Hoobastank

It'd be easy to recap the career of Hoobastank: a couple of guys meet in a Battle of the Bands in Agoura Hills, CA, in 1994. They grab a bassist and a drummer, damn themselves with a weird band name, build up a local following, get signed, put out two records that earn accolades like “post-grunge ear candy”, release a monster ballad (‘The Reason’), get nominated for three Grammys… well, we can go on. But here's why you should really give a damn about Hoobastank, and their third album Every Man for Himself.

TWO AMAZINGLY FASCINATING THINGS ABOUT HOOBASTANK:
1. There are flutes and seven minute songs on the new album (blame Pink Floyd).
If you liked the infectious pop-rock stylings of the last two Hoobastank albums, you'll enjoy Every Man for Himself just as much, if not more. That said, Every Man does offer up some variety, even while maintaining the band's core sound. The epic "More Than a Memory", for example, features flutes, accordion, chimes and trumpets.

2. Music critics despise them. The feeling is mutual.
"The album came out in April. We’ll do some shows, meet fans, and have critics ready to tear it apart," says Robb. If we're happy with it, that's what counts. We get a lot of S*** because we don't go out of our way to be 'different' ... we're just trying to be who we are. And that's actually the theme of the album - being yourself."