Matchbox Twenty

Biography

Matchbox Twenty (formerly stylized as Matchbox 20) is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brian Yale (bass guitar), Paul Doucette (drums, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Kyle Cook (lead guitar, vocals).
Matchbox Twenty rose to international fame with their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You×Yourself or Someone Like You1 October 1996 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Real World3:522Long Day3:4633 A.M.3:474Push3:595Girl Like That3:456Back 2 Good5:407Damn3:208Argue2:589Kody4:0410Busted4:1711Shame3:3512Hang3:47 (1996), which was certified 12× platinum (diamond) in the United States and multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Their second album, Mad Season×Mad Season23 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Angry3:462Black & White People3:473Crutch3:274Last Beautiful Girl4:055If You’re Gone4:366Mad Season5:047Rest Stop4:308The Burn3:299Bent4:1810Bed of Lies5:2411Leave4:3512Stop3:5013You Won’t Be Mine12:2414[unknown]2:00, released in 2000, charted in the top three on the Billboard 200 and was certified 4× platinum in the United States. Their third album, More Than You Think You Are×More Than You Think You Are12 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Feel3:202Disease3:403Bright Lights3:544Unwell3:495Cold3:166All I Need3:417Hand Me Down5:038Could I Be You3:439Downfall4:0710Soul4:3411You’re So Real3:0112The Difference / So Sad, So Lonely8:01, released in 2002, was certified 2× platinum in the United States.
The band then went on hiatus in 2004 after rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor's departure. As a result, Paul Doucette took over rhythm guitar when the band reunited in 2007. They released a compilation album, Exile on Mainstream×Exile on Mainstream28 September 2007 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1How Far We’ve Come3:312I’ll Believe You When3:163All Your Reasons2:414These Hard Times3:495If I Fall2:486Can’t Let You Go3:307Long Day3:468Push3:5893 am3:4510Real World3:5111Back 2 Good5:3812Bent4:1713If You’re Gone4:3414Mad Season5:0715Disease3:3916Unwell3:5717Bright Lights4:01, which was certified gold in the United States. After the release, the band toured to support it. Matchbox Twenty then took another hiatus while Thomas resumed his solo career, but reunited again in 2010. On September 4, 2012, the band released their fourth studio album, North×North28 August 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks1Parade4:112She’s So Mean3:503Overjoyed3:064Put Your Hands Up2:535Our Song3:006I Will4:037English Town4:378How Long2:449Radio3:0110The Way3:1811Like Sugar3:4612Sleeping at the Wheel3:5213I Believe in Everything3:3814Straight for This Life3:1515She’s So Mean (Music video)3:54, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Their fifth, Where the Light Goes, was released on May 26, 2023.

1995–2001: Yourself or Someone Like You and Mad Season

Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Paul Doucette were part of the band Tabitha's Secret, which was based in Orlando, Florida, with fellow members Jay Stanley and John Goff, before splitting to start a new band (what was to become Matchbox Twenty). After recruiting Adam Gaynor from Criteria Recording Studios in Miami and Kyle Cook from the Atlanta Institute of Music, the band named themselves "Matchbox 20" and earned a recording contract with Atlantic Records. Doucette suggested the name after combining two words observed on the softball shirt of a man where Doucette was waiting tables.
Matchbox 20 released their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You×Yourself or Someone Like You1 October 1996 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Real World3:522Long Day3:4633 A.M.3:474Push3:595Girl Like That3:456Back 2 Good5:407Damn3:208Argue2:589Kody4:0410Busted4:1711Shame3:3512Hang3:47, in 1996. While their first single, "Long Day×Long Day23 August 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Long Day (radio edit)3:452Long Day (acoustic)4:0533 A.M. (acoustic)4:474Long Day3:45", was a radio success in the west coast, the album soon spawned several Top 40 singles throughout 1997 and 1998, including "Push", "3 A.M.×3 A.M.1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks13 A.M.3:502Push (acoustic)4:233Shame3:36", "Real World×Real World1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Real World3:542Long Day (live, 1997-09-18: 3MMM Studios, Melbourne, Australia)3:5533 A.M. (live, 1997-09-22: 2MMM Studios, Sydney, Australia)3:46", and "Back 2 Good×Back 2 Good8 October 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Back 2 Good5:402Kody (MTV live From the 10 Spot)3:573Damn (MTV live From the 10 Spot)3:57". "Push" and "3 A.M." did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 chart due to the rule in effect prior to 1998 that required a song to be released as a single in order to appear on the Hot 100. "Real World" and "Back 2 Good" proved to be the band's first entries into the Billboard Hot 100, after the rule was terminated. The album eventually shipped more than 12 million copies in the U.S. alone, achieving a diamond certification. In 1998, Matchbox 20 recorded a live version of their single, "3 A.M." for release on the charity album Live in the X Lounge, benefiting United Cerebral Palsy research.
Before recording their second album, Thomas collaborated with Itaal Shur on a song called "Smooth" for Carlos Santana's comeback album, Supernatural. Thomas was supposed to act only as a songwriter for "Smooth", but Carlos Santana had him sing for it after hearing the song's demo. "Smooth" was the album's lead single and became a hit in 1999. Thomas won three Grammy Awards for writing and performing on "Smooth": Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Popular Music Collaboration with Vocals. In 2000, Matchbox 20 adopted the spelling "Matchbox Twenty" and released their second album, Mad Season×Mad Season23 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Angry3:462Black & White People3:473Crutch3:274Last Beautiful Girl4:055If You’re Gone4:366Mad Season5:047Rest Stop4:308The Burn3:299Bent4:1810Bed of Lies5:2411Leave4:3512Stop3:5013You Won’t Be Mine12:2414[unknown]2:00. The album, on the strength of several successful singles, including "Bent" (which peaked No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart) and "If You're Gone×If You're Gone2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1If You're Gone (edit)4:232If You're Gone (album version)4:373Bent (live)4:36", was certified 4× platinum in the United States. The video for "Bent" made fun of singer Thomas's increased fame from "Smooth" by showing the other band members assaulting him. The next two singles, "Mad Season" and "Last Beautiful Girl×Last Beautiful Girl1 November 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Last Beautiful Girl4:032Push (live)4:093Bent (live)4:48" were not as successful.

2002–2004: More Than You Think You Are

For their third album, More Than You Think You Are×More Than You Think You Are12 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Feel3:202Disease3:403Bright Lights3:544Unwell3:495Cold3:166All I Need3:417Hand Me Down5:038Could I Be You3:439Downfall4:0710Soul4:3411You’re So Real3:0112The Difference / So Sad, So Lonely8:01, the band used more of a pop punk/pop rock sound. Thomas shared the songwriting efforts with the other band members on several songs. The album was recorded at Icon Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. Additional recording at Bearsville Studios and Hit Factory in New York and was released on November 19, 2002. The album was produced by Matt Serletic, who at the time was the current chairman for Virgin Records. The album again spawned successful singles "Disease×Disease2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Disease3:422Push (Country version - From VH1 'Storytellers')3:413Crutch (From VH1 'Storytellers')3:17" (written with Mick Jagger), "Unwell×Unwell3 June 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Unwell3:552All I Need (live)3:413Unwell (live acoustic)4:12", and "Bright Lights×Bright Lights8 January 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Bright Lights3:572Disease (live, S.I.R. Studios, New York, NY, USA)3:413Bright Lights (live, S.I.R. Studios, New York, NY, USA)4:40". The album was not as successful commercially as the previous two, and received mixed reviews from critics. However, the album had an enormous radio presence for well over a year.
Director Bill Draheim documented the band throughout the process of making More Than You Think You Are. The documentary Theresville was an online extra.
During 2003, the band released EP, consisting of six songs. The EP featured previously unreleased live and acoustic versions of songs like "Push" and "If You're Gone×If You're Gone2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1If You're Gone (edit)4:232If You're Gone (album version)4:373Bent (live)4:36", as well as a new track, "Suffer Me". In 2004, the band released a live DVD, Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty, filmed in Atlanta and featuring 20 songs, including all of their previous successful singles.

2004–2010: Hiatuses, side-projects and greatest hits album

Before taking a hiatus later that year to allow other members to pursue side projects, such as Paul Doucette's solo band The Break and Repair Method, rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor officially left the group. Rob Thomas released a solo album, …Something to Be, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album featured four successful singles: "Lonely No More", "This Is How a Heart Breaks", "Ever the Same", and "Streetcorner Symphony". In January 2007, Rob Thomas released a single, "Little Wonders", which he wrote for the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons.
The group reunited and began performing during 2007, with the release of their retrospective album Exile on Mainstream×Exile on Mainstream28 September 2007 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1How Far We’ve Come3:312I’ll Believe You When3:163All Your Reasons2:414These Hard Times3:495If I Fall2:486Can’t Let You Go3:307Long Day3:468Push3:5893 am3:4510Real World3:5111Back 2 Good5:3812Bent4:1713If You’re Gone4:3414Mad Season5:0715Disease3:3916Unwell3:5717Bright Lights4:01, on October 2, 2007. "How Far We've Come" was the first single from the new album, which was followed by the second single, "These Hard Times×These Hard Times29 January 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1These Hard Times (album version)3:48". "Exile on Mainstream" included four other new songs and a complete collection of all eleven of their previously released singles. The album was also released in the new MVI (Music Video Interactive) format, which included two video interviews discussing the six new songs and eleven greatest hits, plus extras including a photo gallery, U-MYX (to remix "How Far We've Come"), buddy icons and wallpapers. "How Far We've Come" was released on the band's Myspace page in July 2007, with the video released on September 6, 2007. Matchbox Twenty toured during early 2008 with Alanis Morissette and opener Mutemath. The band began their US tour on January 25, 2008, in Hollywood, FL, and concluded in Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2008, before heading to Australia and New Zealand, where the Australian band Thirsty Merc was the supporting act. Following Australia, Matchbox Twenty visited the UK for the first time in five years to play six concerts in Cardiff, Wembley, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Manchester. Matchbox Twenty performed at the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup award ceremony.
When the band finished touring later during 2008, Rob Thomas began work on his second solo album, Cradlesong. He stated in an interview to Billboard that he expected that the other members of the band might begin work on Matchbox Twenty's next album without him. At the concert at Mohegan Sun Casino on December 18, 2009, Thomas said that he was not frequently playing Matchbox Twenty songs at his 2009 tour stops because the band was planning to tour together in 2010.

2010–present: North, focus on tours, and Where the Light Goes

At the Taste of Chicago on July 2, 2010, Thomas said that Matchbox Twenty would be recording in the fall for their fourth studio album. On September 4, 2010, while on VH1's Top 20 Music Video Countdown, Thomas stated that Matchbox Twenty was planning to start working on their next studio album in mid-September and that he was 80% sure that the album would be released sometime in 2011. Rob Thomas posted on Twitter that he was "heading out next week to start writing the new mb20 record" on September 13, 2010. It was stated on Matchbox Twenty's web site that the next show they will do together is on January 1, 2011, in Oklahoma. Matchbox Twenty played a one-off live show in Temecula, California, on July 9, 2011, but no new material was played. During the show Rob Thomas stated the show was a "love letter to our fans". North was released on September 4, 2012. The album's first single, "She's So Mean×She's So Mean2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1She's So Mean (Mysto Pizzi Remix)5:412She's So Mean (Mysto Pizzi Instrumental)5:413She's So Mean (Tommie Sunshine Remix)5:024She's So Mean (Tommie Sunshine Dub)6:325She's So Mean (Ralphi Rosario Remix)8:076She's So Mean (Ralphis Hot Mess Dub)6:50", was released on June 12, 2012. In 2012, the band embarked on a worldwide tour, the North Tour, to promote the album. The tour continued as the 2013 Summer Tour, when they co-headlined with the Goo Goo Dolls.
On April 9, 2016, Kyle Cook left the band citing a communication breakdown between the members, but returned in 2017. In 2017 the band toured with the A Brief History of Everything Tour with Counting Crows. Duo Rivers and Rust joined them as an opening act. Doucette described the tour as a celebration of the band's history – stating it "was always going to happen. It just took a bit for everyone to realize that." He said that the band had no plans to release new albums soon at that time and were focused on touring. The band was set to undertake a North American summer tour in 2020 alongside The Wallflowers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the tour was rescheduled three times, first to 2021, then to 2022, and then to 2023. The band played a one-off performance headlining in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada for the Churchill Park Music Festival in July 2022.
On June 20, 2022, a video was posted on the band's Twitter account, confirming that a new album is in the works, despite Rob Thomas denying this in interviews the previous year. Having had to make their fans wait for three years to see them on tour again due to cancellations, Kyle Cook suggested that they should make a new album.
On March 1, 2023, the band announced a new single, "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)×Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)17 March 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)3:31", would be released March 17. On the day of release, the band revealed that their fifth studio album Where the Light Goes×Where the Light Goes26 May 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Friends4:472Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)3:313Rebels3:444One Hit Love3:435Warm Blood3:486Queen of New York City3:337Where the Light Goes3:528Hang on Every Word4:099Don’t Get Me Wrong2:5310I Know Better3:4811No Other Love3:3712Selling Faith3:19 would be released on May 26, 2023, via Atlantic.

Musical style

Matchbox Twenty has been categorized pop rock, alternative rock, and post-grunge. Stereogum wrote that their music "melded post-grunge and jangle-rock (a little bit Hootie, a little bit Eddie Vedder), [and] eventually evolved to Maroon 5-type arena pop. According to AllMusic, their music "[blends] the structure and sentiment of '70s arena rock with '90s hard rock."

Yourself or Someone Like You lawsuit

In May 2005, nine years after the release of Yourself or Someone Like You, Matchbox Twenty was sued by New York City resident Frank Torres, the man featured on the album's cover. Torres claimed the band used his image on the album's cover without any consent. Torres also claimed that he had been walking down the street when he was asked by a photographer to pose for a picture. In legal papers, Torres claims the group "knowingly, intentionally and maliciously" used his picture on the cover, causing him mental anguish. Torres's lawyer claimed the reason for the filing delay of the lawsuit was that Torres only found out about the album in 2003.

Awards & nominations

Matchbox Twenty has received nominations at the American Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the MTV Video Music Awards,
but has only received awards at the People's Choice Awards and APRA Awards.
During 2004, the People's Choice Awards gave Matchbox Twenty the award for Favorite Musical Group. In 2009, the APRA Awards gave Matchbox Twenty the award for Most Played Foreign Work. At the American Music Awards, the band was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group twice, during both 1999 and 2003. Matchbox Twenty received a nomination for Best Rock Album twice at the Grammy Awards, for Mad Season×Mad Season23 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Angry3:462Black & White People3:473Crutch3:274Last Beautiful Girl4:055If You’re Gone4:366Mad Season5:047Rest Stop4:308The Burn3:299Bent4:1810Bed of Lies5:2411Leave4:3512Stop3:5013You Won’t Be Mine12:2414[unknown]2:00 in 2001 and More Than You Think You Are×More Than You Think You Are12 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Feel3:202Disease3:403Bright Lights3:544Unwell3:495Cold3:166All I Need3:417Hand Me Down5:038Could I Be You3:439Downfall4:0710Soul4:3411You’re So Real3:0112The Difference / So Sad, So Lonely8:01 during 2004. Overall, Matchbox Twenty has received two awards from 13 nominations.

American Music Awards

The American Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Dick Clark in 1973.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are a series of annual award ceremonies created by Australasian Performing Right Association from 1982.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States.

MTV Video Music Awards

The MTV Video Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established during 1984 by MTV.

People's Choice Awards

The People's Choice Awards is an awards show that has been performed annually since 1975.