Rock group Creed has wrapped it up

It’s official: Creed is no more. Reports of the rock group’s breakup have been circulating for months, and Friday the band members confirmed that the act, whose three albums have sold nearly 24 million copies in the U.S., has called it quits.

“Creed was one of the most amazing journeys through music and friendship I am blessed to say I was part of,” singer Scott Stapp said in a statement released by the group’s label, Wind-Up Records. Stapp’s first post-Creed recording is due for release Aug. 31. Songwriter and guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and original bassist Brian Marshall have started a new band, Alter Bridge, which is slated to release its debut album Aug. 10.

Tremonti told MTV News that the decision to disband was made months ago, after Stapp and the others got together for the first time after a year hiatus. “Scott and I hadn’t been close for a while,” Tremonti said, “and things just weren’t working out.”

-- Randy Lewis