Created in 1998 in Los Angeles, California by actor Jared Leto and his older brother, Shannon, 30 Seconds to Mars initially began as a big family project. Matt Wachter later joined the band as bassist and keyboard player. After working with a number of guitarists, the three auditioned Tomo Milicevic to round out their official roster. After Wachter's departure from the band in 2006, the Leto brothers and Milicevic continue on as a trio with additional touring members.

Initially known for his work as an actor most notably on the '90s TV drama "My So-Called Life", as well as movies like "Requiem for a Dream and Fight Club", Jared decided to flex his musical muscles as he approached his 30s. He enlisted the help of his brother and co-founded 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998.

The group made its studio debut four years later, releasing a self-titled album whose post-grunge sound betrayed an affinity for groups like Chevelle and Incubus. Although it only achieved modest success, the eponymous 30 Seconds to Mars still laid the foundation for a healthy career. Moreover, it convinced the bandmates to forge ahead in spite of Jared Leto's busy acting schedule, which had filled up with roles in "Panic Room", "Highway", "American Pyscho", and "Requiem for a Dream".

30 Seconds to Mars found success in the 2000s with their platinum-selling sophomore effort "A Beautiful Lie" that truly opened the flood gates to broaden audience, like sending them to appear on MTV and paving the way for a series of successful tours.

Their success continued as "This Is War" became a major leap forward for them, one that cemented the trio as a world-class arena-crushing rock band. "It took two years, we went to hell and back. At one point, I thought it was going to be the death of us, but it became a transformative experience. It's not so much an evolution as it is a revolution. It�s a coming of age," Jared said.

Four years later, came their fourth effort "Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams" 2013 in. A CD copy of the first single "Up in the Air" was sent to NASA and SpaceX for launch aboard the Dragon spacecraft on SpaceX CRS-2. The mission was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket on March 1, 2013, sending the first ever commercial copy of music into space.