You know that feeling when a band you grew up with suddenly starts bleeding members? It’s jarring. One minute you’re screaming "If You Can't Hang" in your bedroom, and the next, your Twitter feed is blowing up because someone just got kicked out—or left—and nobody is saying why. Sleeping With Sirens gossip has always been this weird, swirling vortex of cryptic Instagram captions and "creative differences" that don't actually explain anything.
Honestly, it's exhausting.
Since they crawled out of Orlando in 2009, the band has been a lightning rod for drama. Is it because Kellin Quinn has one of the most recognizable (and polarizing) voices in the scene? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the natural friction of five guys living in a bus for a decade. Whatever the reason, if you've been following them, you know the "gossip" isn't just about who's dating who. It's about the fundamental survival of a band that defined the post-hardcore era.
The Gabe Barham Exit: The Elephant in the Room
Let's talk about 2019. It was a massive year for the band because they were dropping How It Feels to Be Lost. It was supposed to be their big return to "heavy" music after the pop-leaning Gossip album—ironic title, I know—dividing the fanbase. But right as the momentum was building, Gabe Barham was out.
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Gabe wasn't just some touring drummer. He was a pillar of the SWS sound.
The official statement was the usual corporate fluff. You've seen it a thousand times: "We love him, we wish him the best, we’re moving in different directions." But the internet doesn't just let things go. Fans started digging. There were whispers about internal tensions regarding the band's musical direction. Some people claimed it was about money; others thought it was personal.
The reality is usually a boring mix of both. When a band tries to pivot back to their roots, not everyone is always on the same page about how to do it. Gabe's departure felt like a fracture that never quite healed for the "classic" lineup purists. It’s the kind of Sleeping With Sirens gossip that actually matters because it changed the DNA of their live show.
Why the "Gossip" Album Nearly Broke the Fandom
We have to address the 2017 era. If you want to see a fanbase go into a full-blown meltdown, just look at the release of the album Gossip.
It was a total departure.
Kellin was leaning into his pop sensibilities. The guitars were cleaner. The screams were gone. For many, it felt like a betrayal. The "gossip" surrounding this era wasn't about scandals—it was about the band's identity. People were convinced they were "selling out" for radio play.
"We were trying to find ourselves," Kellin mentioned in several interviews around the How It Feels to Be Lost cycle.
He basically admitted they were lost. They were trying to be something they weren't. The irony of naming an album Gossip while the entire scene was gossiping about whether they’d lost their edge is some Tier 1 cosmic humor. It's rare for a band to admit an entire era was a mistake, but in a way, they did. They pivoted back to the heavy stuff almost immediately after.
The Kellin Quinn Factor
You can't discuss this band without talking about Kellin. He’s the face, the voice, and the primary target for every rumor. Over the years, he’s been accused of being "difficult" to work with, a diva, or even someone who doesn't care about his fans.
Most of that is nonsense.
If you actually look at the track record, Kellin has been one of the most accessible frontmen in the scene. Does he have a big personality? Yeah. Does he get defensive on social media? Occasionally. But the narrative that he's the "villain" of the band's lineup changes doesn't hold much water when you realize how long the core members like Jack Fowler (until recently) and Justin Hills stayed by his side.
The Jack Fowler Departure: A New Era of Speculation
If Gabe leaving was a shock, Jack Fowler leaving in 2022 was an earthquake.
Jack was the riff master. He brought that metalcore edge that kept SWS from becoming just another pop-rock band. When he announced he was stepping away to pursue other projects, the Sleeping With Sirens gossip mill went into overdrive. Was there a fight? Is the band ending?
The truth is much more "adult" and, frankly, kind of sad. Being in a touring band for 13 years is a grind. Jack wanted to produce. He wanted to do his own thing. But for fans, seeing the "big three"—Kellin, Justin, and Jack—broken up felt like the end of an era.
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It’s important to remember that these guys aren't teenagers anymore. They have lives. They have different goals. The "drama" we see on the outside is often just the friction of people growing apart.
Current Lineup and Future Rumors
Right now, the band is in a transitional phase. They’re still touring, they’re still putting out music, but the vibe is different. There’s always talk about whether they’ll ever do a "classic lineup" reunion tour.
Don't hold your breath.
While everyone seems to be on decent terms, the wounds from the Gabe and Jack departures are still relatively fresh in the grand scheme of a band's lifespan. The current gossip is less about infighting and more about longevity. How much longer can Kellin hit those high notes? How many more times can they reinvent themselves?
Separating Fact from Fan Fiction
When you’re looking for Sleeping With Sirens gossip, you have to be careful about your sources. Tumblr and certain corners of Reddit are notorious for "I heard from a friend who knows a roadie" stories.
- The "Kellin is leaving" rumors: These pop up every two years. They are consistently false. He is the band.
- The "Band is breaking up" talk: Usually happens after every album cycle. They haven't yet.
- The "Secret beef" with other bands: Aside from some minor Twitter spats years ago (we all remember the 2012-2014 era), they are actually pretty well-liked in the industry.
What This Means for You as a Fan
If you're looking for the scandalous, "behind-the-music" dirt, you'll find plenty of people willing to sell you a story. But if you look at the evidence, the most "scandalous" thing about Sleeping With Sirens is their willingness to change their sound and deal with the fallout.
They’ve survived a massive shift in the music industry. They survived the decline of Warped Tour. They survived the departure of key members.
Actionable Insights for Following Band News:
- Check the Source: If it’s an anonymous post on a forum with no screenshots, it’s probably fake.
- Follow the Members, Not the Band Account: Personal accounts of former members (like Gabe or Jack) often give more insight into their current mindset than a sanitized PR post on the main band page.
- Watch the Credits: If you want to know who is actually contributing to the music, look at the songwriting credits on Spotify or Tidal. It tells you more about internal dynamics than any tweet.
- Support the Music, Ignore the Noise: At the end of the day, the "gossip" doesn't change the riffs. If you like the songs, listen to them.
The story of Sleeping With Sirens isn't over, but it has definitely entered its "veteran" stage. The drama has cooled, the members have matured, and the gossip is finally taking a backseat to the legacy they've built over the last decade and a half.