Released in 2024, the track “Soft Spine” became an instant hit for Spiritbox . The song, which was nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award for “Best Metal Performance ,” will certainly be on the setlist for the show taking place on May 16th at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, where the Canadian band will perform alongside Korn and Seven Hours After Violet . Tickets are on sale.
With this song, the quartet led by vocalist Courtney LaPlante fiercely attacks the lack of integrity in the music industry, using the term "soft-skinned" to describe people who change their behavior according to market demands. Melodically, the absence of pop elements from the EP Fear of Fear (2023) stands out, along with the inclusion of a more chaotic sound, characteristic of Tsunami Sea , the band's most recent album, released in March 2025.
However, fans consider it a "diss track." The term, originating in hip-hop, refers to songs created with the explicit purpose of attacking, insulting, or exposing the flaws of a rival. Courtney has revealed in several interviews that the track sounds like a response to the toxicity and abuse of power by individuals who feel untouchable. The band has never publicly mentioned any names.
“I was thinking about all these jerks who are so beloved in our genre, and I wanted to beat them up, like they were the school bullies. When I sing this song, I can say what I want to them without saying their names and without elevating them to a public stage,” he declared to Revolver in 2025.
It's no coincidence that, at concerts, one of the most anticipated moments happens just before the music starts. When announcing "Soft Spine," she always says: "This song is for all those I hate to hell." Lyrically, the line "I hate those who love you and those who profit from you" stands out, as does the presence of the word "regicide," symbolizing the downfall of people who boast about being at the top of an obsolete hierarchy.
The song may be related to the Spiritbox controversy with vocalist Ronnie Radke in 2023
Although Spiritbox never mentioned who those names might be, one stands out as a favorite: Ronnie Radke , the controversial vocalist of Falling in Reverse . The speculation originated in 2023, when LaPlante and his group decided not to tour with him after a strong appeal from fans, who asked the band not to compromise their ethical values.
The decision was well received by fans, but Radke didn't see it that way. The vocalist began attacking the quartet in now-deleted posts, focusing on the idea that the band was "weak," had "horrible fans," and lacked "a backbone" for succumbing to social media pressure.
In this context, fans see a possible connection between these statements and the concept of the song. However, the most direct attack occurred in February 2025, shortly after the group's defeat at that year's Grammy Awards, where they were nominated for the song " Cellar Door." On X (formerly Twitter), the vocalist wrote :
"You guys can get Spinelessbox to kick me off tour because I said 'transvestite, gay, faggot, retard,' but you can't stop me from winning a Billboard and you can't help you win a Grammy . I get it."
The band chose not to pick a fight. In an interview with Metal Hammer , Courtney explained the band's philosophy behind this decision: “Often, people confuse silence with weakness. But for us, true strength lies in not allowing outside voices to dictate how we should feel or act. We knew why we made that decision, and we knew our fans knew too. We didn't need to prove anything to those who were just screaming for attention.”
Guitarist Mike Stringer told Guitar World : “It’s easy for an outsider to point the finger and call us ‘spineless.’ What’s hard is standing your ground when the whole world is watching. ‘Soft Spine’ is our manifesto. It’s proof that our backbone is made of steel and that we don’t need to perform bravery for social media when our music speaks for itself.”
If his idea was to weaken the band, it didn't work. "Soft Spine" currently has 23 million streams on Spotify, has become one of Spiritbox's most acclaimed hits, and took the band to the stage of the most important music award: the Grammy.
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