3 Doors Down Singer Brad Arnold Dies at 47
Brad Arnold, the founding vocalist of Mississippi rock band 3 Doors Down and the voice behind one of early-2000s rock radio’s biggest hits, has died at age 47 after a battle with cancer. A representative said Arnold died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday while surrounded by his wife and family. Arnold posted a photo on Christmas, his final photo.
In its report, Variety noted that Arnold helped form 3 Doors Down in 1996 in Escatawpa, Mississippi, and wrote and produced the band’s 2000 breakout single “Kryptonite,” which became one of the group’s most enduring songs.
Arnold first emerged as the group’s original drummer and vocalist, later becoming synonymous with the band’s frontman role as 3 Doors Down rose from regional success to mainstream recognition. In May 2025, he disclosed in a social media video that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell renal cell carcinoma that had metastasised to his lung, and said the illness would force the band to cancel its planned summer tour.
The singer’s health update came more than two decades after “Kryptonite” established 3 Doors Down as a staple of post-grunge radio, and the band continued touring regularly in subsequent years; the group’s live history has included multi-act bills like a 3 Doors Down and Candlebox concert stop in Dallas that underscored its staying power on the road.
Arnold is survived by his wife, Jennifer. His death closes a major chapter for a band whose songs soundtracked an era of American rock, and it is likely tributes from peers and fans will continue as 3 Doors Down’s future plans come into focus.
