Creed's music is derived from the conflict and turmoil of singer Scott Stapp's life. Stapp was raised in a religious environment where the "evils" of rock music were prohibited. Alienating himself from his parents by refusing a university scholarship, Stapp left home at age 17. (The conflict he experienced as a child is often represented by Biblical scenes in his lyrics.) After leaving home, Stapp started seriously listening to rock music, and he began writing songs. He eventually hit bottom and wound up homeless for a week, managing to find shelter by living in his car. During this low point, he recorded ideas, which later became the lyrics for future songs.

In 1995, he hooked up with his high school friend, Mark Tremonti, in Tallahassee, Florida, and the hard-rock group, Creed, was formed. The band consists of vocalist Scott Stapp, guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. The combination of guitars and sensational vocals, combined with an honest spirituality, appeals to a large fan base. According to Stapp on the band's official website at creed.net, "The band's goal has always been to make records that are solid from start to finish, records that take you through an entire range of emotions."

In 1997, a local producer recorded Creed's debut album, My Own Prison, on a shoestring budget. The album is a strong collection of hard rock 'n' roll, which encompasses a large range of thought-provoking issues. The album reached regional sales of 3,000 in just two months and did well on the pop album charts. Wind-Up Records signed Creed shortly after its initial success. My Own Prison was remixed and re-released in August 1997. Three songs from the album went to No. 1 on the Rock charts, including "My Own Prison," "Torn" and "What's This Life For."

In 1999, Creed followed with an album similar to My Own Prison with spiritual lyrics, hard-edged rock, and big guitar sounds. This second album,

Human Clay, reached No. 1 in its first week of release. Meanwhile, Creed's five times platinum success, My Own Prison, continued to sell over 20,000 copies a week.

Throughout 2000, Human Clay would ride high in the charts. Powered by the single, "With Arms Wide Open," the album went eight times platinum by the end of the year. Creed also notched several awards in 2000, including the VH1 Music Awards for Group of the Year and Song of the Year. The band also received a third straight Rock Artist of the Year award at the Billboard Music Awards. The awards continued in 2001, as "With Arms Wide Open" earned songwriters Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti the Best Rock Song Grammy.