American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1991. Lineup: Zack de la Rocha (vocals), Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass), and Brad Wilk (drums). Distinguished by Morello's innovative use of guitar effects to produce DJ-like sonic textures and the band's explicitly leftist political lyrics. Architects of the rap-metal genre.
Four studio albums between Rage Against the Machine (1992) and Renegades (2000, a covers album). Critical and commercial peak: the self-titled debut and Evil Empire (1996, #1 on the Billboard 200). De la Rocha quit in 2000; the remaining three formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell. RATM reunited in 2007, broke up again in 2011, reunited in 2019-2022 (when Zack de la Rocha tore his Achilles tendon on stage, prematurely ending the tour). Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.