The name was a dig at the glam band Pretty Boy Floyd, and Ugly Kid Joe formed in Isla Vista, California in 1989 around singer Whitfield Crane. Their debut EP, As Ugly as They Wanna Be, became, per AllMusic, the first short-form release ever certified multi-platinum, thanks largely to "Everything About You." The full-length America's Least Wanted went platinum, and their cover of Harry Chapin's "Cats in the Cradle" reached the Top 10.
They split in 1997, came back in 2010, and have since released Stairway to Hell, Uglier Than They Used ta Be and Rad Wings of Destiny (2022). In mid-2026 guitarist Dave Fortman said the next record would go "back to metal," with songs reflecting a heavier rock and metal sound.