Thirty Seconds to Mars

Thirty Seconds to Mars
Rick Munroe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Thirty Seconds to Mars
Caption	Thirty Seconds to Mars performing in 2010
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Immortal Records, Virgin Records, Republic Records
Associated acts	Angel Planets?

Thirty Seconds to Mars is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1998 by actor Jared Leto and his brother Shannon Leto. The group has released several studio albums that charted on the Billboard 200, toured internationally, and incorporated elements drawn from alternative rock, progressive rock, modern rock, and electronic music. The band’s work intersected with film and visual art through collaborations involving Hollywood figures and festivals.

History

The band originated when Jared Leto and Shannon Leto recruited guitarist Solon Bixler during the late 1990s Los Angeles scene, connecting with producers and labels such as Bob Ezrin and Immortal Records. Their self-titled debut album involved sessions in Kansas City and production ties to Ethan Johns and resulted in early tours with acts like Linkin Park, Incubus, and P.O.D.. Lineup changes saw departures and arrivals including Tomo Miličević joining before the second album; this period included recording with producers linked to David Bottrill and mixing by engineers associated with Alan Moulder. The band’s sophomore release involved singles that earned airplay on MTV, rotation on KROQ-FM, and placements on Ozzfest-adjacent bills. Legal and contractual disputes with EMI-era entities surfaced during the mid-2000s, prompting negotiations with Virgin Records and later distribution through Republic Records. Subsequent albums achieved mainstream success with charting singles appearing on Billboard Alternative Songs and led to international festival appearances at Reading and Leeds Festivals, Glastonbury Festival, and Lollapalooza. The lineup stabilized for years with core members touring worldwide, playing venues from the Hollywood Bowl to stadiums in Europe, South America, and Asia.

Musical style and influences

The band’s sound blends elements from alternative rock, progressive rock, post-grunge, electronic music, and ambient music, citing influences such as Nirvana, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, U2, Radiohead, and Nine Inch Nails. Critics and journalists often reference production approaches related to Brian Eno and Steve Lillywhite when analyzing the band’s use of layered textures, orchestration, and electronic programming. Compositionally, the group has drawn on songwriting techniques associated with Queen for vocal harmonies and Tool for rhythmic complexity, while visual aesthetics and concept framing show affinities with filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, and with art movements exhibited at institutions like the Tate Modern.

Band members

- Jared Leto – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards; also known for acting roles in Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club, and involvement with Thirty Seconds to Mars’ visual direction. - Shannon Leto – drums, percussion; previously associated with projects and collaborations linked to artists on Island Records and festivals such as Vans Warped Tour. - Tomo Miličević – lead guitar, keyboards, violin (joined 2003; departed 2018); previously connected to the Los Angeles session scene and collaborators from Warner Bros. Records rosters. Past touring and session contributors have included musicians who worked with acts like Chevelle, Seether, 30 Seconds to Mars-adjacent session players from Eagles of Death Metal, and orchestral arrangers tied to Los Angeles Philharmonic personnel.

Discography

- 2002: self-titled debut — produced during sessions involving indie rock producers linked to Kansas City studios. - 2005: second album — marked by singles that reached Billboard Alternative Songs and support from MTV2. - 2009: breakthrough studio album — featured charting singles on Billboard 200 and collaborations with producers whose credits include The Killers and Muse. - Subsequent albums continued to chart internationally on lists such as the UK Albums Chart, ARIA Charts, and Canadian Albums Chart and spawned singles used in film trailers and television series broadcast on networks like HBO and FX.

Tours and live performances

The band embarked on multiple headline tours and supported major stadium and arena bills alongside U2, Muse, and Linkin Park. They performed at major festivals including Glastonbury Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Lollapalooza, and Rock in Rio. Notable live productions incorporated multimedia elements similar to stagecraft used by Pink Floyd and U2 tours, featuring elaborate lighting, video installations, and interactive fan events such as album release parties in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and São Paulo.

Awards and recognition

The group received nominations and awards from institutions such as the MTV Video Music Awards, NME Awards, Kerrang! Awards, and chart-based honors from Billboard. Individual members earned recognition in film awards circuits—Jared Leto notably won an Academy Award—and the band’s music videos received prizes at international festivals including Cannes Lions-adjacent music showcases and design competitions judged by representatives from D&AD and Clio Awards juries.

Side projects and other media activities

Members pursued film, visual art, and philanthropic endeavors: Jared Leto continued acting in films like Blade Runner 2049 and producing through Paraglide Films; Shannon Leto engaged in side collaborations and session work with artists from the Los Angeles rock community. The band produced documentary material screened at festivals such as Tribeca Film Festival and partnered with brands and media outlets including Rolling Stone, NME, and BBC Radio 1 for special features. Philanthropic efforts involved collaborations with organizations active at events like Live Earth and benefit concerts alongside artists affiliated with Amnesty International and Red Cross campaigns.

Category:American rock bands