They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk,[1][2][3] though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music.

[4] They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of other genres like funk,[5] heavy metal,[1] hip hop, and soul.

Their classic lineup includes singer H.R., guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer, and drummer Earl Hudson.

[9] The group included lead guitarist Dr. Know (Gary Miller), bassist Darryl Jenifer, and brothers Paul Hudson (later known as H.R.)

"[5] Despite their burgeoning punk sound, after seeing Bob Marley in concert the band also became interested in reggae music and the Rastafari movement.

[11] The band gained a fan base in Washington D.C. due to their high-energy performances and occasional reggae songs.

"[16] Their self-titled debut album was released on the ROIR label, originally on cassette only, in 1982,[17] followed in 1983 by Rock for Light, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars.

In addition to the band's hardcore punk and reggae sounds, this album added elements from heavy metal and funk.

provided the vocals for the song "Sacred Love" over the phone from the Lorton Reformatory while serving time for a cannabis charge.

gained additional critical notice for his expanded vocal style on I Against I; according to Rick Anderson of AllMusic, "[HR] digs deep into his bag of voices and pulls them all out, one by one: the frightening nasal falsetto that was his signature in the band's hardcore days, an almost bel canto baritone, and a declamatory speed-rap chatter that spews lyrics with the mechanical precision of a machine gun".

[23] During this period, the Hudson brothers, who wanted to steer the band toward reggae, often clashed with Dr. Know and Jenifer, who were increasingly interested in hard rock and heavy metal.

Former Faith No More member Chuck Mosley took over on lead vocals in 1990–91,[24] and was then replaced by Israel Joseph I (Dexter Pinto).

[1] In 1990, the band collaborated with Henry Rollins on a cover of The MC5's "Kick Out the Jams", which appears on the soundtrack to the film Pump Up the Volume.

's erratic behavior while performing and several violent incidents against the band's manager, fans, and venue employees.

[34][35] In 2005 the band, known once again as Bad Brains, announced that they were recording their first album of new material in ten years, with MCA of the Beastie Boys producing.

[48][49] In November 2015, Dr. Know suffered a heart attack and was placed on life support due to the risk of organ failure.

announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare type of headache called SUNCT, and received treatment for this condition and other ongoing health issues thanks to another GoFundMe campaign.

They announced that they hoped to record a new album titled Mind Power, after the band's short-lived original moniker.

[57] Many notable bands and artists cite Bad Brains as an artistic influence on their music, including the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Guns N' Roses, Soundgarden, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction, Faith No More, Rage Against the Machine, Deftones, Clutch, Green Day, the Offspring, the Roots, Lamb of God, Sublime, No Doubt, Anthrax, Living Colour, 311 and Fishbone.