Emerging from the vibrant San Francisco music scene of the early 1990s, Third Eye Blind became one of the defining alternative rock bands of the late decade, crafting anthems that blended infectious pop melodies with introspective, often dark lyrical themes. The band's core songwriting partnership between vocalist Stephan Jenkins and guitarist Kevin Cadogan solidified the group's direction, leading to a major label deal with Elektra Records in 1996. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1997 and featuring the lineup of Jenkins, Cadogan, bassist Arion Salazar, and drummer Brad Hargreaves, catapulted them to massive commercial success. Driven by the inescapable, upbeat yet lyrically somber single "Semi-Charmed Life," alongside other hits like "Jumper" and "How's It Going to Be," the album was certified six-times platinum, establishing Third Eye Blind as a major force on radio and MTV.

The band capitalized on this momentum with their 1999 sophomore effort, "Blue," which also achieved platinum status and produced the Top 20 hit "Never Let You Go." However, the period following this release was marked by significant turmoil, as founding guitarist Cadogan was dismissed from the band under contentious circumstances. This began a long phase of lineup instability. The band, now centered around Jenkins and Hargreaves, continued to release music, putting out "Out of the Vein" in 2003 and "Ursa Major" in 2009 with guitarist Tony Fredianelli, but faced long gaps between albums and shifting personnel.

A period of renewed stability and creative output began in the mid-2010s with the addition of lead guitarist Kryz Reid, keyboardist Alex Kopp, and bassist Alex LeCavalier. This revitalized lineup released the album "Dopamine" in 2015, followed by a series of EPs including "We Are Drugs" and "Thanks for Everything." After Colin CreeV replaced Kopp, the band's productivity continued with the albums "Screamer" in 2019 and "Our Bande Apart" in 2021. Throughout their career, marked by both explosive fame and internal evolution, Third Eye Blind has maintained a dedicated fan base and a legacy anchored by their multi-platinum 1990s output, having sold approximately twelve million records worldwide. They remain an active touring and recording entity, with Jenkins and Hargreaves as the enduring core.