Matchbox Twenty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty in 2013
Background information
Also known as	Matchbox 20
Origin	Orlando, Florida, USA
Genres	Alternative rock Post-grunge Pop rock
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Warner, Atlantic
Associated acts	Tabitha's Secret
Members	Rob Thomas Kyle Cook Brian Yale Paul Doucette
Past members	Adam Gaynor

Matchbox Twenty (also known as MB20 or Matchbox 20) is a popular rock band from Orlando, Florida, United States. The band started in 1995 and is still active today.

The main members of the band are Rob Thomas (who sings and plays piano), Kyle Cook (guitar), Brian Yale (bass guitar), and Paul Doucette (drums, and sometimes guitar). Another musician, Matt Beck, often plays with them during live shows. A past member, Adam Gaynor, left the band in 2005.

Matchbox Twenty has released several successful albums. They have sold over 29 million copies of their music worldwide. Some of their most famous albums include Yourself or Someone Like You, Mad Season, and More Than You Think You Are. They also released a collection of their greatest hits called Exile on Mainstream.

The Story of Matchbox Twenty

How the Band Started (1995)

Before Matchbox Twenty, three of the band members – Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Paul Doucette – were in a band called Tabitha's Secret. This band was also based in Orlando, Florida.

After Tabitha's Secret broke up, Rob, Brian, and Paul decided to form a new band. They found Adam Gaynor in Miami and Kyle Cook in Atlanta. Together, they formed a band called Matchbox 20. They soon signed a record deal with Atlantic Records, which helped them release their music.

First Album: Yourself or Someone Like You (1996–2000)

Matchbox Twenty released their first album, Yourself or Someone Like You, in 1996. Their first song, "Long Day", became popular on rock radio stations.

The album then produced many hit songs between 1997 and 1998. These included "Push", "3 A.M.", "Real World", and "Back 2 Good". The album sold over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone. This made it a "diamond" certified album, which is a huge achievement in music sales.

In 1999, Rob Thomas worked with famous guitarist Carlos Santana on a song called "Smooth". Rob was meant to only write the song, but Santana asked him to sing on it too. "Smooth" became a massive hit. Rob Thomas won three Grammy Awards for his work on "Smooth". These awards included Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Second Album: Mad Season (2000–2002)

In 2000, the band changed their name slightly from Matchbox 20 to Matchbox Twenty. They then released their second album, Mad Season.

This album also had several successful songs. One of them, "Bent", reached number one on the Hot 100 chart. Another popular song was "If You're Gone". The album sold over 4 million copies in the United States. The music video for "Bent" playfully showed the other band members teasing Rob Thomas about his new fame from the song "Smooth".

Third Album: More Than You Think You Are (2002–2003)

For their third album, More Than You Think You Are, the band returned to a stronger rock sound. Rob Thomas worked with other band members to write many of the songs.

This album also had popular songs like "Disease" (which Rob wrote with Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones), "Unwell", and "Bright Lights". While this album wasn't as big a seller as their first two, its songs were played a lot on the radio for over a year.

In 2003, the band released a short album called EP. It had six songs, including live and acoustic versions of old favorites like "Push" and "If You're Gone". It also featured a new song called "Suffer Me". In 2004, they released a live concert DVD called Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty.

Taking a Break and a Member Leaves (2004–2007)

In February 2005, the band's rhythm guitarist, Adam Gaynor, left the group. The band then took a break so that the members could work on their own projects.

During this time, Rob Thomas released his first solo album, …Something to Be. This album was very successful and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It included popular songs like "Lonely No More" and "This Is How a Heart Breaks". In 2007, Rob Thomas also wrote and released a song called "Little Wonders" for the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons.

Coming Back with Exile on Mainstream (2007–2008)

The band got back together in 2007. They released a new album called Exile on Mainstream on October 2, 2007. This album was a collection of their greatest hits, but it also included four brand new songs.

The first new song released was "How Far We've Come", followed by "These Hard Times". The album was also released in a special format that included video interviews, a photo gallery, and tools to remix "How Far We've Come".

Matchbox Twenty went on tour in early 2008 with Alanis Morissette. They played concerts across the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

Another Break (2008–2010)

After their tour in 2008, the band took another break. Rob Thomas started working on his second solo album, Cradlesong. He mentioned that the other band members might start working on the next Matchbox Twenty album without him. However, Rob later said that the band planned to tour together again in 2010.

Return and North (2011–Present)

Matchbox Twenty performing in Las Vegas in 2013.

In 2010, Rob Thomas announced that Matchbox Twenty would be recording their fourth studio album. The band hoped to finish the album by early 2012. Paul Doucette explained that this album was very important to them. They wanted to make it exactly what they wanted, as they appreciated the chance to make music at such a high level.

Matchbox Twenty played a special show in Temecula, California in July 2011. Rob Thomas said it was a "love letter to our fans."

Their fourth album, North, was released on September 4, 2012. The first song from the album, "She's So Mean", came out in June 2012.

In 2012, the band started a worldwide tour called the North Tour to support their new album. The tour continued into 2013 as the 2013 Summer Tour, where they performed alongside the band Goo Goo Dolls.

See also

In Spanish: Matchbox Twenty para niños