Foo Fighters have become one of the most important rock bands of the past few decades. Led by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band has filled stadiums around the world while keeping the spirit of grunge alive.
This timeline looks back at the history of Foo Fighters and traces their discography from Grohl’s first solo project to the band’s latest releases.
The story of Foo Fighters began after Cobain‘s death, as a solo project by Dave Grohl. He had already grown frustrated with Nirvana and had been considering a new musical project for some time. And as we all know, Kurt Cobain also had other plans.
After recording and releasing the self-titled Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl soon turned the project into a full-fledged band, and one of the most important rock acts of the following decades.
Over the course of their career, Foo Fighters have released 12 studio albums and produced numerous hit singles, including Everlong, Monkey Wrench, Learn to Fly, The Pretender, Rope, and Best of You.
Following the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022, the band continued with the albums But Here We Are in 2023 and Your Favorite Toy in 2026.
Pre-Foo Fighters: Scream and Nirvana
Before launching Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl had already made a name for himself in Washington, D.C.’s underground music scene. Starting in 1986, he played drums for the hardcore band Scream. It was during his time with that band that Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic became impressed by Grohl’s playing and invited him to join Nirvana.
With Nirvana, Grohl recorded the acclaimed Nevermind in 1991 and the band’s final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. His powerful drumming became an essential part of Nirvana’s sound and success, and Grohl went on to become one of the three musicians who helped reshape the sound of the 1990s.
After Cobain’s death in April 1994, Dave Grohl began working on what would eventually become Foo Fighters. You can read more about this period in our Nirvana history timeline.
Foo Fighters: Early Success (1995–1999)
In 1995, Dave Grohl released the self-titled debut album by Foo Fighters. He played every instrument himself, including guitar, drums, bass, and vocals. Once the album was finished, Grohl decided to recruit other musicians and turn the project into a proper band that could tour and promote the record.
The first Foo Fighters members to join Grohl were Nate Mendel on bass, Pat Smear on guitar, and William Goldsmith on drums. The band0s debut album became a commercial success, driven by tracks such as I’ll Stick Around and Big Me.
By 1997, Foo Fighters were back in the studio working on their second album, The Colour and the Shape. Tensions with drummer William Goldsmith eventually led to his departure, and Dave Grohl played drums on most of the record himself. The result was the band’s most successful album to that point, featuring songs such as Monkey Wrench, Everlong, and My Hero, which brought Foo Fighters international recognition.
After the album was recorded, Taylor Hawkins joined the band as drummer, while guitarist Pat Smear left the group.
Foo Fighters recorded their third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose, as a trio in 1999. Although it did not reach the same level of popularity as its predecessor, the album was another major success for the band, producing singles such as Learn to Fly and Breakout.
By the end of 1999, Chris Shiflett joined as guitarist, bringing Foo Fighters back to a four-member lineup.
The 2000s: Foo Fighters Become The Leading Post-Grunge Band
In 2002, after a lengthy legal battle over the rights to Nirvana’s music delayed the band’s work, Foo Fighters released One by One. While it is not generally considered their strongest album, it featured well-known songs such as All My Life and Times Like These.
By this point, Dave Grohl had established himself as a major figure in rock. In 2004, he recorded with Lemmy Kilmister and other heavy metal musicians for his side project Probot. He also played drums on With Teeth, the 2005 album by Nine Inch Nails. In addition, Grohl has appeared on all four of Tenacious D’s studio albums.
Also, his band kepot going.
Foo Fighters released In Your Honor in 2005 as a double album. The first disc leaned heavily into rock, while the second focused on acoustic material. Although the album was not regarded as the band’s strongest musical effort, it still produced the classic Best of You.
In 2007, Foo Fighters released Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Powered by the single The Pretender, the album helped return the band to the top of the charts.
It is also worth noting that in 2009, Dave Grohl joined forces with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones to form the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. The trio released their self-titled debut album that same year.
Foo Fighters Since 2010: Rock Icons
In 2011, guitarist Pat Smear officially returned to the band, turning Foo Fighters into a five-piece. The lineup—Dave Grohl, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, and Smear—recorded the highly successful Wasting Light. Singles such as Rope and Walk became some of the album’s standout tracks.
In 2014, Foo Fighters released Sonic Highways, an album that failed to match the commercial success of its predecessors. From this point onward, the band remained highly relevant, although its albums generally achieved less commercial impact.
By then, Foo Fighters had firmly established themselves as one of the biggest rock bands of the previous few decades, with multiplatinum albums and a string of successful singles. Dave Grohl had also built a career and reputation entirely on his own merits, well beyond his years with Nirvana. Foo Fighters had consistently demonstrated that they could remain relevant, connect with new audiences, and continue filling stadiums.
Grohl was also invited to contribute to a variety of other musical projects, including Bleed Like Me by Garbage and the EP If You Have Ghost by Ghost.
In 2017, Foo Fighters released Concrete and Gold. Although the album was better received than its predecessor, it did not make a major impact with critics or audiences. It also marked the addition of keyboardist Ramy Jaffee, expanding the band into a six-piece.
In 2021, the band released the well-received Medicine at Midnight. A few months later, under the name Dee Gees, Foo Fighters released the EP Hail Satin.
The band’s next major production was the horror-comedy film Studio 666, which was built around the fictional story of Foo Fighters recording their latest album.
Muerte de Taylor Hawkins en 2022
On March 25, 2022, Taylor Hawkins died while Foo Fighters were on their Latin American tour. He passed away in Bogotá, Colombia. His final concert with the band had taken place on March 20, 2022, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dave Grohl organized two tribute concerts in Hawkins’ honor. The first took place on September 3, 2022, at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The second followed on September 27, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.
In April 2023, Foo Fighters announced the release of their new album, But Here We Are. It was their first record since There Is Nothing Left to Lose in 1999 to feature a drummer other than Taylor Hawkins.
Soon after recording But Here We Are, Foo Fighters announced Josh Freese as their new drummer. His tenure with the Foos, however, was relatively brief: in 2025, Freese was replaced by former Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin.
In 2026, Foo Fighters released Your Favorite Toy, marking a return to a more aggressive sound.