Train - Calling All Angels
I need a sign, to that blonde girl from Bleecker Street, Red Lion Sat 12:34 we had a moment...
Out to LA
Radiohead - High and Dry
💙 For That Someone Who'll Know It's for Them “I'm not putting their name here because they'll know exactly who they are when they hear it!!!
Michelle
Foo Fighters - Times Like These
🖤 For Anyone Having a Rough Week “To anybody who's had one of those weeks where nothing seems to go right...
Foo Fighters began as one musician’s way of getting through grief and became one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Three decades on, Dave Grohl’s band is a byword for loud guitars, huge choruses and marathon live shows, and it has kept guitar rock on the radio through every trend that has come and gone since 1995.
| Formed | 1994, Seattle, Washington |
| Founder | Dave Grohl |
| Long-time members | Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Taylor Hawkins (1997–2022) |
| Genres | Alternative rock, modern rock, post-grunge |
| Hall of Fame | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2021 |
After Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994 ended Nirvana, drummer Dave Grohl went into a Seattle studio and recorded a set of songs on his own, playing almost every instrument. He released them under the name Foo Fighters, a World War II term for unexplained aerial lights, so they would not be judged as a “Nirvana drummer” project.
The 1995 album Foo Fighters was a hit, and Grohl built a real band around it with bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith from Sunny Day Real Estate, plus former Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear.
Fuzzy, catchy and full of energy. “This Is a Call,” “I’ll Stick Around” and “Big Me” established the sound.
Still many fans’ favorite. “Everlong,” “My Hero” and “Monkey Wrench” are modern rock classics. Taylor Hawkins joined on drums during this era.
Relaxed and melodic, with “Learn to Fly,” “Breakout” and “Generator.” It won the Grammy for Best Rock Album, the first of several. Guitarist Chris Shiflett joined soon after.
One by One brought “All My Life” and “Times Like These.” In Your Honor split into a heavy disc and an acoustic disc, with “Best of You” becoming one of their signature songs.
“The Pretender” and “Long Road to Ruin” made this one of their biggest records on alternative radio.
Recorded to analog tape in Grohl’s garage with Nirvana producer Butch Vig, and featuring Pat Smear back as a full member. “Rope,” “Walk” and “These Days” made it one of their strongest albums.
Sonic Highways paired each song with a different American city and a TV series. Concrete and Gold (2017) and Medicine at Midnight (2021) followed. After the death of Taylor Hawkins in March 2022, the band made But Here We Are (2023), an album about loss that many critics ranked among their best.
Grohl is one of rock’s great enthusiasts: a powerful drummer, a skilled songwriter, a documentary filmmaker (Sound City, Sonic Highways) and an author. His openness and humor turned Foo Fighters into one of the most likeable bands in music.
Hawkins joined in 1997 and quickly became the band’s engine and its second frontman, singing covers and his own songs on stage. His death in 2022 shocked the music world. Two all-star tribute concerts in London and Los Angeles that year celebrated his life, and his spirit runs through But Here We Are. The band has since toured with new drummers, beginning with Josh Freese in 2023.
Foo Fighters have won more than a dozen Grammy Awards, headlined most of the world’s biggest festivals and kept guitar-driven rock commercially strong through decades when it was out of fashion. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, their first year of eligibility.
Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Royal Blood.
Dave Grohl recorded the first album in late 1994, and the band played its first shows in 1995.
Dave Grohl, the former drummer of Nirvana.
“Everlong” (1997) is widely considered their signature song.
Yes. See our upcoming alternative concerts guide for announced dates and the band’s official site for tickets.
Foo Fighters are one of the most-played bands on our modern rock shows, bridging the grunge era and today. Catch it on Where Modern Rock Meets Grunge, check the radio show schedule, or press play on the live stream. Want a specific song? Send a request or dedication.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Official artist website: foofighters.com. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
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