Placebo

As the Britpop movement erupted in the UK, Placebo stood staunchly in the shadows, fluttering their mascara-covered eyelashes and drawing upon influences like Nirvana, glam rock, and alternative to become a major commercial force. The band formed in London, England, in 1994, and released their first single, "Bruise Pristine," in 1995. The song appeared on Placebo's platinum-selling, self-titled debut in 1996. The record peaked at Number 5 in the UK, while its biggest single, "Nancy Boy," climbed to Number 4. David Bowie booked Placebo to play his 50th birthday gig at New York City's Madison Square Garden, and the band returned with a second album, Without You I'm Nothing, in 1998. The hit singles "Pure Morning" and "You Don't Care About Us" both cracked the Top 5 in the UK, while "Every Me Every You" climbed to Number 11. Like its predecessor, Without You I'm Nothing earned platinum status in the UK, and the subsequent albums Black Market Music (2000), Sleeping With The Ghosts (2003), Meds (2006), Battle For The Sun (2009), and Loud Like Love (2013) all went gold. Following Loud Like Love's release, Placebo spent the better part of a decade focusing on tour dates, compilation releases, and other projects before the band's eighth album, Never Let Me Go, was released in March 2022.