North (Matchbox Twenty album)

In 2004, rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor left the band. The group then went on hiatus, with the future of the band uncertain. In 2007, the remaining four group members reunited to do a compilation album, and ended up recording seven new songs over the course of one session. For the first time, every member of the group worked on songwriting. After the compilation album was released, the group parted ways again on another hiatus, the group's future still uncertain. Many of Rob Thomas's confidantes urged him to leave the band and focus on his burgeoning solo career, but Thomas didn't want to give up on the band and started writing songs intended for the group's next album.[11] Finally, on September 4, 2010, while on VH1's Top 20 Music Video Countdown, Thomas stated that Matchbox Twenty was planning to start working on their next studio album in mid-September of that year.

Due to the band members living in different locations, their first recording sessions took place in New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville where Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette, and Kyle Cook were living, respectively. As a result of the different recording environments, the group amassed a large amount of new material of various styles which could have become multiple albums.[12] The group had about 60 songs to choose from when they all met up in Nashville and shared a house over a three month period during the summer of 2011. The group worked on creating a short list of songs for the album, but it was a stressful process, as the group members disagreed on which musical direction the new album should take.

For three months, they argued and drank, in what Thomas described as a "$100,000 bender".[13] One of the major factors that encouraged the group to finally move forward was a visit from record producer Matt Serletic, who they hadn't worked with since 2004's More Than You Think You Are. The group decided to have Serletic produce the album.[12] Regarding Serletic's return, Paul Doucette stated: "It sort of became evident that bringing someone new to the table was maybe not the best idea. We have such a great shorthand with Matt, it was sort of like, 'What are we waiting for?'"[14] Once they started recording the album at Serletic's Emblem Studios in Calabasas, California, they had narrowed down to about 20 songs. For the first time, the band recorded several songs written solely by Doucette and Brian Yale.[15]

The final album was cut down to 12 songs and was primarily recorded at Emblem Studios with additional recording at Electric Lady Studios, Studio Eleven:17, Sweatshop Studios, and Dark Horse Recording Studio.[16] Five bonus tracks were also recorded for the album. Regarding the album's title, Doucette told Rolling Stone: “The title refers to us finding our way. We went into this record with a lot of material. Many different songs that could have taken us in many different directions. It sort of overwhelmed us for a bit. But, at a certain point, we figured it out. We figured out where ‘North’ was.”[17]

The lead single from the album, "She's So Mean", was released on June 12, 2012.[18] A promotional video for the second single, "Overjoyed", was released on August 28, 2012. The third single, "Our Song", was released on April 13, 2013.

In 2012, the band embarked on a worldwide tour, the North Tour, to promote the album.[19] The 2013 Summer Tour co-headlining tour with Goo Goo Dolls later took the band through the United States and Canada.[20]

North became the band's first album to debut at number 1 on the US Billboard 200, selling 95,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 22, 2016.