Songs For The Deaf

Overview
Songs for the Deaf, Queens of the Stone Age’s third studio album, was released August 27, 2002. It is a loose concept record framed as a desert-drive radio broadcast, featuring Dave Grohl on drums, and is widely regarded as the band’s breakout with near-universal critical acclaim. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))

Recording History
- Studios: The Site in San Rafael, Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and Barefoot Studios in Hollywood. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))
- Dates: October 2001–June 2002. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))
- People: Josh Homme and Adam Kasper are credited as producers; Eric Valentine contributed as producer/engineer on several tracks. ([notems.com](https://notems.com/nstore/product-.-6069493436202_m?utm_source=openai))
- Techniques: Grohl’s drums were tracked in two passes (skeleton drums first, then cymbals later) to separate cymbal sound, a method discussed by engineer and Grohl collaborators. ([musicradar.com](https://www.musicradar.com/news/how-dave-grohl-recorded-drums-queens-of-the-stone-age-songs-for-the-deaf-no-one-knows?utm_source=openai))
- Notable lineup note: Grohl played drums on most tracks; Go with the Flow features Gene Trautmann, and the project marked the last Queens release with Nick Oliveri as a full member. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_with_the_Flow?utm_source=openai))

Chart Performance & Recognition
- Billboard: Peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))
- Sales: First US Gold certification (January 27, 2003); Europe later certified Platinum via IFPI (2008). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))
- Awards: Two Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy nominations—“No One Knows” (2003) and “Go with the Flow” (2004). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_One_Knows?utm_source=openai))
- Reception: Metacritic score of 89 indicating universal acclaim; Pitchfork hailed its bold, genre-demolishing approach. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))

Cultural Impact & Legacy
- Influence: Widely regarded as a landmark in 2000s hard rock / desert rock, elevating QOTSA to international prominence. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))
- Covers/samples: Notable covers and remixes of its tracks appear on WhoSampled, including Röyksopp’s cover of “Go With the Flow.” ([whosampled.com](https://www.whosampled.com/album/Queens-of-the-Stone-Age/Songs-For-The-Deaf/?utm_source=openai))
- Legacy: Still cited as one of the era’s defining hard rock records; remains a touchstone for the band’s trajectory and desert-rock revival. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_the_Deaf?utm_source=openai))