After gaining traction in Sweden through the 1990s, they rose to worldwide prominence in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival.

Their mainstream success came with the release of Veni Vidi Vicious and its single "Hate to Say I Told You So", considered their signature song.

[4] Drummer Dangerous suggested the name "Hives" for the band as he had read the word for the skin disease in a dictionary.

Burning Heart signed a deal with Epitaph Records to distribute the band's material in the United States during that same year.

[8] The Hives released their second studio album, Veni Vidi Vicious, in April 2000 through Burning Heart Records.

The band members described the album as being like "a velvet glove with brass knuckles, both brutal and sophisticated at the same time".

After seeing the video for "Hate to Say I Told You So" on German television, industry executive Alan McGee decided to sign the band to his newly formed Poptones label.

During the promotion of Veni Vidi Vicious and Your New Favourite Band, the Hives signed a record deal with Universal Music, reportedly worth $10 million.

[10] The signing was a result of Epitaph selling the rights to the band's material in the US to Warner Bros. Records without informing the members beforehand.

[16][17][18] In July 2010, the band released an EP titled Tarred and Feathered, which consisted of the cover songs "Civilization's Dying" by Zero Boys, "Nasty Secretary" by Joy Rider & Avis Davis and "Early Morning Wake Up Call" by Flash and the Pan.

was used as the theme for Xbox One's "Invitation" commercials, and featured in an episode of Workaholics and the documentary The Crash Reel, while the song "1000 Answers," was included on the soundtrack of the video game FIFA 12.

[35] In January 2023, the band shared a series of photos in which Howlin' Pelle held up protest signs on Hollywood Boulevard that read "The Hives Must Album Now!"

A second set of photos was shared in early February, with Almqvist now holding a sign that read "Where Is the New The Hives Album".

[36] In May 2023, the band confirmed that their sixth studio album, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, would be released on 11 August 2023.

The band also shared the album's lead single "Bogus Operandi", marking their first new release in four years.

Its music video featured a cameo from the band's former bassist Dr. Matt Destruction, who played an office worker.

[43] During that same year, Howlin' Pelle posted in the online diary on the band's website that he had recorded footsteps with Jack White for the Raconteurs new album.

[47] In 2018, the Almqvist brothers gifted the song "Let the Punishment Fit the Behind" to the Norwegian rock band Turbonegro for their album RockNRoll Machine.

In 2019, the singer contributed backing vocals to the track "Turn the Cross" from Swedish punk band Refused's album War Music.

[50][3][51] When asked about their efforts to connect with the audience, drummer Dangerous replied that "there are so many bands out there that don't say a word to the crowd.

[52] In 2023, Howlin' Pelle commented on the effects of their live shows saying "we give so much energy and then it kind of bounces right back.