Shinedown officially has another set of bragging rights, as Mediabase has recognized the group as the greatest band in the history of the Active Rock Chart. Shinedown has the most No. 1’s, Top 5’s, and Top 10’s in the Mediabase Active Rock category and has achieved a record-breaking 21 No. 1 songs on the chart, including their latest with “A Symptom of Being Human.”
Named The Greatest Rock Band In Mediabase Chart History
Mediabase presented Shinedown with an award commemorating the achievement, gifting the band members plaques highlighting their 21 chart-toppers. The black-framed artwork features the titles of some of the group’s hits like “Bully” and “Get Up” as well as a photo of the quartet, composed of Brent Smith (vocals), Zach Myers (guitar), Eric Bass (bass, production) and Barry Kerch (drums).
“It’s with excitement that we share the news of Shinedown’s phenomenal achievement, marking a historic milestone by attaining the highest number of #1’s, Top 5’s, and Top 10’s on the all-time Mediabase active rock chart,” Philippe Generali, President and CEO of Mediabase, said in a statement. “Our congratulations to Shinedown for this remarkable feat. Their success serves as a testament to their exceptional talent and the unwavering support of their fanbase.”
Shinedown’s Brent Smith added, “We are beyond grateful, and truly astonished and humbled, to be given this incredible record-breaking title. Thank you everyone at Mediabase, Active Rock Radio, and all of the program directors across America. I have said it before, and I will say it again, in Shinedown we only have one boss…it just happens to be everyone in the audience. We love you, Shinedown Nation! Long live terrestrial radio.”
Latest No. 1 On Active Rock Chart Is “A Symptom Of Being Human”
Shinedown’s latest No. 1 on the Active Rock chart was their single “A Symptom of Being Human,” which is also seeing crossover success at Hot AC (Top 15) and Alternative (Top 12 and rising) and impacting at Top 40 nationwide. Penned by Smith and Bass, the contemplative track highlights the fact that whatever you’re feeling, you’re not alone.
“It’s a song about taking a breath and understanding we all are going to face obstacles in life, but you have to embrace the trials and tribulations,” Smith told PEOPLE last summer. “We’ve had people say that ‘A Symptom of Being Human’ is like a security blanket. If they feel panicky or nervous or anxious, they’ll literally put the song on, and it calms them down. That’s the beauty of music.”
The band has released a pop remix, acoustic remix and a piano remix of “A Symptom of Being Human,” and Smith noted that he and his bandmates “had to make sure that people understood how necessary this song is and what it represents, and the fact that we want as many people as possible to hear it.”
Smith and Bass wrote the song during the pandemic, a time when Smith learned a major lesson in having “an immense amount of empathy for everybody on this planet because you don’t know what somebody’s going through.”
Shinedown Hopes They Can Cross Genres To Resonate With Everyone
Additionally, while the group were just recognized by Mediabase for their achievements in rock, Smith noted that he hopes Shinedown’s music can cross genres to help as many people as possible.
“I’ve never been somebody that felt like music needed to be put into a box,” he said. “When we go into a studio, we’re not writing a record because we want to get it played on this radio station, or we want this type of person to listen to it. Everyone talks about pop music, rock music, metal music, urban rap… it should just be about all music.”
