Break the Cycle

Break the Cycle
The album cover features a tree against a cloudy sky on grass. In the image we see "Staind" and "Break the Cycle".
Studio album by
Staind
ReleasedMay 8, 2001
RecordedAugust–December 2000
Studios
Genres
Length50:49
Labels
ProducerJosh Abraham
Staind chronology
Dysfunction
(1999)		 Break the Cycle
(2001)		 14 Shades of Grey
(2003)
Singles from Break the Cycle
  1. "It's Been Awhile"
    Released: March 18, 2001
  2. "Fade"
    Released: May 17, 2001
  3. "Outside"
    Released: November 26, 2001
  4. "For You"
    Released: December 19, 2001
  5. "Epiphany"
    Released: August 2002

Break the Cycle is the third studio album by American rock band Staind, released through Flip Records and Elektra Records on May 8, 2001. It is Staind's most successful album to date and was the album that broke them into the mainstream. It was a huge international success for the band, as it spent three weeks at number-one position in the U.S. album charts and many weeks in the top-10 album charts of the Billboard 200, the UK and New Zealand. It sold at least 4 million copies in 2001. The album was certified 7× platinum by the RIAA for sales of over seven million units in the U.S on September 3, 2026.

Sales

Because of the record's high recording budget of $800,000, there were many worries about whether the album would be successful, and the album almost had to top charts internationally just to break even with studio costs. Break the Cycle debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of at least 717,600 copies. It remained at the top the following week, with 329,299 copies. In the third week it was number one again, with 244,698 copies. In the fourth week it dropped to number two, with 221,179 copies. It sold over 1 million copies in the first three weeks. The album sold 4,900,000 copies in the US and was certified 7× platinum by the RIAA. Break the Cycle also topped charts in the UK, where it was certified platinum; in New Zealand; and in Canada, where it had multiplatinum status. In 2001 the album was the tenth best-selling globally, selling 5.6 million copies.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic55/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar
BlenderStarStarStar
E!B
Entertainment WeeklyC
Dotmusic7/10
Drowned in Sound4/10
Kerrang!StarStar (2001)
StarStarStarStar (2011)
NME2/10
QStarStar
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star

Initial critical response ranged from mixed to average. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 55, based on nine reviews. Michael Gallucci of AllMusic gave Break the Cycle three out of five stars, saying, "Cycle is ultimately no more than 50 minutes of standard-issue desolation" and "Staind wraps up all this pain in deceivingly melodic packages, sort of like Nirvana's "All Apologies" without the depth."

Metal Injection stated that the album "helped define early-2000s alternative rock."

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Aaron Lewis; all music is composed by Staind except where noted.

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Open Your Eyes" 3:50
2."Pressure"
3:22
3."Fade" 4:03
4."It's Been Awhile" 4:24
5."Change" 3:36
6."Can't Believe" 2:47
7."Epiphany"Aaron Lewis4:19
8."Suffer" 4:00
9."Warm Safe Place" 4:36
10."For You" 3:25
11."Outside"Lewis4:53
12."Waste" 3:56
13."Take It" 3:37
Total length:50:49
U.S. edition + bonus track
No.TitleLength
14."It's Been Awhile" (acoustic)4:30
Total length:55:19
Australian and European edition + bonus track
No.TitleLength
14."Outside" (Family Values Version 1999)5:40
Total length:56:29

Personnel

Staind

  • Aaron Lewis – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Mike Mushok – lead guitar
  • Johnny April – bass, backing vocals
  • Jon Wysocki – drums

Additional musicians

  • Fred Durst – additional backing vocals on "Outside" (live version)
  • Mike Kezner – sitar on "Warm Safe Place"

Artwork

  • Craig Howell – art direction, illustration
  • Gayle Boulware – art direction
  • Clay Patrick McBride – photography
  • John Baptiste – styling

Technical personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Break the Cycle
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada) 2× Platinum 200,000^
Germany (BVMI) Gold 150,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) 2× Platinum 30,000^
Sweden (GLF) Gold 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA) 7× Platinum 7,000,000‡ / 4,900,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "American album certifications – Staind – Break the Cycle". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  2. ↑ Halbersberg, Elianne (September 2001). "STAIND". www.mixonline.com.
  3. ↑ "Guitar World - Mike Mushok August 2001 Interview". staind-online.com.
  4. ↑ Multiple sources:
  5. 1 2 Pattison, Louis (August 10, 2001). "Album Reviews - Staind : Break The Cycle". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Oliver, Lisa (August 20, 2001). "Staind - 'Staind - Break The Cycle (EastWest)'". Yahoo! Music UK. Archived from the original on November 3, 2004. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  7. ↑ "VH1 | Celebrity Reality Television Series". Archived from the original on November 27, 2018.
  8. 1 2 "STAIND Announce Massive 2026 Headlining Tour Celebrating 25 Years Of Break The Cycle". Metal Injection. February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Outside [CD Single] by Staind (2001-11-26)". whatrecords. November 26, 2001.
  10. ↑ "Staind Helps Hard Rock Get Rolling Again". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 2001. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ White, Adam (February 16, 2002). "Dido, Linkin Park Lead the Global 20 of 2001". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 7. p. 42. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Break the Cycle (2001): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  13. 1 2 Gallucci, Michael. Break the Cycle at AllMusic. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  14. ↑ Unfortunately, the production smoothes down the band's sharp edges to an overly polished finish. [Jun/Jul 2001, p.116]
  15. ↑ "Staind - Break the Cycle". E! Online. May 22, 2001. Archived from the original on June 11, 2001. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  16. ↑ Morgan, Laura (May 11, 2001). "Break the Cycle Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  17. ↑ Bezer, Terry (May 22, 2001). "Staind - Break the Cycle". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  18. ↑ Shiels, Liam (May 19, 2001). "Dirty Deeds | Albums". Kerrang!. No. 853. EMAP. p. 46.
  19. ↑ Garner, George (November 2011). "Staind: Break the Cycle". Kerrang!: 666 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die!. Bauer Media Group. p. 109.
  20. ↑ All this introspection wouldn't be so bad if Stained put a bit of oomph behind it, but the musical changes lack dynamism and frame the groaning vocals almost reverentially. [#180, p.111]
  21. ↑ Walters, Barry (June 7, 2001). "Staind: Break The Cycle: Music Review". Rolling Stone. No. RS 870. Archived from the original on April 16, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  23. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Staind – Break the Cycle" (in German). Hung Medien.
  24. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Staind – Break the Cycle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  25. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Staind – Break the Cycle" (in French). Hung Medien.
  26. ↑ "Staind Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  27. ↑ "Canadian Metal Albums - Top 50". Jam! Canoe. Archived from the original on August 1, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  29. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Staind – Break the Cycle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  30. ↑ "Eurochart Top 100 Albums - September 22, 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 39. September 22, 2001. p. 10. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Staind: Break the Cycle" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  32. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  33. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Staind – Break the Cycle" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  34. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Staind". Hung Medien.
  35. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  36. ↑ "Charts.nz – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  37. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  38. ↑ "Top National Sellers Portugal" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 49. September 29, 2001. p. 14. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 26/8/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  40. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  41. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Staind – Break the Cycle". Hung Medien.
  42. ↑ "Veckolista Hårdrock, vecka 37, 2001". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Staind – Break the Cycle – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien.
  44. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 1/9/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  45. ↑ "UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40: Staind - Break the Cycle". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Staind Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  47. ↑ "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  48. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)". Jam!. Archived from the original on December 12, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  49. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. December 22, 2001. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  50. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  51. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 2001". The Official NZ Music Charts. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Årslista Album – År 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  53. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  54. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2001" (PDF). IFPI. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  56. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Alternative albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  57. ↑ "Top 100 Metal Albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  58. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  59. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  60. ↑ "The Decade in Music - Charts - Top Billboard 200 Albums" (PDF). Billboard. December 19, 2009. p. 162. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via World Radio History. Digit page 166 on the PDF archive.
  61. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  62. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Staind – Break the Cycle". Music Canada. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  63. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Staind; 'Break the Cycle')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  64. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Staind – Break the Cycle". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  65. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2002" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
  66. ↑ "British album certifications – Staind – Break the Cycle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 17, 2017. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Break the Cycle Staind in the "Search:" field.
  67. ↑ "-Staind, Deftones Secure Top Spots On Next Week's Billboard Chart". Blabbermouth.net. May 28, 2003. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

Further reading