Staind formed in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1995 when Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushok met at a Christmas party. The band initially covered songs by Korn, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, Tool, and Alice in Chains before self-releasing their debut album, Tormented, in 1996. Their breakthrough came in 1999 with the album Dysfunction, produced with Fred Durst's Flip Records, which spawned the hit single "Outside." The band achieved mainstream success with Break the Cycle and 14 Shades of Grey, the latter debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and selling two million copies. Known for their acoustic-driven rock sound that evolved from heavier nu-metal roots toward softer, more introspective material, Staind has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and produced eight Top 10 singles. The band reunited in 2023 after a decade-long hiatus to release Confessions of the Fallen.