Creed was easily one of the most successful hard rock acts of the late '90s and early 2000s. The three albums from their original run – My Own Prison from 1997, Human Clay from 1999, and Weathered from 2001 – have sold over a collective 22 million copies in the United States alone. They had hits like "Torn", "Higher", and "With Arms Wide Open". Despite all that success, guitarist Mark Tremonti revealed that he still felt like he and the band were constantly on the way out.
In an interview with Rick Beato, Tremonti said he never felt like he was going to be okay util Alter Bridge's 2010 album AB III. Tremonti also touched on record executives doubting whether Creed could duplicate the success of their My Own Prison singles, and the first time that he realized just how big "Higher" was going to be.
"The bad thing about the early part of our career is that everybody was doubting us the entire time. I felt like I was fighting survival my entire career, up until our third Alter Bridge record. I felt like every record I put out, every single I put out, my career could be over, somebody else is going to take my job, right?"
'So, with 'My Own Prison', we came out with that single, and they're like, 'Oh, you're going to be a one-hit-wonder.' And we came out with, I think, 'Torn' next, and that went number one. We're like, 'All right, we're not a one-hit wonder.' Then they're like, 'You're going to have a sophomore slump on the next record.' Well, thanks."
He continued: "So, that, I think that made us work harder. And then, I remember hearing 'Higher in the studio, and [thought], 'That sounds like a hit song to me.' I remember exactly where I was when I heard it on the radio. I was at Havertys, the furniture store, buying furniture for my first home, and I'm leaving with my wife. And the DJ [on the radio] was like, 'Creed has come back with this, sounds like a hit to me!' I was like, 'Yes! thank God! We're going to live another day.' And then, of course, 'Arms Wide Open' did really well."
Creed recently announced their 2025 Summer of '99 Tour featuring 3 Doors Down, Daughtry, Mammoth WVH, and Big Wreck. Get those dates below. Tickets are available here.
7/9 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/11 Syracuse, NY Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/12 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (w/ 3 Doors Down)
7/15 Wantagh, NY Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
7/16 Scranton, PA The Pavilion at Montage Mountain (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
7/20 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/22 Hartford, CT Xfinity Theatre (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/24 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/26 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/27 Memphis, TN FedExForum (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
7/29 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
8/1 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
8/2 Ridgedale, MO Thunder Ridge Nature Arena (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
8/4 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
8/6 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (w/ Daughtry & Mammoth WVH)
8/7 Palm Desert, CA Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
8/9 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
8/10 Stateline, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH) (Not a Live Nation date)
8/13 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
8/14 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre (w/ 3 Doors Down & Mammoth WVH)
8/16 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena (w/ Big Wreck & Mammoth WVH)
8/19 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place (w/ Big Wreck & Mammoth WVH)
8/20 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome (w/ Big Wreck & Mammoth WVH)
