System of a Down

alternative metal

System of a Down is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the lineup has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards), Daron Malakian (guitar, vocals), Shavo Odadjian (bass), and John Dolmayan (drums), who replaced original drummer Andy Khachaturian. The band achieved commercial success with the release of five studio albums, three of which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. System of a Down received four Grammy Award nominations, and the song B.Y.O.B. won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2006. Their music is known for politically oriented lyrics addressing social and political issues, including war, the prison system, and drug policy. The band entered a hiatus in 2006 and reunited in 2010. Aside from the release of the songs Protect the Land and Genocidal Humanoidz in 2020, the band has not released new studio material since the albums Mezmerize and Hypnotize in 2005. System of a Down has sold more than 12 million records worldwide, and the singles Aerials and Hypnotize reached number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. All members of the band are of Armenian descent. Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian attended the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School during childhood, although they did not meet until 1992 while working at the same recording studio. They formed a band called Soil with Tankian on vocals and keyboards, Malakian on vocals and guitar, Dave Hakopyan on bass, an...