Bright Lights (Matchbox Twenty song)

"Bright Lights"
"Bright Lights"
Single by Matchbox Twenty
from the album More Than You Think You Are
Released	July 28, 2003
Studio	Bearsville (Bearsville, New York); The Hit Factory (New York City);
Length	3:54
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Rob Thomas
Producer(s)	Matt Serletic
Matchbox Twenty singles chronology

"Bright Lights" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. The song was released on July 28, 2003, as the third single from their third album, More Than You Think You Are (2002). "Bright Lights" peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 50 in Australia and New Zealand.

Content

The song was written by lead singer Rob Thomas, and is about a girl who leaves her hometown to pursue an unspecified career of some fame, possibly Broadway. Throughout the song, he pleads with the girl to let her know that she is encouraged to return home if things don't work out. According to Thomas, "Bright Lights" may be his favorite song he has recorded.^[1]

Music video

The video is taken directly from footage released on the DVD Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty, and as such, is a live performance. As he also does in the studio version of the song, Thomas plays the piano, and towards the end, lead guitarist Kyle Cook jumps atop the piano.

Track listing

UK and Australian CD single^[2]

"Bright Lights"
"Disease" (live)
"Bright Lights" (live)

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the More Than You Think You Are album booklet.^[3]

Studios

Recorded at Bearsville Studios (Bearsville, New York) and The Hit Factory (New York City)
Mixed at The Hit Factory (New York City)
Mastered at Marcussen Mastering (Hollywood, California)

Personnel

Rob Thomas – writing, vocals, piano
Kyle Cook – background vocals, lead guitar
Adam Gaynor – background vocals, rhythm guitar
Brian Yale – bass
Paul Doucette – drums, percussion
Greg Leisz – pedal steel
Matt Serletic – keyboards, production
Greg Collins – recording, additional mixing
Jim Scott – mixing
Chris Testa – mixing assistance
Mark Dodson – Pro Tools, digital editing, additional engineering
Pat Woodward – additional engineering
Stephen Marcussen – mastering
Stewart Whitmore – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[4]	26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[5]	48
US Billboard Hot 100^[6]	23
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)^[7]	2
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)^[8]	15

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)	Position
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[9]	27
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[10]	92

Chart (2004)	Position
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[11]	7
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[12]	88

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[13]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 28, 2003	Hot adult contemporary triple A radio	Atlantic	^[14]
United States	August 11, 2003	Contemporary hit radio		^[15]
Australia	September 15, 2003	CD		^[16]
United Kingdom	September 15, 2003	CD		^[17]

References

^ Armstrong, Josh (September 9, 2009). "Rob Thomas rocks Cradlesong". KnowTheArtist.com. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
^ Bright Lights (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records. 2003. AT0164CD, 7567882092.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ More Than You Think You Are (US CD album booklet). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records. 2002. 83612-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
^ "Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". Top 40 Singles.
^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 22. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 14. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
^ "Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 22.
^ "American single certifications – Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". Recording Industry Association of America.
^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1514. July 25, 2003. p. 22. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1516. August 8, 2003. p. 26. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 15th September 2003" (PDF). ARIA. September 15, 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. September 13, 2003. p. 29.

[1] Armstrong, Josh (September 9, 2009). "Rob Thomas rocks Cradlesong". KnowTheArtist.com. Retrieved January 23, 2011.

[2] Bright Lights (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records. 2003. AT0164CD, 7567882092.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[3] More Than You Think You Are (US CD album booklet). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records. 2002. 83612-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[sc_Australia_Matchbox_Twenty-4] "Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". ARIA Top 50 Singles.

[sc_New_Zealand_Matchbox_Twenty-5] "Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". Top 40 Singles.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Matchbox_Twenty-6] "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardadultpopsongs_Matchbox_Twenty-7] "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardpopsongs_Matchbox_Twenty-8] "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.

[9] "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 22. Retrieved March 4, 2021.

[10] "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 14. Retrieved March 4, 2021.

[11] "Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved March 4, 2021.

[12] "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 22.

[United_StatesMatchbox_TwentyBright_LightssingleCertRef-13] "American single certifications – Matchbox Twenty – Bright Lights". Recording Industry Association of America.

[14] "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1514. July 25, 2003. p. 22. Retrieved May 15, 2021.

[15] "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1516. August 8, 2003. p. 26. Retrieved May 15, 2021.

[16] "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 15th September 2003" (PDF). ARIA. September 15, 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2021.

[17] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. September 13, 2003. p. 29.

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v t e Matchbox Twenty
Rob Thomas Brian Yale Paul Doucette Kyle Cook Adam Gaynor Joey Huffman Matt Beck Ryan MacMillan Stacy Jones
Studio albums	Yourself or Someone Like You Mad Season More Than You Think You Are North Where the Light Goes
Compilation albums	Exile on Mainstream
EPs	EP Exile on Mainstream
Singles	"Long Day" "Push" "3AM" "Real World" "Back 2 Good" "Bent" "If You're Gone" "Mad Season" "Last Beautiful Girl" "Disease" "Unwell" "Bright Lights" "Downfall" "All I Need" "How Far We've Come" "All Your Reasons" "These Hard Times" "She's So Mean" "Overjoyed" "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)" "Don't Get Me Wrong"
Concert tours	North Tour 2013 Summer Tour
Related articles	Discography The Break and Repair Method Tabitha's Secret