Shinedown Essentials

Formed in 2001 by frontman Brent Smith, Shinedown released their debut two years later, garnering almost instant acclaim among heavy rock fans. As famous for penning brooding ballads as hammering hard stuff, and finding a sweet spot in songs that mixed both (e.g., "Simple Man"), Shinedown set the pace for the active rock scene of the '00s, charting with close to 20 hit singles. Charbroil some red meat and familiarize yourself with this classic heartland rock.