Inside Story

Shinedown’s Zach Myers Defends Backing Tracks: “If Queen Did It, Shut Up”


The heated debate over backing tracks in live rock shows continues, and Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers isn’t shy about where he stands. In a recent interview at the Welcome to Rockville festival, Myers brushed off criticism aimed at bands like his that use backing tracks for select elements in their performances.

“People love to brag about not using tracks—shut up, dude. Who cares? Queen did it, so shut up,” Myers declared. He emphasized that while Shinedown uses backing tracks for symphonic and string sections, every guitar, bass, and vocal heard live comes directly from the band.

Myers made it clear he’s against miming instruments or vocals but believes backing tracks are valid for enhancing the sound without disrupting a band’s chemistry by adding extra members.

The topic has divided the rock world, with some purists calling tracks an “epidemic,” while others, like Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, view them as essential tools. Myers, though, says the real test is whether audiences can tell the difference—and in Shinedown’s case, he insists they can’t.

In the end, for Myers, if rock legends like Queen pioneered it, the case is closed.


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