John Rzeznik, whose career began in the late 1980s, is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Buffalo, New York. As the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for the Goo Goo Dolls, he is celebrated for his distinctive tenor voice and melodic sensibility that helped define alternative rock in the 1990s and beyond.

With his bandmates Robby Takac and Mike Malinin (later others joining), Rzeznik moved from punk roots toward mainstream acclaim. Their 1998 album Dizzy Up the Girl—anchored by his heartfelt ballad “Iris”—elevated the band to multi-platinum success. “Iris” topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for a record 18 weeks and received three Grammy nominations, cementing Rzeznik’s status as a songwriter of emotional depth.