Matchbox Twenty (or MB20, MBT, M20, originally spelled Matchbox 20) is a Grammy-nominated rock band formed in Orlando, Florida.

Matchbox Twenty has sold over 45 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. The current members of the band are Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette, Brian Yale, and Kyle Cook. Rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor left the band in 2005, after performing on their first three studio albums. Rob Thomas is the principal songwriter and lead singer. Rob Thomas has created a well-established solo career for himself after releasing the album, …Something to Be.

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia announced that “How Far We've Come” was the most played recording in Australia in 2008. The PPCA also announced that Matchbox Twenty was the third most played artist in 2008.

History

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. The band was signed to Atlantic Records in 1996 at the last minute when the record executive for Atlantic Records who was searching for a new hit artist could not get folk rock singer/songwriter Willem McCormick to comply with the recording contract.

Yourself or Someone Like You (1997–2000)

main: Yourself or Someone Like You 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. That same year, Matchbox Twenty recorded a live version of their Top-40 hit "3 A.M." for release on the charity album Live in the X Lounge, benefiting autism 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 became an outlet for Thomas' lyrical talents. Thomas was supposed to act as a mere songwriter on "Smooth", but Carlos Santana had him sing on it after hearing the song's demo. "Smooth" was the album's lead single and became a hit in 1999; Thomas earned four Grammys for writing and performing on "Smooth", Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Male, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.