Breaking Benjamin is an American rock band formed in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1999 by singer, guitarist and principal songwriter Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel. The group developed from Burnley's earlier local projects and initially included guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski. Its name came from an incident in which Burnley broke a borrowed microphone, prompting its owner to blame "Benjamin" for breaking it.
The band first attracted regional attention when radio personality Freddie Fabbri began playing "Polyamorous," a song from Breaking Benjamin's independently released 2001 EP. Fabbri later helped the group secure a record deal with Hollywood Records, leading to its debut album, Saturate, in 2002. Combining heavy guitars, compact song structures and Burnley's restrained but emotionally forceful vocals, the album established the band's central sound. Songs such as "Polyamorous" and "Skin" helped Breaking Benjamin build an audience within the active rock format.
We Are Not Alone followed in 2004 and broadened the band's profile. Its singles "So Cold" and "Sooner or Later" became important radio successes, while "Rain" showed a more melodic side. Hummel left the band after the album and was replaced by Chad Szeliga. The revised lineup recorded Phobia in 2006, the band's major commercial breakthrough. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 and produced several of Breaking Benjamin's best-known songs, including "The Diary of Jane," "Breath" and "Dance with the Devil." Its music videos and extensive radio exposure made the band a prominent name in mid-2000s American hard rock.
With Dear Agony in 2009, Breaking Benjamin continued to refine its blend of dark subject matter, polished production and large, anthemic choruses. "I Will Not Bow" became one of the group's signature tracks. The album was followed by an extended hiatus beginning in 2010, largely connected with Burnley's recurring health problems. During the hiatus, a 2011 compilation, Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin, became the focus of a dispute involving Burnley and former members Fink and Klepaski. Szeliga subsequently left in 2013, citing creative differences.
Burnley rebuilt Breaking Benjamin in 2014 with guitarist Jasen Rauch, guitarist and vocalist Keith Wallen, bassist and vocalist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist. This lineup's first album, Dark Before Dawn (2015), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and demonstrated that the band retained its audience after several years away. Ember followed in 2018, debuting at number three and emphasizing a heavier, more aggressive version of the established Breaking Benjamin formula.
In 2020, the band issued Aurora, a collection of reworked acoustic and orchestral versions of earlier songs featuring guest vocalists including Lacey Sturm and Spencer Chamberlain. After another period focused largely on touring, Breaking Benjamin released "Awaken" in 2024, its first new single in five years, and moved from Hollywood Records to BMG. "Something Wicked," released on May 13, 2026, continued the band's partnership with BMG and reached number one on both the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and the Mediabase Active Rock chart in August 2026.
Across its career, Breaking Benjamin has remained closely identified with Burnley's songwriting and vocal style. The band's music is marked by down-tuned guitars, dramatic dynamics, introspective lyrics and choruses designed for both radio and large venues. While its lineup has changed repeatedly, that consistent musical identity has made Breaking Benjamin one of the most durable acts associated with 21st-century American hard rock.