Rockers Pay Tribute to Late 3 Doors Down Singer Brad Arnold

The music world is in mourning after the death of 3 Doors Down frontman Brad Arnold at the age of 47.

The singer’s death was confirmed in a statement on social media confirming that the musician had passed earlier today (Feb. 7). The news comes after Arnold was diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer, in 2025.

On the band’s posting, several acts weighed in with their own comments. Alter Bridge shared, “Thank you Brad, your friendship was one we will hold close forever. Until we meet again.”

Sevendust commented, “Rest now brother. Thank You for all you have given us.”

Producer Howard Benson added, “I will always cherish the time we spent together making music and talking about life. RIP Brad.”

Creed shared, “Sending love to the Arnold and 3DD family.”

Black Stone Cherry commented, “We are so very sorry. Brad was always such a top notch, class act to us. Even before we were anything at all- he supported us. Such a huge loss and our prayers go out to his family and band.”

Exies vocalist Scott Stevens added, “This one hurts . Brad and I had some good memories together and we had a scary life threatening one that we both would never forget . It connected he and I in that time forever . Thank you for taking me on tour Brad , those were days that I will carry with me forever . Rest easy now soldier . My condolences to your family in this very difficult time.”

3 Doors Down’s History With Brad Arnold

3 Doors Down formed in 1996 in Escatawpa, Mississippi when Arnold was just a teenager. A drummer when he first started out, he wrote the song “Kryptonite” that would be the band’s breakout single when he was in his high school math class at the age of 15.

The band arrived on the scene nationally in 2000 with the release of The Better Life album. It would spawn four big singles, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 Album chart and has since gone on to be certified 7 times platinum in the U.S.

During this time, 3 Doors Down would also form The Better Life Foundation and they would prove to be one of the more charitable acts over the history of their career.

The band issued six studio albums over the course of their career and in 2020 Brad Arnold released his first solo single.

The group won three Billboard Music Awards, one American Music Award and five BMI Pop Awards.

A Writer’s Tribute

As a longtime music writer, I’ve had several occasions to meet and chat with 3 Doors Down singer Brad Arnold over the years. The first came in the year 2000, just as the band’s The Better Life and its breakout song “Kryptonite” were just taking off.

It was refreshing to speak with the young musician, who had just turned 21, and witnessing the youthful exuberance but yet a humbled appreciation of the ride that he was just starting to embark upon at that point in his career. There was an awe and appreciation of what was happening in his life mixed with the wide-eyed innocence of a musician on his way to the top. He was not the least bit jaded, naturally and happily enjoying every bit of the experience. You couldn’t help but root for his future success.

One other thing that must be mentioned is their charitable spirit. I got to see Brad and his bandmates firsthand helping others in 2011 visiting them in West Los Angeles as they took part in a day of helping to refurbish the grounds of New Directions, a non-profit organization that assisted homeless U.S. military vets recovering from a multitude of ailments. That was just one of many charitable efforts they embarked upon over the years and their dedication to helping others through the success they achieved is something to be admired.

One of my last experiences speaking with Brad came in 2020, a period in which he was launching his debut solo single “Wicked Man,” but also reflecting on 20 years since their debut album.

Twenty years into their career and Arnold still had that “happy to be here” vibe about him. Reflecting on their career start, he shared, “Looking back on it, I didn’t realize how volatile every moment was … It was like having a backstage pass to life. You just wind up in so many different places and situations with people that you just don’t normally find yourself in. But I’ll tell you, I’m still happy to be here and joyful to be here and a lot more thankful to be here than I was then. I thought I was thankful to be there then, now I know I am thankful to be here.”

“Thankful” is word shared often in speaking with Brad. And thankful is a word we’ll use today for not only the music, but the legacy of humanity left behind. Simply put, we lost one of the good ones today. Brad will be missed.

As expected, with the death of Brad Arnold, additional rockers have also weighed in on social media sharing their condolences and tributes to the late 3 Doors Down singer. See a sampling of messages concerning the death of Brad Arnold below. We will continue to update this post as more messages come in.

Brent Smith (Shinedown)

Zach Myers (Shinedown)

David Draiman (Disturbed)

Dan Donegan (Disturbed)

Mark Tremonti (Creed / Alter Bridge / Tremonti)

Scott Stapp (Creed)

Creed

Staind

Ben Wells (Black Stone Cherry)

David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth)

Bret Michaels (Poison)

Rikki Rockett (Poison)

Seether

Leigh Kakaty (Pop Evil)

Hinder

Adam Gontier (Three Days Grace)

Morgan Rose (Sevendust)

Kevin Martin (Candlebox)

Saving Abel

Aaron Fink (Earshot, ex-Breaking Benjamin)

Howard Benson (Producer)

Michael Sweet (Stryper)

Elvio Fernandes (Daughtry)

Finger Eleven

Brian Wheat (Tesla)

Jeff Waters (Annihilator)

Jeff Scott Soto

Eddie Trunk (SiriusXM Radio Personality)

Matt Pinfield (Radio Personality)

Mitch Lafon (Rock + Metal Personality)

Danny Wimmer Presents (Concert Promoters)

Kicking Harold

See some of the rockers we lost in 2025 in the gallery below.