1997's success debuted-hit "Push" by Matchbox 20.
Review.- Matchbox Twenty (or MB20, MBT, matchbox twenty, originally spelled Matchbox 20) is a rock band formed in Orlando, Florida. The current members of the band are Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette, Brian Yale, and Kyle Cook. (Adam Gaynor (rhythm guitar) left the band in 2005, after performing on their first three studio albums.) Rob Thomas is the principal songwriter and lead singer.
Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Paul Doucette performed in the band Tabitha's Secret, which originated in Orlando, Florida, with fellow members John Stanley and John Goff, before splitting to start a new band (what was to become Matchbox Twenty). After recruiting the talents of Adam Gaynor from Criteria Recording Studios in Miami and Kyle Cook from the Atlanta Institute of Music, the lineup was complete and ready to begin.
Paul Doucette came up with the name Matchbox Twenty when he was a waiter in a diner and saw a guy with a number 20 softball shirt. It was covered with patches and the only word they could read was matchbox.
Matchbox Twenty released their debut album, Yourself Or Someone Like You, in 1996. While their first single, "Long Day", was a rock radio-only smash, the album soon spun off several Top 40 hit singles throughout 1997 and 1998, including "Push", "3 A.M.", "Real World", and "Back 2 Good". The album eventually went on to sell over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone, earning diamond status. The band toured relentlessly for several years, performing from the album, along with some cover songs such as Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down". Their fan base grew from concert to concert based on their electrifying live performances and the longevity of their hit singles on radio. That same year, Matchbox Twenty recorded a live version of their Top-40 hit "3 AM" for release on the charity album Live in the X Lounge, benefiting cerebral palsy research.
Before recording their second album, Rob Thomas collaborated with Itaal Shur on a song called "Smooth" for Carlos Santana's comeback album, Supernatural. The song had a pop-tinged Latin beat and showcased Thomas' lyrical talents. Thomas was supposed to act solely as songwriter on "Smooth", but Carlos Santana had him sing on it as well after hearing the song's demo recording. "Smooth" was the album's lead single and became a hit in 1999; Thomas earned three Grammys for writing and performing on "Smooth", including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
In 2000, Matchbox 20 renamed themselves Matchbox Twenty and released their second album, Mad Season. The album featured lush instrumental arrangements, and spun off several hit singles, including "Bent" (which went #1 on the Hot 100) and "If You're Gone". The video for "Bent" poked fun of singer Thomas' heightened profile from "Smooth" by showing the other band members assaulting him mercilessly. The evocatively arranged ballad "If You're Gone" became a big hit, especially on adult contemporary formats. The band's next two singles, "Mad Season" and "Last Beautiful Girl" were not as successful.
For their third album, More Than You Think You Are, the band returned to a harder rock sound. Thomas shared the songwriting efforts with the other band members on several songs. The album contained hit singles "Disease", "Unwell", and "Bright Lights". Although it was not as commercially successful as the band's two earlier efforts, it had an enormous radio presence for well over a year, and received a large amount of critical praise.
In May 2004, the band released a live concert DVD, Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty, filmed in Atlanta and featuring 20 songs, including all of their hit singles.
In February 2005, rhythm guitarist Gaynor officially left the group, which had been on hiatus to allow other members to pursue side projects. Rob Thomas went on to release a solo album, ...Something To Be, which became the U.S. Billboard 200 #1 album the first week of its release. The album featured four hit 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 band has sold in excess of 37 million albums worldwide from the releases of Yourself Or Someone Like You, Mad Season, and More Than You Think You Are. They released their latest album, Exile on Mainstream, on October 2, 2007.
Tags: 90's Matchbox 20 Push 1997 Yourself Or Someone Like You US Rob Thomas Alternative Rock Pop music video
