The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford.

The band has enjoyed commercial success with their albums achieving gold and platinum statuses in many countries worldwide.

[2] The Used formed in the summer of 2000 with Branden Steineckert, Quinn Allman, Jeph Howard, and Bert McCracken.

He returned the next day to record a demo version of the song and was then officially confirmed as the band's vocalist.

During the early days of the band, members suffered from poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse, panhandling for change in order to buy food.

[5] They decided upon the name "Used" after friends claimed they felt "used" when contact with the band members waned as they became more engrossed in the project.

On hearing the song "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", Feldman flew the band to Los Angeles on his own expense and helped them find a record label.

Their self-titled debut album, produced by John Feldmann, was released on June 25, 2002, to critical acclaim.

[12] Their second studio album was thus named In Love and Death, released as a reference to the tragedy McCracken dealt with during the recording.

In Love and Death received very positive reviews[13] and spawned three singles: "Take It Away", "All That I've Got" (which earned them their first MuchMusic Video Award nomination), and "I Caught Fire", before being re-released in 2005.

"Under Pressure" (a Queen and David Bowie cover song performed with My Chemical Romance) was featured as a bonus track later pressings.

They were scheduled to play Warped Tour in June and July, in support of their album, but were forced to cancel due to McCracken's vocal cord surgery.

[15] After McCracken recovered, the band played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September.

Lies for the Liars charted in the top five in more than seven countries,[2] and featured the singles: "The Bird and the Worm" and "Pretty Handsome Awkward".

They took several breaks while working on the album to headline the inaugural Get a Life Tour and the Spare the Air Festival in California.

In Alternative Press, McCracken stated "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal.

[22] In April 2010, they cancelled their upcoming international tour dates and also began writing material for a follow-up to Artwork.

[29][30] In June 2012, they were forced to cancel all scheduled Canadian tour dates due to McCracken's criminal record.

[31] Sub City (Hopeless Records' non-profit 501(c) organization) announced on November 9, 2012, that they, with support from We Came As Romans, Crown the Empire, and Mindflow, would headline the annual nationwide charity tour will circle the US through February, showcasing some of the best bands in music today while raising funds and awareness for It Gets Better Project and the concept that we can all help play a part in making a positive impact.

[38] In early February 2015, it was announced that guitarist Quinn Allman parted ways with the band for a one-year hiatus.

The live CD/DVD hit #11 on Billboard's Current Album's chart, and recorded the band's intimate performance with a four-piece string quartet, harpist, piano player, percussion and a three-piece gospel choir.

[46] The album was produced by Ross Robinson, and was recorded using analog equipment with no click-tracks or backing vocals to achieve a raw sound.

"[49] McCracken's delivery of the lyrics coupled with Shekoski's melodies and riffs, showed "The Used have fully realized their wild imagination" and critics noted "this collection of songs are more compelling and moving than anything heard previously from the band.

[56] In January 2018, following a business dispute regarding payment after the release of The Canyon and subsequent promotional tour, Shekoski was dismissed from the band.

In March 2018, they removed Justin Shekoski from their band members section on Facebook and edited him out of their promotional photos.

They released a limited edition vinyl EP, Live from Maida Vale, on Record Store Day 2019.

[62][non-primary source needed] A second single and video "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton" was released February 7.

[1] A year and a half later on September 10, 2021, the band released a deluxe version of Heartwork with 11 b-sides recorded during the session.

[82] The band's early influences included Ink & Dagger, Jawbox, Fugazi, Nirvana, Refused,[87] Jimmy Eat World, Hot Water Music, Converge, and Goldfinger.

[19] On their fifth album Vulnerable, McCracken stated that there is a lot of hip hop influence, beats and drum and bass kind of stuff but it is also still the Used record with many soft and heavy, brutal, sharp, bright sounds and the tempos are anywhere from ultra-slow to super fast and heavy.