chart.
September 15, 2017: Release of Concrete and Gold Album
On September 15, 2017, The Foo Fighters officially released their album Concrete and Gold, which was produced by Greg Kurstin. The album features Justin Timberlake, Shawn Stockman, and Paul McCartney.
2017: Glastonbury Festival Headlining
In 2017, the Foo Fighters headlined the Glastonbury Festival.
2017: Release of Concrete and Gold album
In 2017, the Foo Fighters released "Concrete and Gold", which became their second album to top the charts in the United States and the first to feature Rami Jaffee as a full member.
October 2018: Extension of Concrete and Gold Tour
In October 2018, The Foo Fighters extended their tour in support of Concrete and Gold.
October 2019: Announcement of Tenth Studio Album Recording
In October 2019, the Foo Fighters announced they were recording their tenth studio album based on demos by Grohl.
November 2019: Release of The Foo Files EPs
In November 2019, the Foo Fighters began releasing a series of EPs under the umbrella name of the Foo Files.
February 2020: Announcement of New Album Completion
In February 2020, Grohl announced the new album was complete.
November 2020: Promotion Ramp-Up for Medicine at Midnight Album
In November 2020, promotion ramped up for the album Medicine at Midnight, and its release date was announced.
February 5, 2021: Release of Medicine at Midnight
On February 5, 2021, the Foo Fighter's released 'Medicine at Midnight'.
February 10, 2021: Foo Fighters Nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
On February 10, 2021, the Foo Fighters were announced as one of the nominees for the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
May 12, 2021: Foo Fighters Announced as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
On May 12, 2021, the Foo Fighters were announced as one of the inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
July 17, 2021: Release of Disco Covers Album Hail Satin
For Record Store Day, on July 17, 2021, the Foo Fighters, under the name Dee Gees, released an album of disco covers, Hail Satin.
September 2021: Global Icon Award at MTV Video Music Awards
In September 2021, the Foo Fighters received the first Global Icon Award at that year's MTV Video Music Awards.
2021: Release of Medicine at Midnight album
In 2021, the Foo Fighters released "Medicine at Midnight", their tenth album and the last before Taylor Hawkins' death in March 2022.
2021: Awards and Hall of Fame Induction
In 2021, the Foo Fighters were awarded the first "Global Icon" award at the MTV Video Music Awards. Also in 2021, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
February 25, 2022: Release of Comedy Horror Film Studio 666
On February 25, 2022, the Foo Fighters released a comedy horror film, Studio 666, in which Grohl is possessed by a demonic spirit.
March 2022: Death of Taylor Hawkins
In March 2022, Taylor Hawkins, the drummer for the Foo Fighters, passed away.
March 20, 2022: Hawkins' Last Performance
On March 20, 2022, Hawkins' last performance with the Foo Fighters was at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires.
March 25, 2022: Release of Dream Widow EP
On March 25, 2022, Grohl released an EP of songs from the film Studio 666, called Dream Widow.
January 2023: Announcement of Festival Appearances for 2023
In January 2023, the Foo Fighters began announcing festival appearances for the year.
June 2023: Release of But Here We Are album
In June 2023, the Foo Fighters released their eleventh album, "But Here We Are".
August 2024: Donation of Royalties to Kamala Harris' Campaign
In August 2024, the Foo Fighters announced that they would donate all royalties earned from their single "My Hero" to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign after Donald Trump used the song without permission.
September 2024: Cancellation of Soundside Music Festival Performance
In September 2024, the Foo Fighters canceled their headline performance at the Soundside Music Festival after Grohl announced he had fathered a child outside his marriage.
May 2025: Announcement of Singapore Grand Prix Performance and Freese's Firing
In May 2025, the Foo Fighters announced a performance at the Singapore Grand Prix, and Freese announced that he had been fired.
2025: Ilan Rubin joins the band
From 2025 onwards, Ilan Rubin replaced Josh Freese as the drummer for the Foo Fighters.
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