Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk. The band was known for melding heavy metal and rap music with punk rock and funk influences, as well as their left-wing views. As of 2010, they have sold over 16 million records worldwide.[1] The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.[2][3]
Not to be confused with Race Against the Machine or Age Against the Machine.
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine released its self-titled debut album in 1992 to critical acclaim, and achieved commercial success following their performances at the 1993 Lollapalooza festival; in 2003, the album was ranked number 368 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[4] The band's next two albums, Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999), were also successful; both albums topped the Billboard 200 chart.[5][6] During their initial nine-year run, Rage Against the Machine became a popular and influential band,[7] and had a large influence on the nu metal genre which came to prominence during the late 1990s and early 2000s. They were also ranked No. 33 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.[8]
In 2000, Rage Against the Machine released the cover album Renegades and disbanded after growing creative differences led to De la Rocha's departure. After pursuing other projects for several years, Rage Against the Machine reunited to perform at Coachella in 2007. Over the next four years, the band played live venues and festivals around the world before going on hiatus in 2011. In 2019, Rage Against the Machine announced a world tour that was delayed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was cut short after de la Rocha suffered a leg injury. Wilk confirmed in January 2024 that the band had disbanded for the third time.[9]
Studio albums
