Photo: PA3 Barry Lane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Creed Albums Ranked list is going to take a look at the four studio albums that Creed released. The band came together in 1994 before the post-grunge era and became very popular in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. Creed is from the sunny state of Florida (Tallahassee). The four original members of Creed are; Scott Stapp on lead vocals, Mark Tremonti on lead guitar and vocals, Brian Marshall on bass, and Scott Phillips on the drums.
Creed recorded a total of four studio albums between 1997 and 2009. Their first studio album, My Own Prison was released in 1997 and in 1999 they released Human Clay. Due to drug and alcohol addiction, bassist Brian Marshall left the group in 2000, leaving Mark Tremonti to cover the bass guitar on their third studio album, Weathered. This album was released in 2001. Creed split up, unexpectedly, in 2004; Stapp pursued his solo career while Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall joined with Myles Kennedy to form Alter Bridge.
Creed reunited in 2009 to record and release a fourth (and final) studio album, Full Circle. They then toured, off and on, until the end of their world tour in 2012. Creed disbanded once again and has not done any work together since. Creed’s first three studio albums went multi-platinum with their second album Human Clay earning diamond status. The members of Creed have been doing their own thing since 2013. Scott Stapp continued with his solo career and joined the band Art of Anarchy in 2016. Alter Bridge is still bringing us outstanding music and Mark Tremonti also has a band, Tremonti, that he is doing projects with.
Stapp named Def Leppard, U2, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors as some of his major influencers growing up. Tremonti’s influencers were more of the metal thrash variety; Exodus, Metallica, Slayer, and Forbidden. Creed sold 53 million albums worldwide and over 28 million in the United States. They also won a Grammy Award for the Best Rock Song in 2001, with the song, “With Arms Wide Open.”
Let us now take a closer look at the albums that are on our Creed Albums Ranked list:
# 4 – My Own Prison
One of my personal favorites, My Own Prison, peaked at number twenty-two on the Billboard 200 chart in May 1998. Despite very little exposure the album sold over six million copies and is certified 6x-platinum. The album was first released by Creed’s independent label, Blue Collar Records, in June 1997. Wind-Up records signed the band and re-released the album in August 1997.
Creed was compared to several bands after the release of their debut album. Bands such as Soundgarden, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Pearl Jam. The songs on the album are centered around a lot of intense, meaningful topics; suicide, unity, anti-abortion, self-identity, and faith. There were four singles released from My Own Prison. “Torn,” “What’s This Life For,” “One,” and the title track “My Own Prison.” All of the singles landed on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
# 3 – Full Circle
Creed’s fourth studio album, Full Circle, was released in 2009 and landed in the number two spot on the Billboard 200 chart in November 2009. This was Creed’s first (and last) album in eight years. Brian Marshall was brought back on the bass guitar, after leaving the band in 2000. There is also a 2-disc version of Full Circle available. The second cd in the 2-disc set contains bonus content.
The album title is in reference to Creed getting back together. They come ‘full circle’ in their musical journey together. The band toured from August 2009 to October 2009. Creed also performed a summer tour in 2010, along with going on a worldwide tour that would last from 2010-2012. Full Circle had three singles (and videos) released; “Overcome,” “Rain,” and “A Thousand Faces.” “Overcome” was their eleventh song to land in the top five on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
# 2 – Human Clay
A lot of individuals, critics, and fans would put this album in the number one slot, but I am choosing the number two spot on our Creed Albums Ranked list. It comes in extremely close behind the number one album. This is Creeds second studio album. Human Clay went multi-platinum and was also certified diamond by the RIAA. It topped the Billboard 200 charts in the number one position in October 1999. The album was released in September 1999 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. This was the last album to feature Brian Marshall on the bass, until their fourth studio album. This album is Creed’s best-selling album.
Human Clay is the fifty-fourth best-selling album, of 2007, worldwide. This is the only album released by Creed that doesn’t have a title track. The cover artwork was created by Tremonti’s brother, Daniel, who also designed the cover for My Own Prison. Human Clay has four singles that were released; “Higher,” (1999) “What If,” (2000) “With Arms Wide Open,” (2000) and “Are You Ready” (2000). Videos for “Higher,” and “What If,” and “With Arms Wide Open” were created. The biggest hit single on the Human Clay album is “With Arms Wide Open” which hit number one on the charts with “Higher” pean king at number seven.
# 1 – Weathered
Our number one album on the Creed Albums Ranked list is the great album entitled Weathered. Creed’s thirst studio album, which was released in November 2001 and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in December 2001. The album remained in that spot for eight weeks. Weathered was certified 6x-platinum. On this album, Tremonti wanted to preserve the ‘core’ of Creed, so he stepped up and played the bass guitar. At this point, Stapp had been in a car accident and suffered a concussion among other injuries. Creed had to postpone the tour, due to the unfortunate events of the accident. When they did begin the tour there was a lot of controversy and even some fans suing Creed, saying that Stapp was too drunk and high to sing any of the songs.
Weathered produced six singles; “My Sacrifice,” “Bullets,” “One Last Breath,” “Hide,” “Don’t Stop Dancing,” and “Weathered.” Two of the six singles ended up on the Billboard 100 charts. “One Last Breath,” which featured Scott Stapps sister on back-up vocals and the Tallahassee Boys Choir singing the chorus, peaked at number six. “My Sacrifice” released in October 2001 as the first single from the Weathered album, peaked at number four in February 2002. It also reached the number one spot on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It staying in that position for nine-weeks.
In the time that Creed was together, they released four studio albums, all great in their own right. Each album had amazing songs, Stapps incredible voice, Tremonti’s outstanding guitar riff’s and some very intense lyrics. Creed was a very popular band, but as most others, received quite a bit of criticism as well. They made it work, but unfortunate circumstances drove the band apart, on a couple occasions. Their music is still listened to today and in my opinion, they are still one of the best bands of the early 2000s.
Creed Albums Ranked article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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Reverse the list and you’d have mine!!! I loved My Own Prison when it came out, but was very disappointed in the releases after that. I got excited for Human Clay, but when they released the single, I could tell the went softer for more radio appeal. Whatever….