Rage Against The Machine songs

Outspoken firebrands and activists Rage Against the Machine educated masses of heavy music fans by injecting their bombastic Molotov cocktail of rap, hardcore punk, funk, and metal with a sobering dose of fiercely polemical, politically charged urgency. Crashing the mainstream in 1992 with "Killing in the Name" -- their sonic protest against police brutality and systemic racism -- the band planted their flag in the scene with their triple-platinum debut, Rage Against the Machine, which courted controversy with its graphic cover of a protesting, self-immolated Buddhist monk. For the remainder of the decade, Rage continued to push this anti-authoritarian and revolutionary message, extending their platinum streak with subsequent chart-topping Grammy winners Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999). At the turn of the millennium, it seemed like they would show no signs of relenting, balancing sales and chart success with headline-grabbing demonstrations (like shutting down the New York Stock Exchange for a video shoot). However, in late 2000, the band imploded and decided to take a break. After issuing a covers album, Renegades, members went on to pursue other projects, with vocalist Zack de la Rocha going solo and the rest of the group forming Audioslave with Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. Into the 2010s, a rumored comeback album never materialized, but the band remained a fixture on the cultural landscape, performing shows and working on side projects such as Prophets of Rage. At the turn of the next decade, Rage made another official comeback, charting a global reunion tour in 2020 that was sidelined by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. That same year, in the midst of international protests against police brutality, their seminal debut struck a chord with demonstrators, reentering the U.S. charts as every one of their albums hit the Top 30 on streaming services.

Taking aim at corporate America, cultural imperialism, and government oppression, Rage Against the Machine formed in Los Angeles in the early '90s out of the wreckage of a number of local groups: vocalist Zack de la Rocha (the son of Chicano political artist Robert de la Rocha) emerged from the bands Headstance, Farside, and Inside Out; guitarist Tom Morello (the nephew of Jomo Kenyatta, the first Kenyan president) originated in Lock Up; and drummer Brad Wilk played with future Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Rounded out by bassist Tim Commerford, a childhood friend of de la Rocha's, Rage debuted in 1992 with a self-released, self-titled 12-song cassette featuring the song "Bullet in the Head," which became a hit when reissued as a single later in the year. The tape won the band a deal with Epic, and their leap to the majors did not go unnoticed by detractors, who questioned the revolutionary integrity of Rage Against the Machine's decision to align itself with the label's parent company, media behemoth Sony.

Undeterred, the quartet made their official major-label debut with Rage Against the Machine, scoring hits with singles like "Killing in the Name" and "Bombtrack." After touring with Lollapalooza and declaring their support of groups like FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), Rock for Choice, and Refuse & Resist, Rage spent a reportedly tumultuous four years working on their follow-up. Despite rumors of a breakup, they returned in 1996 with Evil Empire, which entered the U.S. album charts at number one and scored a hit single with "Bulls on Parade." The track "Tire Me" went on to win a Grammy for Best Metal Performance. In 1997, the band charted a summer tour with rap group Wu-Tang Clan (the Wu later dropped off the tour and the Roots replaced them) and remained active in support of various leftist political causes, including a controversial 1999 benefit concert for death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal.