Mad Season (song)

"Mad Season" is a song by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released as the third single from their second album, Mad Season (2000), on April 2, 2001. The song peaked at number 48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 50 in Australia and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 76 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Mad Season"
Single by Matchbox Twenty
from the album Mad Season
Released	April 2, 2001 (2001-04-02)
Length	5:02
Label	Atlantic Lava Melisma
Songwriter(s)	Rob Thomas
Producer(s)	Matt Serletic
Matchbox Twenty singles chronology
"If You're Gone" (2000) "Mad Season" (2001) "Angry" (2001)

Background and writing

Rob Thomas told Billboard magazine that the song took a more universal tone but was originally about "the wild ride that the band has been on since success hit. The whole idea came from out mad season," he says. "It has nothing to do with being bad, it's just crazy. There are no handbooks for any of this."^[1]

Music video

The song's music video, directed by Phil Harder, shows the band getting off a plane, surrounded by screaming fans trying to grab them. They are wearing what appear to be special passes, which say "Rock Star" on them, around their necks. Police are there trying to keep everything under control. The band eventually make it safely into their limousine, but then the crowd climbs all over the car, and it cannot go anywhere. The police fail to keep things under control, and the fans break the windows of the limousine. When they get inside, they rip the "Rock Star" passes off the band members, and then leave. This suggests that they did not really care about the band; they just wanted the passes.

Track listings

• UK and European CD single^[2]

1. "Mad Season"
2. "Long Day" (live)
3. "Back 2 Good" (live)

• Australian CD single^[3]

1. "Mad Season" (album version)
2. "If You're Gone" (album version)
3. "Long Day" (live)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[4] 42 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[5] 34 Scotland (OCC)^[6] 62 UK Singles (OCC)^[7] 76 US Billboard Hot 100^[8] 48 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[9] 5 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[10] 20

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)^[11] 89 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[12] 21 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[13] 93

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	April 2, 2001	Triple A radio	Atlantic Lava Melisma	^[14]
	April 3, 2001	Contemporary hit alternative radio		^[15]
United Kingdom	June 18, 2001	CD cassette		^[16]

References

1. Newman, Melinda (April 1, 2000). "'Mad Season' Reflects on Relationships". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 14. p. 103.
2. Mad Season (UK & European CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records. 2001. AT0105CD, 7567-85118-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Mad Season (Australian CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records. 2001. 7567850672.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. "Matchbox Twenty – Mad Season". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
5. "Matchbox Twenty – Mad Season". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
6. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
8. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
9. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
10. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
11. . Jam!. Archived from the original on July 26, 2002. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
12. "Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2001" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2000. p. 54. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
13. "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2000. p. 60. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
14. "Adult Alternative: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1395. March 30, 2001. p. 109. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
15. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1395. March 30, 2001. pp. 41, 104. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
16. "New Releases – For Week Starting June 18, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 16, 2001. p. 25. Retrieved August 14, 2021.