Making a change: Twenty years in, Shinedown continues to spark conversation with 'Planet Zero'

Over the course of 20 years, Shinedown has made its mark in the music industry.

The band has released seven albums and had 31 singles chart on Billboard.

Brent Smith, vocalist, takes none of that for granted.

“The band has kind of built this vessel which we removed the rearview mirror a long time ago,” he says. “It’s now about looking towards the future and seeing what new directions we can go.”

Shinedown is bringing its tour to Isleta Amphitheater on Thursday, Oct. 19. Opening on the tour are Papa Roach and Spiritbox.

“We’re doing something different with Papa Roach and Spiritbox,” Smith says. “I’m excited about returning to Albuquerque. The crowds there have supported us so much, and they always help us take it to the next level.”

Shinedown is known for their timely and timeless messages behind their chart-topping songs that resonate with both their global audience of rock fans and our cultural consciousness at large.

Shinedown recently broke into pop radio with its hit “A Symptom of Being Human” which is now Top 20 at Hot AC Radio.

Smith says the song is about how we are all a work in progress and celebrates the beauty of our individual differences and embraces the ups and downs and the messiness and awkwardness in life.

In 2022, the band released its seventh studio album, “Planet Zero” on Atlantic Records.

On this record, Shinedown takes on the societal forces that keep us divided, at a time when we need to move forward together and remember that we have more in common than not, alongside sharing a message of hope, perseverance and compassion.

Smith says writing “Planet Zero” was a journey like no other and stays away from controversy.

“We wrote this record in the midst of an election year and a pandemic,” he says. “The world has been massively polarized while dealing with a health crisis. The idea behind the album is that we couldn’t have a crystal ball and know what the future would hold. We as human beings aren’t meant to be apart from each other. We are social creatures, and we decided not to sugar coat anything that we write. As citizens of this country, we have the power to make change. It’s an important issue.”

For over 20 years, Smith has seen the band’s music connect with audiences around the world.

This was a big reason he worked with Live Nation on negotiating for better ticket prices.

“There’s a $25 ticket for the amphitheater shows,” he says. “Live Nation was really open to making the ticket prices more affordable, so that our fans don’t have to spend too much money to come enjoy our show.”

When Smith looks out at the audience, he sees different generations coming together to enjoy the music.

“What makes it challenging for us is that we’re always looking to change it up,” he says. “With a catalog of music like ours, of course, we have to play the hits. It’s important for us to keep that connection of growth.”