how dare they try and associate themselves with the Rock n Roll pantheon!!

Mainstream Believer would be a more appropriate album title.

Bumping this thread with new info ~ finalised cover art and tracklisting above, and it also turns out that this isn't a new album per se, it's a career retrospective with some new tracks thrown in, so I've moved it to our Vaults board.

Here's the press release:

>> matchbox twenty Returns to the Studio; Steve Lillywhite Producing New Tracks for Upcoming Retrospective Hits Set, "EXILE ON MAINSTREAM"

NEW YORK, NY-- Melisma/Atlantic recording group matchbox twenty have returned to the studio to record their first new material in five years. Grammy-winning producer Steve Lillywhite is overseeing the sessions in L.A., marking the band's first work with the renowned producer -- whose credits include the likes of U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, and many others. The new matchbox twenty tracks -- which also mark their first recordings as a foursome -- will be included on a retrospective hits collection, "EXILE ON MAINSTREAM," slated for release on October 2nd.

"For the first time, we're all writing as a band," says the band's Grammy-winning lead singer Rob Thomas. "In the past, I would write all the songs and the guys would write all their parts. Now it's a band in the hand. We all fight it out... we fight over melodies and lyrics. It's completely unique from anything we've done before."

matchbox twenty's last studio album, the RIAA double platinum "MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE," was released in November 2002 and earned the band two Grammy nominations and two American Music Award nominations. The group ranked as the #1 Adult Top 40 Artist and #1 Modern AC Artist for 2003, according to Billboard magazine. During their 2003 world tour, matchbox twenty played sold-out concerts at three of the world's premier venues -- New York's Madison Square Garden, London's Wembley Arena, and Los Angeles' Staples Center. The band reunited at the end of 2005 to play two special New Year's shows in Las Vegas.

matchbox twenty's three albums to date have sold more than 28 million copies worldwide. They made their recording debut in 1996 with "YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU," followed by "MAD SEASON BY MATCHBOX TWENTY" (2000), and "MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE" (2002). The band has logged an extraordinary string of hit singles, including such chart-toppers as "Push," "3AM," "Real World," "Back 2 Good," "If You're Gone," "Mad Season," "Bent," "Disease," "Unwell," and "Bright Lights."

matchbox twenty is: Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette, Kyle Cook and Brian Yale. <<

I figured that since Rob Thomas got the solo thing out of his system, the band was reuniting to do a full album. I wonder if this is their way of summing up the past before moving on.

I found the tracklisting from undercover.com.au. one of the best music news sites for both American and Australian info... here it is, with the names of the 6 new tracks:

3AM (from Yourself Or Some Like You, 1996)
Back 2 Good (from Yourself Or Some Like You, 1996)
Push (from Yourself Or Some Like You, 1996)
Real World (from Yourself Or Some Like You, 1996)
Bent (from Mad Season, 2000)
Bright Lights (from More Than You Think You Are, 2002)
Disease (from More Than You Think You Are, 2002)
If You're Gone (from Mad Season, 2000)
Mad Season (from Mad Season, 2000)
Unwell (from More Than You Think You Are, 2002)
Long Day (from Yourself Or Some Like You, 1996)
How Far We've Come (new)
I'll Believe You When (new)
All Your Reasons (new)
These Hard Times (new)
If I Fall (new)
Can't Let You Go (new)

I consider MB20 one of the better pop-rock bands of the past 10 years. Thomas comes up with some catchy melodies. In fact, his solo Christmas single, "A New York City Christmas," is an instant classic in my book.

Just a quick note: this is now up for pre-order on iTunes with an exclusive bonus track: a studio cover of The Kinks' "Come Dancing," which the band did in concert a bunch of times.

Also, if you order the import version of the single for "How Far We've Come," you can get bonus tracks: covers of Black Crowes' "Remedy" and David Bowie's "Modern Love."

Josh

I've never had strong feelings about Matchbox Twenty one way or the other. But I think "How Far We've Come" is one hell of a single... I'd almost pick this set up just for that.

Exile On Mainstream ended up being released as a 2-CD set, with the tracks arranged thusly:

DISC 1:
1. How Far We've Come
2. I'll Believe You When
3. All Your Reasons
4. These Hard Times
5. If I Fall
6. Can't Let You Go

DISC 2:
1. All Your Reasons
2. Push
3. 3AM
4. Real World
5. Back 2 Good
6. Bent
7. If You're Gone
8. Mad Season
9. Disease
10. Unwell
11. Bright Lights

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TUXKYO/?tag=imwan-20

The album has also been released in an MVI version (DVD-Audio):





>> The MVI is a standard DVD that contains the full album audio, video content,
portable music files, and interactive computer features. PC/MAC compatible.
The package also includes a bonus CD including all 17 album tracks.

MVI Content includes 2 exclusive interviews featuring matchbox twenty
discussing the creation of the new 6 songs, the idea behind the Greatest Hits
package, as well as taking fans through the memories surrounding each of
their 11 Greatest Hits. It also includes a behind-the-scenes look at the
making of the brand-new video for How Far We ve Come

Digital Extras Retrospective photo gallery, lyrics, exclusive screen savers,
buddy icons, and wallpapers
U-Myx Create your own remix of one Greatest Hits track
UrTone - Create custom matchbox twenty ringtones

This is a DVD-Audio disc which is playable on most DVD players as well as all DVD-Audio players. <<

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TUXKYY/?tag=imwan-20

Here's that CD single, it's an Australian import:





>> Australian CD pressing of the first single taken from Rob Thomas and co.'s Exile On Mainstream compilation album. Grammy-winning producer Steve Lillywhite has overseen the sessions in L.A., marking the band's first work with the renowned producer whose credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, and many others. "For the first time, we're all writing as a band," says the band's Grammy-winning lead singer Rob Thomas. "In the past, I would write all the songs and the guys would write all their parts. Now it's a band in the hand. We all fight it out: we fight over melodies and lyrics. It's completely unique from anything we've done before." Features 'How Far We've Come' (Radio Version) plus live versions of 'Remedy' and 'Modern Love'. Atlantic. <<

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VOECZY/?tag=imwan-20

The two live cover versions are also available as bonus tracks on the Best Buy edition of the new CD.

I don't quite get why they've made it a 2-disc set -- they could've fitted 17 tracks on one disc, surely? And if they wanted the 6 new songs to be separate from the old songs; they could've put more than 11 tracks on disc 1 (they've left of 5 of their singles!)??