Earshot
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Wil Martin, Scott Kohler, Guy Couturier, Todd Wyatt |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Wil Martin (vocalist) |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Earshot is a Los Angeles-based American alternative metal group established in 1999. Despite numerous personnel changes, vocalist Wil Martin has remained the band's only continuous member.
Following their contract with Warner Bros. Records, Earshot debuted with the album Letting Go in 2002, which included the popular track "Get Away". Their sophomore effort, Two (2004), featured another notable single, "Wait". Since then, the band has released three additional projects: The Silver Lining (2008), the EP Aftermath (2015), and Humaning (2025).
Formation and Letting Go (1999–2002)
Originating in Los Angeles in 1999, Earshot was founded by vocalist Wil Martin alongside guitarist Scott Kohler, bassist Guy Couturier, and drummer Todd Wyatt. Shortly after, bassist Johnny Sprague and guitarist Mike Callahan joined the lineup. Martin acknowledges musical inspirations such as Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Tool. The band secured a deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2001 and participated in the 2002 SnoCore Rock Tour, sharing stages with groups like Alien Ant Farm and Adema.
Their first album, Letting Go, was released on May 7, 2002, achieving a peak position of number 82 on the Billboard 200 chart and maintaining presence for five weeks. The lead single "Get Away" received extensive radio play, reaching number 4 and remaining within the Top 100 for over sixty weeks. The subsequent single "Not Afraid" did not match the success of its predecessor. Tracks from this release were included in video games such as Legends of Wrestling II and Project Gotham Racing 2, as well as featured on the soundtrack for Queen of the Damned. After touring extensively with acts including Staind, Kid Rock, and Stone Temple Pilots, Earshot returned to recording in 2003. By November 2002, sales of Letting Go had surpassed 100,000 units in the United States. Notably, despite its popularity, Warner Bros. did not produce a music video for "Get Away".
Two (2003–2006)
Earshot's follow-up album, Two, was released on June 22, 2004, reaching number 127 on the Billboard 200 and remaining on the chart for two weeks. This record introduced the breakthrough single "Wait", which gained additional recognition through placements in video games like Madden NFL 2005 and MX vs. ATV Unleashed, as well as appearing on the DVD celebrating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2004 Stanley Cup Champions. The second single from this album, "Someone," also debuted in 2004. Furthermore, the song "Down" was featured in the game Gretzky NHL 2005. During this period, Earshot toured as support for Megadeth.
The Silver Lining (2007–2008)
In early 2007, Earshot signed with Indegoot/Fontana/Universal Recordings and commenced production of their album The Silver Lining. The project was produced by Brian Garcia with Wil Martin serving as co-producer. Prominent tracks included "MisSunderstood," "Closer," and "Where the Pain Begins." The lead single "MisSunderstood" debuted on MySpace on May 13, 2008, followed by a nationwide radio release on May 26. The complete album was officially released on August 26, 2008.
The Ugly Truth and Disbandment (2009–2010)
On October 20, 2009, Earshot made available their single "The Ugly Truth" as a complimentary download through their official website. In 2010, the band's lead vocalist, Wil Martin, publicly declared the group's breakup.
Reunion and Aftermath (2014–2019)
Earshot reemerged on May 7, 2014, unveiling the single "Now That It's Over," which served as the introduction to their five-track Mini-LP titled Aftermath. This release was accessible via iTunes, Amazon, and their website. Additional singles, "Let Me" and "Remember," were issued in June and September of the same year. The complete Mini-LP was officially launched on April 16, 2015.
Been a Long Time and You + I (2020–2022)
On May 14, 2020, Earshot released their rendition of Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" across major streaming platforms. They followed this with the single "Been a Long Time" on January 1, 2021, and later issued "You + I" on February 14, 2022. There has been no confirmation regarding upcoming LP or EP projects.
Humaning (2025)
Earshot's fourth studio album, titled Humaning, was digitally released on October 10, 2025. A physical edition is planned for distribution in 2026 through their independent label, Earshot Entertainment Inc.
Band members
Current
- Wil Martin – lead vocals (1999–2010, 2014–present)
- John Novak – bass guitar (2020–present)
- Mike Sylvia – drums (2020–present)
- Aaron Fink – guitar (2020–present)
Former
- Guy Couturier – bass guitar (1999–2000)
- Johnny Sprague – bass guitar (2000–2005)
- Billy Blair – bass guitar (2005–2009)
- "Rooster" – bass guitar (2009–2010)
- Scott Kohler – guitar (1999–2009)
- Mike Callahan – guitar (1999–2005)
- Travis Arnold – guitar (2005–2009)
- Chris Loveless – guitar (2009–2010)
- Josh Guinn – guitar (2009–2010)
- Andy Stafford – guitar (2020–2022)
- Todd Wyatt – drums (1999–2003)
- Chas Stumbo – drums (2003–2005)
- Darren Pfeifer – drums (2005–2010)
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Peak Chart Positions | Sales Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | |||
| Letting Go |
|
82 | Over 100,000 units sold in the US |
| Two |
|
127 | |
| The Silver Lining |
|
— | |
| Humaning |
|
||
| A dash ("—") indicates the album did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | |||
Extended plays
| EP Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| Aftermath |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest Chart Positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Main. Rock | US Alt. | |||
| 2002 | "Get Away" | 6 | 20 | Letting Go |
| "Not Afraid" | 24 | — | ||
| 2004 | "Wait" | 13 | 33 | Two |
| "Someone" | 27 | — | ||
| 2008 | "MisSunderstood" | 38 | — | The Silver Lining |
| 2009 | "The Ugly Truth" | — | — | Standalone single |
| 2014 | "Now That It's Over" | — | — | Aftermath EP |
| "Let Me" | — | — | ||
| "Remember" | — | — | ||
| 2020 | "Uninvited" | — | — | Standalone single |
| 2021 | "Been a Long Time" | — | — | Standalone single |
| 2022 | "You + I" | — | — | Standalone single |
Music videos
| Year | Title |
|---|
- Articles with short description
- Musical quintets from California
- Musical groups from Los Angeles
- Musical groups established in 1999
- Musical groups disestablished in 2010
- Musical groups reestablished in 2014
- American alternative metal musical groups
- Nu metal musical groups from California
- Heavy metal musical groups from California
- 1999 establishments in California
- American post-grunge musical groups