Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Collective Soul shot to international fame with their 1993 release Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, and their mega #1 hit “Shine.”
The album was a collection of Ed Roland’s demos that spread quickly through the college underground circuit and caught fire, going on to achieve Double-Platinum status. After having been invited to the 25th Anniversary Woodstock concert, Collective Soul went into the studio to record their sophomore follow up. The self-titled Collective Soul, released in March of 1995, became the album that helped define their sound of catchy melodies and guitar driven songs. Containing four outstanding singles (three of which reached #1), “December,” “The World I Know,” “Where The River Flows,” and “Gel,” it became Collective Soul’s highest selling album to date. The album went Triple-Platinum and spent 76 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 charts.
Collective Soul went back into the studio and vented their spleen on 1997’s Platinum Disciplined Breakdown, which produced two more #1 hits, “Precious Declaration” and “Listen.” 1999 brought the album Dosage, a critically acclaimed set of songs that fans count as the band’s best. The album took a meticulous six months to record and provided another strong showing for the band, producing the #1 hit song “Heavy,” which would take the top Billboard spot for a (then) record of 15 weeks. Of the band’s 5th studio album, Rolling Stone cheered, “Blender simply shreds with unapologetic classic-rock energy.” Blender offered three more radio heavy smash hits with “Why, Part 2,” “Vent” and “Perfect Day,” a duet with Sir Elton John.
After releasing a Greatest Hits set entitled 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994-2001, Collective Soul ended their contract with Atlantic Records and created their own label El Music Group. The first release on the label was Youth (2004). The lyrics, in particular “Better Now,” declared the band’s newfound confidence and independence. Two more records and a concert DVD were released under the El Music Group imprint in 2005 and 2006: the EP From The Ground Up and Home – their lush, live, concert event with the Atlanta City Youth Orchestra.
In 2007 the band made an exclusive deal with all Target stores to be the sole seller of their 7th studio album, Afterwords. The fans responded, opening at #25 on the Billboard Comprehensive Albums Chart and #5 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums Chart, proving Collective Soul was now conquering the digital world. The album was later released worldwide on El Music Group.
“Tremble For My Beloved” found Collective Soul on the soundtrack to one of the hottest movies of 2008 – Twilight. “We heard through the grapevine that Stephanie Meyer was a fan of Collective Soul’s music and lyrics,” says Roland. Expanding to tweens opened up a whole new audience for the band. 2009 marked a new label and new momentum. Collective Soul released their latest studio effort, Collective Soul, on Roadrunner Records. Shortly after in 2010 the band parted ways with Roadrunner Records and returned to El Music Group.
In 2014 Collective Soul plans to release their much-anticipated 8th studio album in celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary.
Collective Soul, with 54-40 and special guests, performs at Prospera Place in Kelowna, 7:30 p.m. April 4.
Tickets go on sale Friday, February 7 at noon.
