August 2023 saw UK ragga-metal legends Skindred fight a closely contested chart race for the UK Number 1 Album spot with their colossal eighth album ‘Smile’ with the incredible support of the rock and metal community – including messages of support from Metallica, Rage Against The Machine and Disturbed as well as Kerrang!, NME and Metal Hammer – the band landed a career best of Number 2 in the UK Album chart. They also went to reach Number 1 in the Official UK Rock & Metal Charts , The Independent album charts , The Official Downloads chart & The Vinyl Charts outselling most of the UKs biggest and most established Rock artists.
All of this followed an incredible career-defining year for Skindred from winning the Award as Best UK Live act at the Heavy music Awards to touring with Rock Legends Kiss as their special guests on their last ever UK tour. The band also graced the cover of Kerrang! magazine for the first time in their careers and performed their single Gimme That Boom on BBC 2’s Later… with Jools Holland . Aside from this Singer Benji Webbe also appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and the band also were featured as guests on BBC Breakfast,
Added to this the band’s 00s hit “Nobody” also saw an electrifying resurgence following a viral TikTok dance trend which saw the band having over 14 million hit the Skindred hashtag in a matter of weeks .(Even in the last few weeks of 2024 one person dancing to Skindred’s classic Nobody has amassed 32 million views on their Insta too).
Meanwhile the bands album ‘Smile’ attests to the enduring power of a band that delivers a good time, every time. “When I look out into the crowd, whether it’s in a small room or a festival crowd, the one thing I notice above all else is the smiles.” says Skindred’s formidable frontman Benji. For him and for Skindred – completed by guitarist Mikey Demus, bassist Daniel Pugsley, and drummer Arya Goggin – it’s about enduring and it’s about legacy. “In life, it’s about hearing that our music has encouraged people and got them through dark times. But even when we’re done and gone, people will still be listening to this music. That thought makes me smile.”
The band have just finished an extensive 16 date Sold Out UK & Ireland tour and followed it with a similarly extensive European tour where they also Sold Out almost every show too.
2024 looks to be a similarly exciting year for the band who look to celebrate their success with the bands biggest Headline London show to date at Wembleys’ OVO Arena on Friday 15th March with Support from San Diego Nu Metallers P.O.D. & the much talked about British Metal band As Everything Unfolds . The bands other UK headline shows at Manchester Academy March 14th & Birmingham Academy 16th are already both SOLD OUT. Meanwhile the band have also just been nominated as Best Alternative act at this years Mobo Awards . Skindred are as a result definitely looking forwards to celebrating their success with their biggest headline show to date at Wembley and have certainly got more than enough reasons to Smile.
