Listen to Switchfoot on Batanga

Switchfoot was founded in 1996 as Chin Up, consisting of Jon and his brother Tim, along with Chad on the drums. After playing only a few shows, in 1997, the band was contacted by Charlie Peacock, and eventually signed to his indie label Re:think Records under the current moniker Switchfoot. According to Jon Foreman, the name "Switchfoot" is a surfing term. "We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music". The first three Switchfoot albums were The Legend of Chin, New Way to Be Human and Learning to Breathe. Of these, Learning to Breathe was the most successful. The album was certified gold by the RIAA, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album.

In 2002 Switchfoot's music was featured prominently in the movie A Walk to Remember. Singer and actress Mandy Moore who starred in the movie, sang Switchfoot's song "Only Hope" during a scene in the movie. The movie's sound track also featured a duet with Mandy Mooreand Jon Foreman, and as many as four other Switchfoot songs, in addition to Mandy Moores cover of "Only Hope".

In early 2003, following the exposure that came from "A Walk to Remember," Switchfoot released their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, under Columbia Records/Red Ink. The record represented the band's evolution from the predominantly lo-fi, indie rock sound of their early albums, toward a more layered, synth-influenced sound that helped launch the band to mainstream popularity. The Beautiful Letdown has since been certified double-platinum, and went on to sell more than 2.6 million copies, on the strength of constant touring and huge mainstream radio hits "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move".

In 2005 prior to the release of Nothing Is Sound Switchfoot announced that guitarist Drew Shirley had become the band's fifth member after touring with Switchfoot since 2003. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Switchfoot's most recent album, Oh! Gravity, was released on December 26, 2006, earning considerable critical acclaim. It entered the Billboard chart at #18 and peaked at #1 on iTunes' Top Albums chart.

Switchfoot's frontman and guitarist Jon Foreman cites his musical influences as U2 The Police, The Beatles, James Taylor, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ronny Jordan, Miles Davis, Keith Green and Nirvana. Guitarist Drew Shirley cites U2 Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tommy Walker, Phil Keaggy, Michael Jackson Dave MatthewsBand and the Brand New Heavies, while bassist Tim Foreman pays tribute to Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Chad Butler also cites Stevie Wonder as his main influence, and Dave Grohl. Though they draw from a varied number of influences, they sound very different from any of their heroes. “We’ve never fit in any of the genre boxes,” says Jon. “I think that diversity is our strength”.