System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan recently shared his band’s journey to radio success in an interview with Lilian Tahmasian.
“The biggest radio station in the country, the one that kind of dictates to the world what’s played on the radio, is K-rock, right? And they said, ‘We’ll never play this band,'” Dolmayan revealed. “And then a year later, we were the number one played band on a station in history.”
“When ‘Chop Suey’ came out, it was number one for like, a year,” he continued. “So we went from ‘You’ll never be played on this station’ to ‘You can’t avoid us.’ It was faith, whatever you want to call it. I believe everybody has their destiny. But you kind of guide your own destiny in life.”
“If I didn’t practice so much, if I didn’t have the, I guess, mental illness that it takes to be an artist, in a lot of ways, to be hyper-focused,” he added. “I’m telling you, I would play until my hands bled, like when you watch that movie ‘Whiplash.’ That was my life.”
The band’s journey showcases their remarkable transition from radio rejection to becoming one of its most prominent success stories. Their path to success included several significant challenges and milestones.
Loudwire revealed that the band’s breakthrough began with their early single ‘Sugar.’ DJ Stryker played the track on KROQ. This decision helped kickstart their career by generating substantial listener interest.
‘Chop Suey’ became a defining moment for the band. Data from Billboard charts showed the song reached number 7 on the US Alternative Songs chart. It also climbed to number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, proving their international appeal.
Wikipedia documented an unexpected setback for ‘Chop Suey.’ Radio stations temporarily removed the song from rotation after 9/11 due to its politically sensitive lyrics. This made its eventual dominance on the airwaves even more significant.
The band’s resilience through early radio restrictions proved remarkable. Their rise to prominence demonstrates the power of their unique sound and artistic dedication.
