Everclear rose to popularity in 1995; their sound reflected the rock, post-punk, and singer/songwriter influences of front man Alexakis, including acts like X, the Replacements, the Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Elvis Costello. Also instrumental to Everclear's success was the group's obsessive touring schedule and aggressive self-promotion tactics.

Their second album, Sparkle and Fade, appeared in 1995. Alternative radio outlet lent their support to the single "Santa Monica", and the album eventually rose to platinum status. Meanwhile, Alexakis became a major alternative media figure, even reporting from the 1996 political conventions for MTV.

So Much for the Afterglow followed in 1997 and went double-platinum, particularly due to the success of three Top 5 modern rock hits: "Everything to Everyone," "I Will Buy You a New Life," and "Father of Mine." Everclear was also hailed Modern Rock Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine in 1998.

A double-barrelled concept effort appeared in 2000 with the poppy Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile surfacing in early fall and the harder-rocking Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 2: Good Time for a Bad Attitude appearing a few months later. Both records produced several charting singles, with the AM radio pop of "Wonderful" finding the most success.

Everclear returned with the more straightforward Slow Motion Daydream in 2003 before the aptly titled greatest-hits compilation Ten Years Gone: The Best of Everclear 1994-2004 appeared in October 2004. In between, Alexakis ventured on a brief 2003 solo acoustic tour before the entire Everclear line-up would shift around him. The newly minted Everclear released Welcome to the Drama Club in 2006. Spearheaded by the single "Hater," Drama Club cracked the Billboard Top 200 and hit number eleven on the Top Independent Albums chart. 2008's The Vegas Years was a set of covers; 2009's In a Different Light, an album of re-recordings, turned the tables.

~ John Bush, All Music Guide (edited for length herein)