Creed is a rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band disbanded in 2004 after three multi-platinum albums, selling 26 million records in the United States and an estimated 35 million records worldwide.

The band consists of lead vocalist Scott Stapp, guitarist and backing vocalist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall. They released two studio albums: My Own Prison (1997), Human Clay (1999) before Marshall left in 2000 to be replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla. Afterwards came Weathered (2001) with Mark Tremonti handling bass before the band disbanded in 2004. Tremonti, Phillips and Marshall went on to found Alter Bridge while Stapp followed a solo career. After months of speculation, the original members of Creed reunited in 2009 for a tour and a new album called Full Circle.

Stapp released his debut solo album The Great Divide in 2005 with Roadrunner Records recording artist Goneblind. Stapp has confirmed that the reformation of Creed will put work on his second solo album on indefinite hiatus, though he is back in the studio. He also stated that a collaboration with Carlos Santana is in the works. He has also worked extensively with members of The Doors, and he has hinted at further collaborations with them.

Tremonti has worked with several artists over the years, since the beginning years with Creed. Most recently was his contribution to the Sevendust album Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow, to which he provided a guitar solo that can be heard on the song "Hope." Alter Bridge vocalist Myles Kennedy also provided vocals to the song "Sorrow." Tremonti and Kennedy also appeared on the Fozzy album All That Remains, performing on the songs "The Way I Am" and "Nameless Faceless," respectively.

Tremonti has also collaborated with comedian Larry the Cable Guy and helped co-produce several songs the 2004 Submersed album In Due Time, including the song "Flicker," which features Tremonti on guitar. In 2008 he also appeared on Bury Your Dead's self-titled album, where he performed on the song "Year One," and on Michael Angelo Batio's album Hands Without Shadows, performing on the Deep Purple cover "Burn". He will be appearing on Myles Kennedy's upcoming solo album in 2011.

The other band members (including former bassist Brian Marshall) formed a new band, Alter Bridge, with Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four, a rock band that Creed had toured with earlier in the band's career before they made it big. Alter Bridge released their debut album, One Day Remains, on August 10, 2004. After finishing up the final leg of the One Day Remains tour in mid-2006, Alter Bridge started recording their second album. In 2007, with Universal Republic, Alter Bridge released their second album, Blackbird, on October 9, 2007. The band's third album, tentatively titled, Alter Bridge III is expected to be released in September 2010.

The band all states that Creed's reunion will not affect Alter Bridge in any way and that in spite of this, both bands will co-exist, so it is expected that Tremonti, Phillips, and Marshall will "switch off" between the two bands, with Scott Stapp and Myles Kennedy working on solo material and other projects while the other band is touring and recording.

Creed was one of the most commercially successful rock bands of the late 90s and early 2000s, having sold an estimated 35 million records worldwide. Their first three studio albums, My Own Prison, Human Clay, and Weathered, have all gone multi-platinum in the United States, selling 6 million, 11 million, and 6 million copies respectively. The band won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the song "With Arms Wide Open" in 2001. For many years, Creed collaborated with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), allowing many of their songs to be played for promotions. In addition, many of the band's songs have been featured in film and television soundtracks. Despite enormous commercial success, Creed was poorly received by professional critics such as Robert Christgau, Rolling Stone magazine, and Allmusic. The band is often criticized for being too derivative of the band Pearl Jam.

Due to the influence of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam, Creed's music is generally considered to be post-grunge. Ann Powers of Rolling Stone notes guitarist Mark Tremonti's delicate, minimal technique is influenced by Jerry Cantrell's style. Allison Stewart describes singer Scott Stapp as having Eddie Vedder-like mannerisms such as "the great, emotive growl, and the hair-tossing solemnity". Stewart also notes Creed's music has "Zeppelin-style riffage married to melodic Top 40 hooks". In addition to Eddie Vedder, Scott Stapp's vocals have also been influenced by the late Jim Morrison of The Doors. Andrew Leahey and Steve Huey of Allmusic describe Creed's music as hard rock, alternative pop/rock, and post-grunge.