The Better Life is the debut studio album by American rock band 3 Doors Down, released by Universal Records on February 8, 2000. Three of its four singles—"Kryptonite," "Loser," and "Be Like That"—entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at numbers three, 55, and 24, respectively. The Better Life has sold over seven million copies worldwide and received septuple platinum certification by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) on February 26, 2020.[15] It is the band's only studio album on which lead singer Brad Arnold played drums.[16][17] Richard Liles played drums as a touring member from 2000 to 2002. Music videos were made for the album's four singles: "Kryptonite," "Loser," "Duck and Run," and "Be Like That."
Background and production
Before the release of The Better Life in 2000, 3 Doors Down formed in 1996 in Escatawpa, Mississippi as a three-piece consisting of Brad Arnold on drums and lead vocals, Matt Roberts on lead guitar and backing vocals, and Todd Harrell on bass guitar. The band's earliest material was done by Arnold at the age of 15.[18] Arnold was convinced to be the singer after receiving positive feedback from Harrell's girlfriend.[19] 3 Doors Down's first performance was at a celebratory event for a friend and, according to Arnold on the band's official website in 2000, the four songs the band played included "one by Bush, one by Metallica and a couple of originals".[20]
In 1997, 3 Doors Down began recording demo material.[20] The band's demo material, which was mixed and recorded by Clyde Holly, was released on a self-titled CD that year. According to Arnold, the band's self-titled demo CD was recorded in Biloxi, Mississippi at Holly House Recording, which he referred to as "a pretty decent little studio", and it "maybe cost us a couple thousand dollars" for the band to record.[19] 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 demo songs, "Sarah Yellin' 86" and "Man in My Mind", were re-recorded as "Sarah Yellin'" on Away from the Sun, the band's second studio album, in 2002 and "Something in My Mind" on the 2023 Deluxe Edition remaster, respectively. Versions of the songs "Dead Love" and "Wasted Me", parenthetically labeled "early version[s]", which were different from the recordings on the 1997 demo CD, were included on the Away from the Sun: Deluxe Edition remaster in 2023.[21] A studio recording of the demo track "Dead Love" was produced, but remains unreleased.[citation needed] 1,000 copies of the demo CD were initially released and took "two years" to sell, after which 1,000 more copies were released and sold in "ten days" due to the success of the band's song "Kryptonite" playing on the WCPR-FM radio station, according to Arnold.[19]
In 1998, Chris Henderson joined 3 Doors Down as the rhythm guitarist after leaving the band Burning Bridges.[22] When discussing how the band got signed to a record label, Arnold said, "Universal and Atlantic came down and talked to us and we wound up signing with Universal".[22] In 1999, a sampler CD with audio clips of six songs from The Better Life was released by Republic Records to promote the album.[23]
Brad Arnold is the band's only original remaining founding member. Matt Roberts announced in May 2012 he would be leaving the band.[24] Matt was replaced by Chet Roberts and, on August 20, 2016, died at age 38 due to overdosing on prescription drugs.[25] Todd Harrell was fired in April 2013 following a vehicular homicide charge and replaced by Justin Biltonen.[26]
In June 2021, 3 Doors Down announced a tour to celebrate The Better Life's twentieth anniversary.[27] During the tour, the album was played in its entirety alongside songs from the band's other albums. The tour began in late June and ended in mid-October 2021.[27]
When talking about songs from the band's demo CD and creating material for The Better Life, Arnold said:
We wanted to use about half the songs off that demo, but we needed to write about half another record.[22]
In March 2021, Arnold said the following about the recording process:
Some songs like Kryptonite, we strived to make it sound very much like the demo version because we got signed on the back of those demoes thanks to our local radio stations in Mississippi from playing those songs so the last thing we want to do is change it.[28]
Reissues
On September 18, 2007, a two-disc reissue of the album, The Better Life: Deluxe Edition, was released and includes audio of a live performance recorded at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston, Texas on September 18, 2003. The live audio on the 2007 Deluxe Edition reissue is from the Away from the Sun - Live from Houston, Texas DVD, which was released on November 8, 2005.[29] The live audio was also separately released digitally and on streaming services as The Better Life: Rarities Edition in 2010.
On November 4, 2009, 3 Doors Down announced a remastered version of The Better Life on CD and vinyl with new artwork as part of "The Even Better Life Ultimate Fan Pack".[30] The package also included an exclusive band poster, a 3 Doors Down shirt, a digital download of a remastered version of "Kryptonite", and a "Pit Pass" for early access to general admission concerts.[30]
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.
"Life of My Own (live)" (recorded at Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia on July 13, 2000, mastered by Tony Gills at The Hit Factory in New York and mixed by Brian Sperber)
4:37
14.
"Kryptonite (live acoustic version)" (recorded at WMFS-FM in Memphis, Tennessee on February 14, 2000, mastered by Tony Gills at The Hit Factory in New York)
3:49
Total length:
54:49
Australian/Australasian 2-CD special edition (disc two)[32][33]
No.
Title
Length
12.
"Loser" (album version)
4:23
13.
"Kryptonite (live acoustic version)" (recorded at WMFS-FM in Memphis, Tennessee on February 14, 2000, mastered by Tony Gills at The Hit Factory in New York)
