Rage Against the Machine, often referred to as just “Rage” by fans, is a popular, politically vocal, alternative rock band. The band’s lyrical content and the social activism of its members have garnered the band both criticism and praise.

Rage Against the Machine is a pioneer of rap-rock and nu-metal, a genre which brings together traditional heavy metal sounds with elements of hardcore punk, funk, and electronic and industrial influences. However, beyond simple genres, they are often classified as a protest band, with many of their songs echoing from loudspeakers at both right-wing, left-wing, and even anarchist gatherings.

Rage is one of the few bands that has maintained the same original line-up since its founding. The four-man group includes:

• Zach de la Rocha on lead vocals
• Tim Commerford on bass and backing vocals
• Tom Morello on lead guitarist
• Brad Wilk on drums

The band’s name is reflected in its lyrical content and heavy rap-rock instrumentation and vocals which quite literally sounds like an expression of rage against “the machine.” If you listen to a couple of songs, the machine seems to be any number of things, including the government, corporations, religious institutions, or just about any authority figure whatsoever. The origins of the band name, however, ultimately trace back to a song from Zack de la Rocha’s earlier band Inside Out, which was titled “Rage Against the Machine.”

Rage Against the Machine was formed in Los Angeles, California.

Rage Against the Machine was formed in 1991 with the release of the band’s first demo tape in December of that year. Shortly thereafter, the band signed with Epic Records and released their self-titled debut album on November 3, 1992.

Although the band never broke up officially, the departure of Zach de la Rocha in late 2000 forced the band into a hiatus. The remaining trio linked up with Chris Cornell, the former lead vocalist of Soundgarden, and formed Audioslave in 2001. Audioslave released three albums and then disbanded in 2007 with the three members of Rage reuniting with de la Rocha in April to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. They performed together for several years before going on hiatus a second time in 2011. In 2019, the band reunited again and announced a 2020 tour, which would include a second visit to Coachella. However due to the coronavirus, the band had to pause touring until 2022.

In April 1996, Rage appeared on Saturday Night Live for the first and only time. They were slated to perform two songs but after “Bulls on Parade,” the band members attempted to hang American flags upside down from the amplifiers. This universal sign of distress was meant to protest Steve Forbes who had been invited on the show. Rage was not permitted to perform their second song and has been banned from performing at SNL ever again.

Rage Against the Machine's "Wake up" appears in the final scene of The Matrix.

The band's first performance at Coachella was on April 29, 2007. It marked their official reunion after a hiatus that lasted over half a decade. In 2020, they were slated to perform at Coachella a second time as part of their second reunion tour, but the show was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Rage Against The Machine has had 584 concerts.

Rage Against The Machine is most often considered to be Rock, Alternative Rock, Alternative, Metal, Hard Rock, Alternative Metal, Nu Metal, Post-Grunge, Rap Rock, Conscious Hip Hop, Funk Metal, Rap Metal, Rapcore, Political Hip Hop, and Political.

The last Rage Against The Machine concert was on November 03, 2023 at Barclays Center in New York, New York, United States. The bands that performed were: Kate Bush / Sheryl Crow / Missy Elliott / Willie Nelson / Rage Against The Machine.

The songs that Rage Against The Machine performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the August 14, 2022 concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, United States:

1. Public Service Announcement
2. Bombtrack
3. People of the Sun
4. Bulls on Parade
5. Bullet in the Head
6. Testify
7. Take the Power Back
8. Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)
9. Wake Up
10. Guerrilla Radio
11. Down Rodeo
12. Vietnow
13. Know Your Enemy
14. Calm Like a Bomb
15. Sleep Now in the Fire
16. Born of a Broken Man
17. War Within a Breath
18. The Ghost of Tom Joad
19. Freedom
20. Township Rebellion
21. Killing in the Name