Queens of the Stone Age emerged from the stoner rock underground of the 1990s to become one of the leading heavy rock bands of the 21st century, a transition sparked by the release of their major-label debut, Rated R, in 2000. A murky immersion in chemical excess, the album showcased QOTSA's skill in wedding thick, grimy guitars with shape-shifting psychedelia, a blend suited for the desert that frontman Josh Homme called home. Over the years, Homme remained the lone constant in QOTSA's mercurial lineup, anchoring the group as members and guests cycled through the studio and stage. Dave Grohl's presence on the drumkit on 2002's Songs for the Deaf helped break the band to a wider audience in America, placing them at the vanguard of hard rock music. QOTSA's membership stabilized around the release of …Like Clockwork, the 2013 record that returned them to indie status while giving them their first number one album on the Billboard charts. Homme maintained the same quintet through the Mark Ronson-produced Villains and In Times New Roman..., a 2023 album that found them discovering new shades and textures within their palette.