Sum 41
Rock
ActiveAbout
Sum 41 formed in 1996 when high school friends Deryck Whibley and Steve Jocz decided to start a band, later joined by guitarist Dave Baksh and bassist Jason McCaslin, all hailing from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed forty-one days into their 1996 summer vacation, which is how they chose their name. 'All Killer No Filler' wasn't just a commercial success—it was a cultural phenomenon, driven by the chart-topping 'Fat Lip' and its blend of pop-punk hooks and rebellious spirit. Along with its gold-certified follow-ups, 'Does This Look Infected?' (2002) and 'Chuck' (2004), Sum 41 delivered a triptych of classic albums that defined an era, with tracks like 'In Too Deep,' 'Still Waiting,' and 'We're All To Blame' becoming generational anthems. Sum 41 has been described as pop-punk, skate punk, punk rock, heavy metal, alternative metal, melodic hardcore, alternative rock, thrash metal, pop rock, punk metal, arena rock, and hard rock. They came out of the gate swinging with a signature style punctuated by pop-punk singalongs and hard-hitting heavy-metal proficiency. The group travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo in May 2004 with War Child, shot a documentary titled 'Rocked: Sum 41 In The Congo,' and were caught in the crossfire of a gun battle before being evacuated with the assistance of Canadian peacekeeper Chuck Pelletier, and the group's 2004 album, 'Chuck,' was named in his honour. Despite lineup changes and frontman Deryck Whibley's well-documented health struggles, they returned stronger than ever with 'Screaming Bloody Murder' (2011), earning a GRAMMY nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. On May 8, 2023, the band announced it would be disbanding following the release of 'Heaven :x: Hell' and a worldwide headlining tour. The band will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.