Placebo are an English alternative rock band from London. They were formed in 1994 by singer-guitarist Brian Molko and guitarist/bassist Stefan Olsdal. The band was soon joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and was replaced by Steve Forrest in 2008. They are known for their androgynous image and angst-fueled musical content. To date, they have released six studio albums, all of which have reached the top 20 in the UK, and have sold over ten million records worldwide.

Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal had both attended the American International School of Luxembourg, but didn't cross paths properly until 1994 in London, England. At the time, Olsdal was taking guitar lessons and was on his way home when he met Molko at the South Kensington tube station. Molko, observing that Olsdal had a guitar strapped to his back, invited Olsdal to watch him perform at a local bar. On the strength of Molko's performance, Olsdal decided that they should start a band.^{[dead link]} The two formed Ashtray Heart, a lo-fi duo, playing mostly on toy instruments. They wrote four songs, but decided to try out as a serious band and started to scout for a drummer.^{[citation needed]}