Brent Smith Says ‘The Audience Is the Boss’ as Shinedown Releases New Single ‘Killing Fields’; Watch

Shinedown has released a new single called Killing Fields (listen below). The track is now available on all major streaming platforms. It was released through Atlantic Records.

This is the band’s third new release in 2025, following Dance, Kid, Dance and Three Six Five, both of which came out in January.

Killing Fields starts with a quiet, mysterious intro. It quickly builds into a loud, energetic chorus with strong guitars and emotional vocals. The lyrics talk about confusion and struggle in modern life, but the meaning is open to interpretation.

Brent Smith on meaning

In a recent post, lead singer Brent Smith explained that the song doesn’t have one fixed message. He encouraged fans to draw their own meaning from it.

“The subject matter in this song cannot be prioritized to one specific opinion,” Smith said. “The audience is the BOSS, and they should have the freedom to interpret it the way they hear it, feel it, and experience it.”

He added that the track is designed to get listeners thinking.

“What I will say is that the song is meant to push you, to inspire you to think for yourself, and ask questions. We all know we are living in complicated times… The true question is, how will you respond,” Smith wrote.

Lyrics touch on chaos

The song includes lines like “We’re not sick but we’re not well, we’re just toxic twins on a carousel.” The lyrics suggest inner conflict and emotional overload, reflecting what some may feel during uncertain times.

The band describes the tone of the song as both mysterious and explosive.

Kicking off major tour

Shinedown is about to begin their biggest tour to date. It starts July 19 in Boston at TD Garden and continues across the United States.

The next night, they will perform at Madison Square Garden in New York for the first time in their career.

The tour also includes a stop at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on August 3. Special guests Bush and Morgan Wade will join them for the full run of arena shows.

TOUR DATES:

• Sat Jul 19 — Boston, MA — TD Garden *+
• Sun Jul 20 — New York City, NY — Madison Square Garden *+
• Tue Jul 22 — Pittsburgh, PA — PPG Paints Arena *+
• Wed Jul 23 — Columbus, OH — Schottenstein Center *+
• Fri Jul 25 — Detroit, MI — Little Caesars Arena *+
• Sat Jul 26 — Milwaukee, WI — Fiserv Forum *+
• Mon Jul 28 — Minneapolis, MN — Target Center *+
• Tue Jul 29 — Kansas City, MO — T-Mobile Center *+
• Sat Aug 02 — Phoenix, AZ — PHX Arena *+
• Sun Aug 03 — Los Angeles, CA — Kia Forum *+
• Tue Aug 05 — Sacramento, CA — Golden 1 Center *+
• Thu Aug 07 — Portland, OR — Moda Center *+
• Fri Aug 08 — Seattle, WA — Climate Pledge Arena *+
• Mon Aug 11 — Salt Lake City, UT — Maverik Center *+
• Tue Aug 12 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena *+
• Fri Aug 15 — St. Louis, MO — Enterprise Center *+
• Sat Aug 16 — Rosemont, IL — Allstate Arena *+
• Mon Aug 18 — Indianapolis, IN — Gainbridge Fieldhouse *+
• Tue Aug 19 — Cleveland, OH — Rocket Arena *+
• Thu Aug 21 — Raleigh, NC — Lenovo Center *+
• Sat Aug 23 — Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Wellness Arena *+
• Sun Aug 24 — Atlanta, GA — State Farm Arena *+
• Wed Aug 27 — Houston, TX — Toyota Center *+
• Thu Aug 28 — Fort Worth, TX — Dickies Arena *+
• Sat Aug 30 — Memphis, TN — FedExForum *+
• Sun Aug 31 — Pryor, OK — Rocklahoma 2025 ^

• * Bush
• + Morgan Wade
• ^ Festival Date

Get Shinedown Tickets Here

Previous songs still climbing

Killing Fields follows two other 2025 releases that have already made a big impact.

Three Six Five has reached No. 1 at alternative radio. It is also charting in the Top 10 at Hot AC and AC, and holding positions at Active Rock and Top 40 formats. This kind of crossover success is rare for a rock band.

The animated music video for Three Six Five follows the stories of three people who experience loss. Many viewers shared their own experiences in the comment section, turning it into a kind of support group.

Breaking chart records

Dance, Kid, Dance also hit No. 1 on multiple rock charts. On Mediabase’s Active Rock chart, it became Shinedown’s 22nd No. 1.

On Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, it was their 20th time at the top, a record.

When the song reached the Top 5, Shinedown tied with Foo Fighters for the most Top 10 songs in that chart’s history, with 32 each. The band currently holds records for the most No. 1s, Top 5s, and Top 10s on Mediabase’s Active Rock chart.

Recent award wins

Earlier this year, Shinedown won Rock Artist of the Year and Rock Song of the Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The winning track, A Symptom of Being Human, has been streamed over 125 million times around the world. It charted at five different formats, including No. 1 at Active, and Top 10 at both Alternative and AC radio.

The song appears on the band’s 2022 album Planet Zero, and its message of unity has been widely embraced.

Band lineup and production

Lead singer Brent Smith co-wrote Three Six Five with bassist and producer Eric Bass. Dance, Kid, Dance was co-written by Smith, Bass, and songwriter Dave Bassett.

All three tracks were produced by Bass at Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.

The current lineup includes Smith, Bass, guitarist Zach Myers, and drummer Barry Kerch.

Touring for a cause

As part of their tour, Shinedown has partnered with the nonprofit Musicians On Call.

A portion of each ticket sold will support the organization’s mission to bring live music to patients in hospitals.

Musicians On Call has provided live performances in healthcare settings for 25 years.

Their volunteers perform for people of all ages dealing with various health challenges. The organization operates in all 50 states.

Shinedown has built a long-lasting career by staying connected to fans and continuing to evolve. With more than 10 million albums sold and over 8 billion streams, the band shows no signs of slowing down (at least for now 🤘)

Killing Fields is now streaming everywhere. Tour dates and more information can be found at shinedown.com.

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