A Symptom of Being Human

"A Symptom of Being Human"
Cover art for the 2024 live single release
Single by Shinedown
from the album Planet Zero
Released	February 22, 2023
Recorded	2021
Studio	Big Animal Studio (Charleston, South Carolina)
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:08
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Brent Smith Eric Bass
Producer(s)	Eric Bass
Shinedown singles chronology
"Dead Don't Die" (2023) "A Symptom of Being Human" (2023) "Three Six Five" / "Dance, Kid, Dance" (2025)
Music video
"A Symptom of Being Human" on YouTube

"A Symptom of Being Human" is a song by American rock band Shinedown. It was released on February 22, 2023, as the fourth single from their seventh studio album Planet Zero (2022).

The song was a crossover hit, reaching the Mainstream Top 40, topping the Mainstream Rock Songs charts, and becoming the first song to chart in the top 10 across 3 major Mediabase charts. ^[1]

Background

Unlike all of Shinedown's previous singles, "A Symptom of Being Human" was initially not released to Mainstream Rock radio, and instead was released to Hot Adult Contemporary radio. ^[2] On June 23, a "Pop Remix" was released, which turns the song into an upbeat song in the style of modern top-40 hits. ^[3] In January 2024, the song became the band's nineteenth to top the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, extending their record for the most number ones in the chart's history. ^[4] The song also entered the Billboard Pop Airplay chart on the week of March 2, 2024, becoming Shinedown's fourth song on the chart, and the first one since "If You Only Knew" in 2010. ^{[5] [6]}

Lyrics and composition

Frontman Brent Smith stated that "A Symptom of Being Human" is written about his struggles with mental illness and the social stigma surrounding it he endured throughout his life. ^[7] Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone described the song as a "mid-tempo piano ballad about self-doubt, anxiety, and anything that threatens our mental health". ^[8]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "A Symptom of Being Human"

Chart (2023–2024)	Peak position
Canada Rock ( Billboard ) [9]	22
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [10]	16
US Adult Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [11]	15
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [12]	17
US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [6]	19
US Rock Airplay ( Billboard ) [13]	2
US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) [14]	46

Year-end charts

2023 year-end chart performance for "A Symptom of Being Human"

Chart (2023)	Position
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) [15]	40

2024 year-end chart performance for "A Symptom of Being Human"

Chart (2024)	Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [16]	40
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) [17]	36
US Rock Airplay (Billboard) [18]	8

References

1. DeRuyter, Hannah (August 2, 2024). "Iconic Shinedown Single Reaches New Milestone After Record-Breaking Success". iHeartRadio . Retrieved February 24, 2025.
2. "Shinedown Adult Pop Airplay Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
3. Despres, Tricia (June 23, 2023). "Shinedown Score a Mainstream Hit with 'A Symptom of Being Human': 'It's a Song About Taking a Breath' (Exclusive)". People . Retrieved January 13, 2024.
4. Rutherford, Kevin (January 12, 2024). "Shinedown Adds to Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 Record With 'A Symptom of Being Human'". Billboard . Retrieved January 13, 2024.
5. Baltin, Steve (March 21, 2024). "How Shinedown And iHeartRadio Teamed Up To Bring Rock Back To Charts". Forbes . Retrieved February 24, 2025.
6. "Shinedown Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
7. "What Brent Smith Understands About Being Human | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
8. "Shinedown Are Outgrowing Hard Rock With an Unexpected Pop Hit". Rolling Stone . January 23, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
9. "Shinedown Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
10. "Shinedown Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
11. "Shinedown Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
12. "Shinedown Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
13. "Shinedown Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
14. "Shinedown Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
15. "Adult Pop Airplay Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2023.
16. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2024". Billboard . Retrieved December 15, 2024.
17. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
18. "Rock & Alternative Airplay Songs – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2025.