Steve Harwell, the lead singer of Smash Mouth, retired from the band in 2021 due to ongoing physical and mental health issues. His retirement followed a controversial performance in October 2021 where he appeared intoxicated, threatened audience members, and made a gesture resembling a Nazi salute. Harwell had struggled with several health problems, including cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which affected his motor functions, speech, and memory. He also battled addiction issues over the years. After his retirement, Zach Goode became the new lead singer of Smash Mouth in 2022. Steve Harwell passed away on September 4, 2023, at the age of 56 from acute liver failure at his home in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by family and friends

. The band continues to perform and produce music with bassist Paul De Lisle as the only remaining original member