The Better Life

This article is about the album by 3 Doors Down. For the Keith Urban song, see Better Life.
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]
Metal Hammer8/10[9]
The Phantom Tollbooth[10]
PopMatters3.4/10[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]
Spin4/10[13]
The Village VoiceC+[14]

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."

  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. ^ Ewing, Jerry (November 2000). "Under The Hammer". Metal Hammer. No. 80. Future plc. p. 75.
  10. ^ Argyrakis, Andy (2001). "3 Doors Down- a Review of The Phantom Tollbooth". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  11. ^ Lichtenstein, Steve. "Three Doors Down: The Better Life". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 2001-01-09. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  12. ^ Sinagra, Laura (2004). "3 Doors Down". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 813. ISBN 9780743201698.
  13. ^ LePage, Mark (August 2000). "Reviews". Spin. Vol. 16, no. 8. SPIN Media, LLC. pp. 149–150.
  14. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 28, 2000). "Consumer Guide Turkey Shoot: Where the Action Isn't". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2023-11-28 – via robertchristgau.com.
  15. ^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  16. ^ [1] Archived September 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Grein, Paul (June 24, 2014). "USA: Top 20 New Acts Since 2000". Yahoo! Music.