Editing Bad Religion (section)

===Mainstream success and departure of Gurewitz (1993–1995)===

With [[alternative rock]] and [[grunge]] breaking into the mainstream, Bad Religion signed to [[Atlantic Records]] in 1993 and quickly re-released their seventh full-length studio album ''[[Recipe for Hate]]'' on the label that same year. Despite receiving mixed reviews from music critics, the album finally broke Bad Religion into mainstream audiences and got their highest U.S. chart position to date, debuting at No.&nbsp;14 on [[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'s [[Top Heatseekers|Heatseekers]] chart, with "[[American Jesus]]" and "[[Struck a Nerve]]" in particular becoming major rock radio hits at their time. During their ''Recipe for Hate'' Tour, the band would support several opening acts, including then [[Lookout Records]]-signed punk band [[Green Day]].<ref name="pearn">{{cite news |last1=Pearn |first1=Frank Jr. |title=Punk Band Green Day Taking a 'Bookish' Turn |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1994-03-18-2957839-story.html |access-date=February 6, 2022 |work=The Morning Call |date=March 18, 1994}}</ref>

''Recipe for Hate'' was followed up by Bad Religion's eighth studio album ''[[Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion album)|Stranger Than Fiction]]''. The album met high critical reception upon its release in September 1994, and was their most successful album at the time, scoring such hits as "[[Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion song)|Stranger Than Fiction]]", "[[Infected (song)|Infected]]", and a re-recording of "[[21st Century (Digital Boy)]]", which was originally released on ''Against the Grain''. The band also recorded the song "Leaders and Followers" (which later appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese version of ''Stranger Than Fiction'') for the soundtrack for the [[Kevin Smith]] film, ''[[Clerks (1994 film)|Clerks]]''. The album was Bad Religion's first to enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]; the release peaked at number 87, and was awarded [[RIAA Certification|gold certification]] on March 4, 1998, for sales of over half a million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |title=RIAA Certification (type in "Bad Religion" in the artist box) |work=[[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] |access-date=October 11, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626050454/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archive-date=June 26, 2007 }}</ref> With the success of that album, Bad Religion became a key member of the 1990s [[Commercial broadcasting|commercial]] punk rock explosion, alongside Green Day and fellow Epitaph bands such as [[the Offspring]], [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]], and [[NOFX]].<ref name="autobiography" />

Gurewitz left the band right before the release of ''Stranger Than Fiction''. He officially cited the reason for his departure as the increasing amount of time he was needed at Epitaph as the Offspring (who had just released ''[[Smash (The Offspring album)|Smash]]'' to unexpected success and acclaim) became one of the biggest bands of the mid-1990s. Gurewitz, along with many fans, accused the band of [[selling out]] for leaving Epitaph to seek greater financial success.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rogers|first=Neal|title=The Higher Calling|date=May 9, 1996|url=http://www.thebrpage.net/article/detail.asp?iArt=248&iType=25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050427023721/http://www.thebrpage.net/article/detail.asp?iArt=248&iType=25|archive-date=April 27, 2005}}</ref> As tensions increased, Graffin would sing alternate lyrics during concerts, such as, "I want to know where Brett gets his crack" or "I want to know why Gurewitz cracked", on the song "[[Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion song)|Stranger Than Fiction]]".<ref name="strangerthanfiction">{{cite web|url=http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=stranger_than_fiction_%28song%29 |title=Stranger Than Fiction (song) &#124; The Answer &#124; The Bad Religion Page - Since 1995 |website=Thebrpage.net |access-date=April 27, 2016}}</ref> These barbs referred to Gurewitz's struggles with crack, heroin, and other addictions which plagued him for years. Brett discussed his drug use in an interview on the band's ''Suffer Tour'' documentary, ''[[Along the Way]]'', and claimed that he was clean and sober. In response, Gurewitz recorded a song with his new band, [[The Daredevils (band)|the Daredevils]], titled "[[Hate You (Daredevils song)|Hate You]]".

Gurewitz was replaced as guitarist by [[Brian Baker (musician)|Brian Baker]], a former member of the bands [[Minor Threat]], [[Dag Nasty]], and [[Junkyard (band)|Junkyard]]; Baker declined a spot with [[R.E.M.]] to join Bad Religion.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sharpe-Young|first=Garry|title=New Wave of American Heavy Metal|year=2005|publisher=Zonda Books Limited|isbn=0958268401|page=46}}</ref> With Gurewitz gone, Graffin became Bad Religion's primary songwriter (songwriting duties were originally split between the two).