With their current smash single, "Unwell," now in its fourth week in the top ten of the Billboard "Hot 100," Melisma/Atlantic rock group matchbox twenty is enjoying one of the biggest hits of their hit-laden career. The song follows the across-the-board success of "Disease," the first single from the band's RIAA platinum-plus certified third album, "MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE." The album is currently in its eighth month on The Billboard 200, where it debuted at #6 and remains among the top fifty best-selling albums in the country, with total SoundScan sales to date of 1.3 million copies.
Spurred on by the success of "Unwell," matchbox twenty has been breaking records at multiple radio formats. The band now holds the distinction of having had more #1 hits and spending more weeks at #1 on both the national Modern AC and Adult Top 40 charts than any other artist in history, according to the BDS airplay monitoring service. Five matchbox tracks have spent a combined total of 51 weeks at the Modern AC format, while four tracks have spent a total of 47 weeks at Adult Top 40.
"Unwell" has been #1 on the Adult Top 40 chart for the past 11 weeks (with a 12th week on tap), while holding the all-time spin record at the format. The track is a mainstream Top 40 smash as well, having bulleted this week to #3 on the BDS CHR chart. In addition, the song's companion video has also been the #1 most-played clip on VH1, according to Billboard's "Video Monitor."
"Unwell" and "Disease" are the latest in a seven-year string of hit singles for matchbox twenty, among them "Push," "3AM," "Real World," "Back 2 Good," "If You're Gone," "Bent," and "Mad Season."
Meanwhile, the quintet is heading down the home stretch of their current headlining tour of North America, which kicked off April 25th and wraps up this Sunday, July 6th, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. After a short break, matchbox heads to Australia for a string of sold-out arena dates beginning July 25th.
Reviewing the band's current tour in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Jamie Gumbrecht raved: "Matchbox gave an utterly radiant performance... (the group) showed that it's the passionate rock band it claims to be, not just nice guys with a knack for catchy tunes." The Los Angeles Times' Steve Baltin said, " Matchbox Twenty's members are unapologetic rockers who strive for the same rock anthem sensibility as Bob Seger and John Mellencamp... Thomas has a knack for anthems that have propelled his band to arena headliner status - and the fans were on their feet throughout the show, singing along."
The enthusiasm which has greeted matchbox throughout their 2003 tour was notched up to a new level at their recent show at Atlanta's Philips Arena. The concert was shot for a forthcoming live DVD, and following their set, the band returned to the stage so the film crew could re-shoot the first few numbers of the set - which had been marred by technical glitches (and which had also prompted an unexpected 40-minute delay in the start time of their performance earlier that evening).
Remaining in the arena for the post-show shoot were 400 fan club members (including 50 who had been flown in from cities around the country), some 100 radio contest winners, and another 500 fans who simply hadn't had enough matchbox. To their delight, the band spontaneously turned what was supposed to be a quick repair job into their second show of the night - playing a nine-song mini-concert which was greeted by cheers and ovations from the intimate, wildly enthusiastic crowd.
For additional information, please visit www.atlantic-records.com and www.matchboxtwenty.com
CONTACT: Atlantic Records Patti Conte, 212/707-2033 patti.conte@atlantic-recording.com