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The Better Life
Studio album by
3 Doors Down
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2000
Recorded1999
StudioArdent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee
Genre
Length40:55
Label
ProducerPaul Ebersold
3 Doors Down chronology
The Better Life
(2000) 		Away from the Sun
(2002)
Singles from The Better Life
  1. "Kryptonite"
    Released: January 18, 2000[3]
  2. "Loser"
    Released: June 26, 2000[4]
  3. "Duck and Run"
    Released: January 9, 2001[5]
  4. "Be Like That"
    Released: May 29, 2001[6]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[8]
Robert ChristgauC+[9]
The Phantom Tollbooth[10]

The Better Life is the debut studio album by American rock band 3 Doors Down, released on February 8, 2000. It has become 7× Platinum since release. This is the only album on which lead singer Brad Arnold played drums. "Kryptonite", "Loser", and "Be Like That" all reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 3, No. 55, and No. 24, respectively. The Better Life sold over six million copies worldwide.[11]

It is the band's best-selling album to date, with sales of over 5,653,000 copies in the United States, as of July 2014.[12]

Background

In 1997, 3 Doors Down released a self-titled demo CD that garnered attention locally; it was mixed and recorded by Clyde Holly at Holly House Recording, located in Biloxi, Mississippi. Only 2,000 copies of the demo are known to exist; its track listing is mostly shared with The Better Life as six songs from the demo were later re-recorded and polished for release on the album. Two tracks from the demo, "Sarah Yellin' 86" and "Man In My Mind," were released on the bands subsequent album, Away from the Sun on its 2002 original release and 2023 deluxe re-release respectively. Studio recordings of two tracks from the demo, "Dead Love" and "Wasted Me" were produced, but remain unreleased; versions of the songs parenthetically labeled "early version[s]" were also included on their second albums' 2023 deluxe edition—which were the same versions included on the demo.[13] Five songs, "Duck and Run," "Not Enough," "Be Like That," "Better Life," and "So I Need You," were recorded after the band had been picked up by Universal Records.

In 2007, a two-disc version of the album, The Better Life: Deluxe Edition, was released and included an audio recording of a 2003 concert. In 2020, a remaster of the album, The Better Life: 20th Anniversary Edition, was released on vinyl, as well as on CD and digitally in 2021; all three versions include the band's eponymous 1997 demo, with the ten songs being listed as the "Escatawpa Sessions." The CD and digital releases of the 20th Anniversary Edition also include acoustic versions of "Kryptonite" and "Be Like That," along with "The Better Life (XX Mix)" and the studio recording of "Wasted Me" as bonus tracks.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Brad Arnold

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Kryptonite"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
3:54
2."Loser"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
4:25
3."Duck and Run"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
  • Henderson
3:51
4."Not Enough"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
  • Henderson
3:14
5."Be Like That"
  • Arnold
  • Henderson
4:26
6."Life of My Own1"
  • Arnold
  • Harrell
3:58
7."Better Life2"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
  • Henderson
3:07
8."Down Poison"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
4:21
9."By My Side"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
3:16
10."Smack"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
2:29
11."So I Need You"
  • Arnold
  • Roberts
  • Harrell
  • Henderson
3:48
Total length:40:55
Best Buy edition
No.TitleLength
12."Loser" (live)5:28
13."Life of My Own" (live)4:37
14."Kryptonite" (live)3:49
Total length:54:49

Deluxe Edition bonus CD

On September 18, 2007, the Deluxe Edition with a bonus second disc was released, which features a live performance recorded in 2003 at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston, Texas.

Bonus Disc – U.S. edition (Universal Republic Records – B0008991-02)
No.TitleLength
1."Duck and Run" (live)4:44
2."The Road I'm On" (live)3:50
3."Kryptonite" (live)4:20
4."Father's Son" (live)4:32
5."Better Life" (live)3:20
6."Away from the Sun" (live)4:15
7."Be Like That" (live)4:40
8."Runnin' Out of Days" (live)3:40
9."Sarah Yellin'" (live)3:30
10."It's Not Me" (live)3:30
11."When I'm Gone" (live)4:52
12."Here Without You" (live)5:06
13."Loser" (live)5:44
Total length:56:03
20th Anniversary Edition CD/digital bonus tracks (disc one)
No.TitleLength
12."Kryptonite" (acoustic)3:50
13."Be Like That" (acoustic)4:25
14."The Better Life" (XX mix)3:05
15."Wasted Me" (studio version with harp)3:12
Total length:55:28
20th Anniversary Edition "Escatawpa Sessions" demos (disc two)
No.TitleLength
1."Kryptonite" (Escatawpa Sessions)3:52
2."Loser" (Escatawpa Sessions)3:32
3."Life On My Own" (Escatawpa Sessions)4:40
4."Smack" (Escatawpa Sessions)2:28
5."Down Poison" (Escatawpa Sessions)6:21
6."Dead Love" (Escatawpa Sessions)2:41
7."Wasted Me" (Escatawpa Sessions)2:55
8."Man in My Mind" (Escatawpa Sessions)3:04
9."By My Side" (Escatawpa Sessions)3:16
10."Sarah Yellin' 86" (Escatawpa Sessions)3:29
Total length:36:23

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[14]

3 Doors Down

Additional musicians

Production

Singles

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[34] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[35] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Germany (BVMI)[36] Gold 150,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[37] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[38] 7× Platinum 7,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

1. Titled "Life On My Own" on the physical 20th Anniversary Edition.

2. Titled "The Better Life" on the physical 20th Anniversary Edition.

References

  1. ^ "The Better Life". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  2. ^ "The Better Life". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1333. January 14, 2000. pp. 101, 105, 115.
  4. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1356. June 23, 2000. pp. 100, 104.
  5. ^ "Active Rock: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1382. December 22, 2000. p. 86.
  6. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1403. May 25, 2001. pp. 87, 114, 125, 129, 140, 146.
  7. ^ Allmusic review
  8. ^ Entertainment Weekly review
  9. ^ "CG: 3 doors down". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  10. ^ Argyrakis, Andy (2001). "3 Doors Down- a Review of The Phantom Tollbooth". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  11. ^ [1] Archived September 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Grein, Paul (June 24, 2014). "USA: Top 20 New Acts Since 2000". Yahoo! Music.
  13. ^ https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230811875119/en/3-Doors-Down-Celebrates-20th-Anniversary-of-Away-From-The-Sun-With-a-Deluxe-Digital-Release---Available-Now
  14. ^ The Better Life (booklet). Republic, Universal Records. 2000.
  15. ^ a b c "3 Doors Down Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d "3 Doors Down Chart History: Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d "3 Doors Down Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  18. ^ "Australiancharts.com – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Austriancharts.at – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "3 Doors Down Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  23. ^ "3 Doors Down: The Better Life" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  25. ^ "Charts.nz – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  26. ^ "3 Doors Down Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  27. ^ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  28. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  30. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  31. ^ "Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)". Jam!. Archived from the original on November 6, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  32. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  33. ^ "The Decade in Music – Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums" (PDF). Billboard. December 19, 2009. p. 162. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via World Radio History. Digit page 166 on the PDF archive.
  34. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  35. ^ "Canadian album certifications – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life". Music Canada.
  36. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (3 Doors Down; 'The Better Life')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  37. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  38. ^ "American album certifications – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 28, 2020.

External links

3 Doors Down
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