Taproot

Taproot is an American alternative metal band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, formed in 1997. Its lineup consists of vocalist/guitarist Stephen Richards, bassist Phil Lipscomb, drummer Jarrod Montague, and guitarist Taylor Roberts. They are best known for their hit single "Poem", which peaked at No. 5 on the Mainstream Rock chart in 2002.

Taproot originally consisted of Richards, Lipscomb, Montague, and guitarist Mike DeWolf. After a few independent releases in the late 1990s, they signed to the major label Atlantic Records in 1999. Their debut album on the label, Gift, was released in 2000. Both of the album's singles, "Again & Again" and "I", attained moderate success. Taproot's breakthrough came in 2002 with the album Welcome and its lead single, "Poem", which peaked at No. 5 on the Mainstream Rock chart and No. 10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Welcome sold over 500,000 copies. The release of 2005's Blue-Sky Research produced the single "Calling", which peaked at No. 11 on the Mainstream Rock chart. However, the album did not match its predecessor's success, and Atlantic parted ways with Taproot in 2006.

The band released Our Long Road Home in 2008, which was immediately followed by drummer Montague's departure and the addition of Nick Fredell. Taproot then issued Plead the Fifth in 2010, which featured the moderately successful single "Fractured (Everything I Said Was True)", followed by The Episodes, in 2012. Fredell was replaced on drums by Dave Coughlin in 2013, and guitarist DeWolf was replaced by Dave Lizzio in 2015. The band's seventh album, SC\SSRS, came out in 2023. The record's announcement coincided with the return of Montague on drums and the addition of Roberts on guitar.