[7] The band was signed to Universal Records in the United States by late 1998,[2] and they were promoted with the songs "Champion", which featured in Gran Turismo 3; "Post Enebriated Anxiety", which was on the international version of Guide to Better Living; "Chemical Heart", via the internet; and a cover of the Prong song "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck", from Grinspoon's Pushing Buttons EP, which was included on ECW: Extreme Music.

On 4 December 2013, the band members announced an indefinite hiatus to pursue individual projects, although they made a return in earnest in 2017.

[2] After winning the competition, with their post-grunge song "Sickfest", they gained considerable airplay on Triple J and independent radio stations and used this to secure gigs.

[2][3] It had a slightly heavier sound than their earlier EP with five tracks including the songs "Champion" and "Pig Pen".

In September 1997 they released their first full-length album, Guide to Better Living, co-produced by McKellar and well-known Swiss-American heavy metal producer Ulrich Wild.

[9] It represents the Helmet-influenced[10] alternative metal sound of their early career with heavier songs like "Pressure Tested 1984".

The Australian version of the album features five live songs—illustrating the band's sense of humour and ability to play live—and a hidden track, the acoustic "Protest".

US branch of Universal Records signed the band by late 1998 and released an altered version of Guide to Better Living in March 1999.

Whilst in US touring for ten months as support act for Creed, Lit, Godsmack and Anthrax,[2] Grinspoon released a six track EP, Pushing Buttons, for their Australian market in September 1998.

[6][12] The first single from the album, "Chemical Heart", released in February had created a stir with long term fans and the media because it was different from their previous grunge sound.

For Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills, the band agreed that they were deliberately seeking a new audience, claiming they wrote a number of songs for the release and rejected any that sounded like earlier work.

On 26 March 2006, Grinspoon performed "Hard Act To Follow" and "Better Off Alone" at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony in Melbourne.

They headlined the inaugural "Thank God It's Over" in Melbourne, at "BOBFest '06" in South Australia in October and at Odyssey 2006 at Dreamworld for New Year's Eve.

[2][14] On Andrew Denton's Enough Rope in July, Jamieson discussed his drug addictions, an extramarital affair, stealing money from bandmates, detox and rehab experiences.

On 5 February 2008, Jamieson announced, via the band's official website, that Grinspoon were on hiatus following their appearance at Big Day Out in late January.

[16] The band contributed the track "Blind Lead Blind", their B side of 2007's "Minute By Minute", to a compilation CD for The Buttery Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centre titled Caution: Life Ahead, which included contributions from other Australian acts such as Powderfinger, Midnight Oil and The Living End, and was released in November.

[18] Jamieson then toured with a supergroup composed of The Living End's Chris Cheney, You Am I's Tim Rogers, and Josh Pyke with a 17-piece band in August 2009.

The album was later slated to feature guest musicians including Chris Cheney of The Living End, Tim Rogers of You Am I and Scott Russo of Unwritten Law.

"[20] In August 2015, it was announced that the band would be reforming exclusively to play a run of dates opening for Cold Chisel.