Simple Plan

Riding on a wave of pop punk bands that emerged in the early Noughties, Simple Plan's melodic, spiky blasts of rock angst drew comparisons with Blink-182, Good Charlotte and Green Day as they surged from the Montreal college circuit to worldwide album sales of over 7 million. School friends Pierre Bouvier and Chuck Comeau first played together as teenagers in the band Reset, before being reunited at a Sugar Ray concert and deciding to form Simple Plan. Debut album No Pads, No Helmets... No Balls (2002) won them a cult following in their native Canada and performances on the Warped Tour helped build their American profile. Recruiting Aerosmith and Metallica producer Bob Rock, second album Still Not Getting Any... (2004) became a bit hit in the US as the band matured from teen fury into a more rounded rock beast. Whilst third album Simple Plan (2008) helped make them stars across Europe and they played at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The boys have also been involved in various side projects, including an internet radio show, a clothing line and a record company; and in 2005 they founded The Simple Plan Foundation charity to help problems affecting teenagers.