Placebo ( plə-SEE-boh) are a British alternative rock band, formed in London in 1994 by vocalist-guitarist Brian Molko and bassist-guitarist Stefan Olsdal, who have remained the two constant members, with three full-time drummers throughout the band's existence. Molko and Olsdal were joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg for a demo, a split single, and their eponymous debut album in 1996. Shortly after the album's release, Steve Hewitt replaced Schultzberg on drums. Placebo gained exposure in 1997 after the single "Nancy Boy" (a song notorious at the time for its gender-bending content) became popular in the UK. The band stood out amongst the Britpop scene of the time because of their androgynous appearance and musical content, as well as Molko's distinctive voice and lyrics which openly discussed sexuality, mental health, and drug use. Their 1998 album Without You I’m Nothing was a massive international breakthrough, going platinum in the UK and gold in France. It spawned a pair of UK top-ten singles for the band, "Pure Morning" and "You Don't Care About Us", as well as the No. 11 hit "Every You Every Me". Hewitt left Placebo in 2007 due to personal and musical differences.
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