Brad Arnold, lead singer of the rock band 3 Doors Down, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 47 years old
Brad Arnold, lead singer of Grammy-nominated rock band 3 Doors Down, has died after a battle with stage 4 kidney cancer. He was 47.
Brad Arnold, lead singer of the American rock band 3 Doors Down PHOTO: Getty Images Brad Arnold
“He will be deeply missed and forever remembered”the band said in a statement, according to the BBC.
The band members also announced that Arnold “died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, in his sleep after a courageous battle with cancer.”
The band is best known for 2000s rock hits such as Kryptonite, Here Without You, When I'm Gone and Loser.
In May 2025, Arnold announced that he was ill and had been diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell renal carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer that had metastasized to his lung.
“I'm not scared, I'm honestly not scared of it at all,” the frontman said, adding that he was disappointed the band would have to cancel an upcoming tour.
“I would like you to remember me in your prayers every chance you get,” he said.
In a statement, 3 Doors Down said that as a founding member, original vocalist and drummer, “Brad helped redefine mainstream rock, combining post-grunge accessibility with a direct emotional songwriting style and lyrical themes that resonated with mainstream audiences.”
The original band was formed in Mississippi in the mid-90s. Another founding member of the original trio, Matt Roberts, died in 2016 at the age of 38.
Arnold wrote the song during math class when he was 15, according to the band's release.
Their debut album, The Better Life, sold over 6 million copies. The second Grammy nomination came in 2003, for the song When I'm Gone.
The band stated that Arnold “a helped redefine mainstream rock music, combining post-grunge accessibility with direct emotional compositions and lyrical themes that resonated with mainstream listeners”.
3 Doors Down has released six albums, most recently Us and the Night in 2016.
Singles included Loser, Duck and Run and Be Like That, which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2001 film American Pie 2.
The band performed at President George W. Bush's inauguration as well as President Donald Trump's first inauguration, which drew some criticism from fans.
