Good Charlotte

A long-tenured pop-punk outfit from Maryland, Good Charlotte blend fiery emo and a catchy alt-rock into their signature sound. The group made their mainstream breakthrough in 2002 with raucous hits "The Anthem" and "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" from their sophomore set, The Young and the Hopeless. Influenced by Minor Threat, Rancid, and Green Day, they made a splash on MTV with their youthful, rebellious videos, finding crossover success in both the pop and rock markets with subsequent international Top Ten hits The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004) and Good Morning Revival (2007). As members became fathers and the scene evolved, they embraced their roles as genre vets in the late 2010s, fueling the nostalgic pop-punk revival with 2016's Youth Authority and 2018's Generation Rx. Good Charlotte's eighth album, Motel du Cap, arrived in 2025 after a seven year gap and bore a more intimate, personal tone.

The band was founded in 1996 by twin brothers Joel and Benji Madden. Inspired by a Beastie Boys performance on their 1995 Ill Communication tour, the Maddens enlisted the help of several high-school classmates in assembling a band that combined the energetic elements spawned from '70s punk with the sentimental ballads of mainstream corporate rock. Good Charlotte were soon formed, with Joel Madden handling lead vocals and Benji Madden playing lead guitar. Paul Thomas (bass) and Aaron Escolopio (drums) completed the early lineup, while Billy Martin later joined as a second guitarist.

Although the group hailed from the suburban town of Waldorf, Maryland, Good Charlotte quickly made a name for themselves in nearby Washington, D.C., playing the WHFS annual rock show HFStival in 1998 and 1999. A year later, the band issued their spunky self-titled debut on Epic, and the single "Little Things" made minor waves. The Madden brothers scored a gig as MTV VJs and soon were all over the network's late-night rock show All Things Rock, which gave their band's profile a boost. The two spent time behind the scenes writing songs for their sophomore album, but Escolopio left the group to join his brother in Wakefield before recording could begin. Josh Freese was quickly enlisted as the band's temporary drummer, though he was later replaced by Chris Wilson. By the fall of 2002, Good Charlotte prepared to release The Young and the Hopeless, and their expanded audience was ready. Singles "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Anthem" catapulted the group into the mainstream in 2003 and eventually drove the album into triple-platinum sales.

In 2004, Good Charlotte returned with The Chronicles of Life and Death, which hit number three on the Billboard charts but failed to sell as well as their previous album. Wilson exited the band in mid-2005 citing health reasons, and later went on to join the Summer Obsession. Dean Butterworth joined up in time for sessions for the crew's fourth album, which were held in Vancouver and away from the Madden-loving paparazzi (especially Joel and his then-girlfriend, actress Hilary Duff). The much more varied and keyboard-heavy Good Morning Revival appeared in late March 2007, spearheaded by the single "The River," which featured M. Shadows and Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold.

In 2009, the bandmembers announced that they were returning both to the studio and their punk roots. Good Charlotte's fifth album, Cardiology, was released in 2010. The set peaked at 31 on the charts and the group soon went on hiatus. During the break, the Madden Brothers did some production work with All Time Low and 5 Seconds of Summer, then released a soft rock solo project called Greetings from California in 2014. Eager to resume their career, the pair reconvened Good Charlotte for 2016's Youth Authority. Produced by longtime collaborator John Feldmann, the sessions were intentionally spontaneous, aimed at reclaiming some of the energy of their early years. They carried this energy into their next full-length 2018's, Generation Rx. Produced by Benji Madden and Zakk Cervini, the LP fared better in Europe and Australia than the U.S., entering the Top 40 in the U.K. and spawning the singles "Actual Pain" and "Prayers."

Kicking off a new decade, the Good Charlotte joined Yung Pinch and Goody Grace on "Hanging with Ghosts" before returning with their own single "Last December" at the end of 2020. In 2023, while playing a private wedding in France, the group felt a spark of inspiration that set the relaxed, intimate tone for their next project. 2025's Motel du Cap marked the band first release in seven years and proved to be their most personal to date. It was produced by Jordan Fish and Zakk Cervini and featured guest appearances from pop singer Charlie Puth and rapper Wiz Khalifa, among others. ~ MacKenzie Wilson