Career Timeline of Marilyn Manson: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Marilyn Manson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Marilyn Manson, born Brian Hugh Warner, is an American rock musician and the frontman of the band Marilyn Manson, which he founded in 1989. Known for his controversial stage persona and blending of shock rock with industrial and alternative metal, Manson's band members, including himself, adopted stage names combining a female sex symbol's first name with a male serial killer's last name. Manson's own name is derived from Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson, reflecting the band's themes of juxtaposing beauty and darkness.
1989: Band Formation with Scott Putesky
In 1989, Brian Warner and Scott Putesky formed the band Marilyn Manson.
1989: Band Formation
In 1989, Marilyn Manson formed his eponymous band. He is the only constant member of the band.
1990: First Demo Tape as Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids
In 1990, Marilyn Manson recorded the band's first demo tape as Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids.
1991: Record Deal with Sony Music
In early 1991, Marilyn Manson signed a record deal with Sony Music, though the deal was later rescinded.
1992: Band Name Shortened to Marilyn Manson
In 1992, the band's name was shortened to Marilyn Manson.
1992: Production of Jack Off Jill's Demos
In the early 1990s, starting in 1992, Marilyn Manson produced many of Jack Off Jill's demo recordings.
1993: Signing with Nothing Records
In the summer of 1993, Marilyn Manson signed with Trent Reznor's vanity label, Nothing Records.
July 1994: Release of Debut Studio Album
In July 1994, the band released their debut studio album, "Portrait of an American Family".
1994: Marilyn Manson Registers Trademark
In 1994, Marilyn Manson registered the trademark for his name, protecting entertainment services, merchandising and branding.
1994: Release of "Portrait of an American Family"
In 1994, the band Marilyn Manson released the album "Portrait of an American Family".
May 30, 1996: Empower America press conference criticizes record industry
On May 30, 1996, Empower America held a press conference with William Bennett, Joseph Lieberman, and C. Delores Tucker to criticize the record industry for selling "prepackaged, shrink-wrapped nihilism." Marilyn Manson was referenced, with Smells Like Children called the "dirtiest, nastiest porno record directed at children that has ever hit the market".
September 1996: Gidget Gein settlement with Manson
In September 1996, former bassist Gidget Gein negotiated a settlement with Manson where he would receive US$17,500 and 20 percent of any royalties paid for recordings and for any songs he had a hand in writing. The settlement was not honored.
December 1996: Empower America criticizes MCA for profiting from Manson
In December 1996, Empower America criticized MCA president Edgar Bronfman Jr. for profiting from "profanity-laced" albums by Marilyn Manson, Tupac Shakur, and Snoop Dogg. Manson's live performances also came under fire.
1996: Release of "Antichrist Superstar" and MTV VMA Nomination
In 1996, Marilyn Manson released "Antichrist Superstar" and received their first nomination for Best Rock Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.
1996: Release of "Antichrist Superstar"
In 1996, the band Marilyn Manson released the album "Antichrist Superstar", which sparked controversy.
1996: Production of Jack Off Jill's Demos
In the early 1990s, ending in 1996, Marilyn Manson produced many of Jack Off Jill's demo recordings.
1996: Scott Putesky Leaves the Band
In the spring of 1996, former guitarist Scott Putesky (a.k.a. Daisy Berkowitz) departed from the group.
November 1997: Congressional hearings examine Manson's lyrics
In November 1997, Marilyn Manson's lyrical content was examined during congressional hearings led by Lieberman and Sam Brownback, attempting to determine the effects of violent lyrics on young listeners. Raymond Kuntz blamed his son's suicide on Antichrist Superstar, and Lieberman called the band the "sickest group ever promoted by a mainstream record company".
1997: Film Debut in "Lost Highway"
In 1997, Marilyn Manson made his film debut as an actor in David Lynch's "Lost Highway".
1997: Performance at the MTV Video Music Awards
In 1997, Marilyn Manson performed at the MTV Video Music Awards and received three nominations for "The Beautiful People".
1997: Collaboration with Rasputina and Smashing Pumpkins
In 1997, Rasputina opened for Marilyn Manson during the "Dead to the World Tour". Marilyn Manson befriended Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins and performed with them at the Bridge School Benefit concert. Corgan also gave Manson advice during the recording of Mechanical Animals in 1997.
January 1998: Scott Putesky files lawsuit against Manson
In January 1998, former guitarist Scott Putesky (Daisy Berkowitz) filed a $15 million lawsuit against Marilyn Manson, the band, and their attorney, claiming unpaid royalties and alleging attorney malpractice. The suit was settled out of court later that year.
November 30, 1998: Craig Marks files lawsuit against Manson
On November 30, 1998, SPIN editor Craig Marks filed a $24-million lawsuit against Marilyn Manson and his bodyguards, after the band accumulated "[a] total [of] more than $25,000" in backstage and hotel room damages.
1998: Co-Headlining "Beautiful Monsters Tour" with Hole
In 1998, Marilyn Manson embarked on the "Beautiful Monsters Tour" with Hole to promote Mechanical Animals. The tour was plagued with conflict and was eventually renamed the "Rock Is Dead Tour" after Hole's departure.
1998: Release of "Mechanical Animals"
In 1998, Marilyn Manson released "Mechanical Animals" and adopted a glam rock persona inspired by David Bowie.
1998: Featured on DMX's "The Omen (Damien II)"
In 1998, Marilyn Manson was featured on "The Omen (Damien II)" on DMX's album Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.
1998: B-Side Release of "Apple of Sodom" Live Version
In 1998, a live version of "Apple of Sodom", featuring Melora Creager, was released as a b-side on Marilyn Manson's single "The Dope Show".
1998: Start of Celebritarian Corporation
The Celebritarian Corporation art movement, in some form, started in 1998.
February 19, 1999: Manson countersues Craig Marks
On February 19, 1999, Marilyn Manson counter-sued SPIN editor Craig Marks for libel, slander, and defamation, seeking US$40 million in damages.
1999: Appearance in Jawbreaker
In 1999, Marilyn Manson appeared in the film Jawbreaker, which starred his then-girlfriend Rose McGowan.
1999: Marilyn Manson Registers Trademark
In 1999, Marilyn Manson registered the trademark for his name, protecting entertainment services, merchandising and branding.
1999: Start of Watercolor Painting Career
Marilyn Manson started his career as a watercolor painter in 1999, creating five-minute concept pieces and selling them to drug dealers.
October 27, 2000: David Diaz sues Manson for battery
On October 27, 2000, David Diaz, a security officer, sued Marilyn Manson for US$75,000 in a Minneapolis federal court, alleging civil battery from a concert in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The jury found in Manson's favor.
2000: Launch of Posthuman Records
In 2000, Manson launched his own vanity label, Posthuman Records, which released the soundtrack to Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000.
2000: Release of "Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)"
In 2000, the band released the album "Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)" in response to media blaming Manson for the Columbine High School massacre.
2000: Inspiration for Holy Wood Album
In 2000, the lyrical content of Marilyn Manson's album 'Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)' was largely inspired by the Columbine massacre, serving as a rebuttal to accusations leveled against him by mainstream media.
July 30, 2001: Manson charged with sexual misconduct
On July 30, 2001, Marilyn Manson was charged with sexual misconduct against a security officer, Joshua Keasler, during a concert in Clarkston, Michigan. He pleaded no contest to reduced charges and paid a fine.
2001: Release of Godhead's Album on Posthuman Records
In 2001, Posthuman Records released Godhead's album 2000 Years of Human Error, which featured Marilyn Manson on vocals for the track "Break You Down".
2002: Collaboration with Eminem
In 2002, Marilyn Manson appeared in Eminem's "The Way I Am" music video and joined him on stage for live performances. A remix of the song featuring Manson was also released on special editions of The Marshall Mathers LP.
2002: Manson works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation
In 2002, Marilyn Manson collaborated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, inviting a 16-year-old fan with a life-threatening illness to record backing vocals for their upcoming album.
2002: Collaboration on "Redeemer" and Other Projects
In 2002, Marilyn Manson performed vocals on "Redeemer" for the Queen of the Damned soundtrack. He also contributed a remix to Linkin Park's Reanimation and collaborated on the score for the film Resident Evil.
2002: International Hit with "Tainted Love" Cover
In 2002, Marilyn Manson's cover of "Tainted Love" became an international hit, reaching number one in several territories.
2002: First Art Show
In 2002, Marilyn Manson's first art show, "The Golden Age of Grotesque", was held at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions center.
2002: First Art Show: The Golden Age of Grotesque
On September 13–14, 2002, Marilyn Manson's first art show, The Golden Age of Grotesque, was held at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions Centre.
2003: Celebrity Deathmatch Video Game Appearance
In 2003, Marilyn Manson's likeness was featured on the Celebrity Deathmatch video game, and he recorded a song for its soundtrack.
2003: Dissolution of Posthuman Records
In 2003, Marilyn Manson's vanity label Posthuman Records was dissolved.
2004: Appearance in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
In 2004, Marilyn Manson appeared in Asia Argento's film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.
2004: Development of Phantasmagoria Begins
In 2004, Marilyn Manson began working on his directorial debut, Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll, in which he was also set to portray Lewis Carroll.
2004: Greatest Hits Compilation Release
In 2004, Marilyn Manson released the greatest hits compilation "Lest We Forget: The Best Of".
2004: Second Art Exhibition: Trismegistus
On September 14–15, 2004, Marilyn Manson held a second art exhibition in Paris and Berlin, named 'Trismegistus'.
July 2005: Shift to Filmmaking
In July 2005, Marilyn Manson told Rolling Stone that he was shifting his focus from music to filmmaking, expressing dissatisfaction with the music industry.
2005: Celebritarian Corporation Incubating for Seven Years
In 2005, Manson said that the Celebritarian Corporation has been incubating for seven years.
2006: Liner Notes for Jack Off Jill Compilation
In 2006, Marilyn Manson wrote the liner notes for Jack Off Jill's compilation album Humid Teenage Mediocrity 1992–1996.
July 28, 2007: Exhibition at Gallery Brigitte Schenk
From June 28 – July 28, 2007, Marilyn Manson's works were publicly exhibited at Germany's Gallery Brigitte Schenk in Cologne.
August 2, 2007: Stephen Bier Sues Manson for Unpaid Partnership Proceeds
On August 2, 2007, former band member Stephen Bier (Madonna Wayne Gacy) filed a lawsuit against Marilyn Manson, seeking $20 million in unpaid "partnership proceeds".
December 2007: Manson countersues Stephen Bier
In December 2007, Marilyn Manson countersued Stephen Bier, claiming that Bier failed to fulfill his duties as a band member.
2007: Release of "Eat Me, Drink Me"
In 2007, Marilyn Manson returned with the album "Eat Me, Drink Me", which was influenced by the dissolution of his marriage and his affair with Evan Rachel Wood.
2007: Slated Release of Phantasmagoria
In 2007, Phantasmagoria was slated to have a conventional cinema release after initial plans for a web-only release.
2008: "The Golden Age of Grotesque" Sales Update
As of 2008, "The Golden Age of Grotesque", released in 2003, sold 527,000 copies in the United States.
2008: Collaboration on Lady Gaga's "LoveGame" Remix
In 2008, Marilyn Manson performed vocals on the Chew Fu GhettoHouse Fix remix of Lady Gaga's "LoveGame".
2008: Mansinthe wins gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition
In 2008, Marilyn Manson's absinthe brand, "Mansinthe", won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
December 28, 2009: Bier Lawsuit Settlement
On December 28, 2009, the lawsuit between Stephen Bier and Marilyn Manson was settled, with Bier's attorneys being paid $380,000.
2009: Release of "The High End of Low"
In 2009, Marilyn Manson released "The High End of Low", their final album issued by Interscope.
April 25, 2010: Hell, etc. Art Exhibition Postponed
On April 25, 2010, the opening of Marilyn Manson's "Hell, etc." art exhibition in Athens, Greece, was postponed due to a volcanic ash cloud. It was rescheduled to open on April 28, 2010.
April 28, 2010: Hell, etc. Art Exhibition Opens (Delayed)
On April 28, 2010, Marilyn Manson's third art exhibition, "Hell, etc.," opened in Athens, Greece, after being postponed from April 25th due to a volcanic ash cloud. The exhibition showcased Manson's recent artworks and new pieces, running until May 2, 2010.
May 2, 2010: Hell, etc. Art Exhibition Closes
On May 2, 2010, Marilyn Manson's third art exhibition, "Hell, etc.," closed in Athens, Greece. The exhibition displayed Manson's more recent artworks and newly revealed pieces at the time.
2010: Film Still On Despite Talk of Shut Down
According to a 2010 interview with cowriter Anthony Silva about the hold, the film was still on and the talk of it being shut down was just a myth.
2010: "Tainted Love" Remix in Need for Speed Trailer
In 2010, A remix of Marilyn Manson's song "Tainted Love" appears in the debut trailer for the video game, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.
2010: Genealogies of Pain Exhibition
In 2010, Marilyn Manson revealed a series of 20 paintings in the Genealogies of Pain exhibition at Vienna's Kunsthalle gallery, collaborating with David Lynch.
2010: Production Halt on Phantasmagoria
In 2010, studio bosses shut down production on Phantasmagoria, reportedly due to negative responses to violent content. The film was later put on indefinite hold.
2011: Album Sales in the U.S.
As of 2011, Marilyn Manson had sold 8.7 million albums in the United States alone.
2011: Recording "Can't Haunt Me" with Skylar Grey
In 2011, Marilyn Manson recorded vocals on "Can't Haunt Me" for Skylar Grey's unreleased album Invinsible.
2011: Signing with Cooking Vinyl
In 2011, Marilyn Manson signed a recording contract with British independent record label Cooking Vinyl.
2012: Release of "Born Villain"
In 2012, Marilyn Manson released "Born Villain" under Cooking Vinyl, and "No Reflection" earned a Grammy nomination.
2012: "Tainted Love" Remix in Twisted Metal Trailer
In 2012, a remix of Marilyn Manson's song "Tainted Love" appeared in the launch trailer of the video game Twisted Metal.
June 2013: Project Resurrected with Roger Avary
In June 2013, Manson stated that he had "resurrected" the Phantasmagoria project, and that Roger Avary would direct it.
2013: Appearance in Californication
In 2013, Marilyn Manson appeared in Showtime's comedy-drama TV series Californication, portraying himself.
2013: Manson contributes to Oxfam's Rumble in the Jumble
In 2013, Marilyn Manson contributed to Oxfam's "Rumble in the Jumble" event, which raised money to aid victims of domestic and sexual abuse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2013: Featured on Avril Lavigne's "Bad Girl"
In 2013, Marilyn Manson was featured on the song "Bad Girl" from Avril Lavigne's self-titled album.
2013: Featured on Gucci Mane's "Pussy Wet"
In 2013, Marilyn Manson was featured on the song "Pussy Wet" on Gucci Mane's mixtape Diary of a Trap God.
2013: Manson discusses Trademarking Name
In 2013, during an interview with Larry King, Marilyn Manson stated that he trademarked the name "Marilyn Manson."
2014: Collaboration on Emigrate's "Hypothetical"
In 2014, Marilyn Manson featured on the song "Hypothetical" from Emigrate's album Silent So Long.
April 4, 2015: Withdrawal from Phantasmagoria
On April 4, 2015, Marilyn Manson commented in a Reddit AMA with Billy Corgan that he had withdrawn from the project because the writing process for the film was "so... damaging to my psyche".
2015: Co-Headlining Tour with Smashing Pumpkins
In 2015, Marilyn Manson and the Smashing Pumpkins embarked on a co-headlining tour titled "The End Times Tour".
2015: Performance with The Soul Rebels at Summer Sonic Festival
In 2015, Marilyn Manson performed "The Beautiful People" alongside the Soul Rebels at the Japanese Summer Sonic Festival.
2015: Release of "The Pale Emperor"
In 2015, Marilyn Manson released "The Pale Emperor" through Loma Vista Recordings, marking a return to form.
2015: Manson discusses Trademarking Name
In 2015, during an interview at the Cannes Lions Festival, Marilyn Manson stated that he trademarked the name "Marilyn Manson."
January 2016: Joining the Cast of Salem
In January 2016, it was announced that Marilyn Manson would be joining the cast for season 3 of WGN's Salem, playing Thomas Dinley.
2016: Collaboration on "Cat People" Cover with Shooter Jennings
In 2016, Marilyn Manson recorded vocals on a cover of David Bowie's "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" for Shooter Jennings's album Countach (For Giorgio).
2017: "Mechanical Animals" Sales Update
As of 2017, the album "Mechanical Animals", released in 1998, sold 1.4 million copies in the United States.
2017: Release of "Heaven Upside Down" and Stage Injury
In 2017, Marilyn Manson released "Heaven Upside Down", and Manson was injured by falling stage props during a performance.
2019: Manson Performs at Cyndi Lauper's 'Home for the Holidays' Benefit Concert
In 2019, Marilyn Manson performed alongside Cyndi Lauper at her annual 'Home for the Holidays' benefit concert, with proceeds going to Lauper's True Colors United, which supports LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.
2019: Release of "God's Gonna Cut You Down"
In 2019, Marilyn Manson released "God's Gonna Cut You Down", their highest-peaking single on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs and Rock Digital Songs.
2020: Collaboration on ASAP Ferg's "Marilyn Manson"
In 2020, Marilyn Manson provided vocals on the song "Marilyn Manson" on ASAP Ferg's mixtape Floor Seats II.
2020: Release of "We Are Chaos"
In 2020, Marilyn Manson released "We Are Chaos", which became the band's tenth top ten release on the Billboard 200.
2020: Shooter Jennings Produced 'We Are Chaos'
In 2020, Shooter Jennings produced Marilyn Manson's album We Are Chaos.
2021: Collaboration on Kanye West's "Donda"
In 2021, Marilyn Manson co-wrote and was featured on "Jail pt 2" from Kanye West's album Donda. He also appeared at promotional events and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
2021: Grammy Nomination for Work on Kanye West's "Donda"
In 2021, Marilyn Manson earned a Grammy nomination for his work on Kanye West's "Donda".
March 2024: North American Tour Announcement
In March 2024, Marilyn Manson announced a North American tour with Five Finger Death Punch.
2025: European Headline Shows
In 2025, Marilyn Manson will perform their own headline shows in Europe.
