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{{Otheruses4|the rock group|the self-titled album|Pearl Jam (album)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Pearl Jam
| Img = PearlJam.jpg
| Img_capt = Pearl Jam in 2006, left to right: Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Eddie Vedder and Stone Gossard
| Img_size = 250
| Landscape = yes
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = {{city-state|Seattle|Washington}}, [[United States|USA]]
| Genre = [[Alternative rock]], [[grunge music|grunge]], [[hard rock]]
| Years_active = 1990–present
| Label = [[Epic Records]] (1991–2004)<br />[[J Records]] (2006–present)
| Associated_acts = [[Green River (band)|Green River]], [[Soundgarden]], [[Bad Radio]], [[Mother Love Bone]], [[Temple of the Dog]], [[Brad (band)|Brad]], [[Mad Season]], [[Neil Young]], [[Three Fish]], [[Wellwater Conspiracy]], [[The Rockfords]]
| URL = [http://www.pearljam.com/ www.pearljam.com]
| Current_members = [[Jeff Ament]]<br />[[Stone Gossard]]<br />[[Mike McCready]]<br />[[Eddie Vedder]]<br />[[Matt Cameron]]
| Past_members = [[Dave Krusen]]<br />[[Matt Chamberlain]]<br />[[Dave Abbruzzese]]<br />[[Jack Irons]]
}}
'''Pearl Jam''' is an [[United States|American]] [[rock music|rock]] band that formed in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Washington]], in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has consisted of blatent homosexual [[Eddie Vedder]] (Real name Nelson Pollard)(lead vocals, guitar), [[Jeff Ament]] (bass guitar), [[Stone Gossard]] (rhythm guitar), and [[Mike McCready]] (lead guitar). The band's current drummer is [[Matt Cameron]], formerly of [[Soundgarden]], who has been with the band since 1998.

Formed after the demise of Ament and Gossard's previous band [[Mother Love Bone]], Pearl Jam broke into the mainstream with its debut album ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]''. One of the key bands of the [[Grunge music|grunge]] movement in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam was nevertheless criticized early on as being a corporate cash-in on the [[alternative rock]] explosion. However, its members became noted for their refusal to adhere to traditional music industry practices as their career progressed, including refusing to make [[music videos]] and engaging in a much-publicized boycott of [[Ticketmaster]]. In 2006, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' described the band as having "spent much of the past decade deliberately tearing apart their own fame."<ref name="secondcoming">{{citeweb | last = Hiatt | first = Brian | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/pearl_jam_the_second_coming | title = The Second Coming of Pearl Jam | work = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = [[2006-06-16]] | accessdate = 2007-06-22}}</ref>

Since its inception, the band has sold 30 million records in the U.S.,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt | title = Top Artists | accessdate = 2007-07-15 | work = [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]}}</ref> and an estimated 60 million albums worldwide.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://creativecommons.org/press-releases/entry/5912 | title = Pearl Jam Releases Its First Music Video In Eight Years Under a Creative Commons License | date = [[2006-05-19]] | accessdate = 2007-07-15 | author = Steuer, Eric | work = [[Creative Commons|CreativeCommons.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2006/03/0208.cfm | title = Self-Titled Pearl Jam Album Gets Release Date | date = [[2006-03-02]] | accessdate = 2007-08-16 | author = Lampert, Eva | publisher = [[Chart (magazine)|ChartAttack.com]]}}</ref> Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries from the alternative rock breakthrough of the early 1990s, and is considered one of the most influential bands of the decade,<ref>{{citeweb | last = Erlewine | first = Stephen Thomas | url = http://wm02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kvfqxqtaldfe | title = ''Lost Dogs'' > Overview | work = [[All Music Guide]] | accessdate = 2007-06-22}}</ref> and "the most popular American rock & roll band of the '90s".<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web | url = http://wc07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifqxqr5ldhe~T1 | title = Pearl Jam > Biography | accessdate=2007-06-22 | last = Erlewine | first = Stephen Thomas | work =[[All Music Guide]]}}</ref> Pearl Jam continues to generate hit albums, tour successfully, and garner critical acclaim into the 21st century.

==History==
===Formation: 1984–1990===
Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were members of pioneering grunge band [[Green River (band)|Green River]] during the mid-1980s. Green River toured and recorded to moderate success but disbanded in 1987 due to a stylistic division between the pair and bandmates [[Mark Arm]] and [[Steve Turner (guitarist)|Steve Turner]].<ref>Azerrad, Michael. ''[[Our Band Could Be Your Life]]''. Little Brown and Company, 2001. ISBN 0-316-78753-1, pg. 422</ref> In late 1987, Gossard and Ament began playing with [[Malfunkshun]] vocalist [[Andrew Wood]], eventually organizing the band [[Mother Love Bone]]. In 1988 and 1989, the band recorded and toured to increasing interest and found the support of the [[PolyGram]] record label, which signed the band in early 1989. Their debut album, ''[[Apple (album)|Apple]]'' was released in July 1990, four months after Wood died of a [[heroin]] [[overdose]].<ref>{{citeweb | last = Friend | first = Lonn M. | url = http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/rip_7-92.shtml | title = Heroes... and Heroin | work = RIP Magazine | year = 1992 | month = July | accessdate = 2007-06-22}}</ref>

Ament and Gossard were devastated by the death of Wood and the resulting demise of Mother Love Bone. Gossard spent his time afterwards writing material that was harder-edged than what he had been doing previously.<ref name="crowe">{{cite web | last = Crowe | first = Cameron | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world | title = Five Against the World | work = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = [[1993-10-28]] | accessdate = 2007-06-23 }}</ref> After a few months, Gossard started practicing with fellow Seattle guitarist Mike McCready, whose band Shadow had broken up; McCready in turn encouraged Gossard to reconnect with Ament.<ref name="secondcoming" /> After practicing for a while, the trio sent out a five-song demo tape in order to find a singer and a drummer. They gave former [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] drummer [[Jack Irons]] the demo to see if he would be interested in joining the band and to distribute the demo to anyone he felt might fit the lead vocal position.<ref name="crowe" />

Irons passed on the invitation but gave the demo to his basketball buddy, [[San Diego, California|San Diego]] singer [[Eddie Vedder]].<ref>Wall, Mick. "Alive". ''Nirvana and the Story of Grunge''. ''Q'' p. 95</ref> Vedder was the lead vocalist for a San Diego band, [[Bad Radio]], and worked part time at a gas station. He listened to the tape shortly before going surfing, where lyrics came to him.<ref name="crowe" /> There he recorded the vocals to three of the songs ("[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]", "[[Once (song)|Once]]", and "[[Footsteps (Pearl Jam song)|Footsteps]]") in what Vedder would later describe as a "mini-opera" he entitled "Mamasan".<ref>{{cite web | last = Clay | first = Jennifer | url = http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/rip1291.shtml | month = December | year = 1991 | title = Life After Love Bone | work = RIP Magazine | accessdate = 2007-06-23 }}</ref><ref name="crowe"/> He sent the tape with his vocals back to the three Seattle musicians, who were so impressed that they had Vedder fly to Seattle. Within a week, Vedder had joined the band.<ref name="crowe" />

With the addition of [[Dave Krusen]] on drums, the band took the name [[Mookie Blaylock]], in reference to the then-active All-Star basketball player. The band played their first official show at the Off Ramp club in Seattle on [[October 22]], [[1990]],<ref name="timeline">{{cite web | url=http://www.pearljam.com/timeline/ | title=Pearl Jam: Timeline | accessdate=2007-06-27 | publisher=Pearljam.com}}</ref> and soon signed to [[Epic Records]]. However, concerns about trademark issues necessitated a name change; the band's name became "Pearl Jam".<ref name="Erlewine" /> In an early promotional interview, Vedder claimed that the name "Pearl Jam" was a reference to his great-grandmother Pearl, who was married to a Native American and had a special recipe for peyote-laced jam.<ref name="rhrn">Neely, Kim. "Right Here, Right Now". ''Rolling Stone''. October 31, 1991.</ref> In a 2006 ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' cover story however, Vedder admitted that this story was "total bullshit" (even though his great-grandma was indeed named Pearl). Ament and McCready explained that Ament came up with "pearl". The band later settled on "Pearl Jam" after attending a concert by [[Neil Young]], in which he stretched up his songs as improvisations of 15-20 minutes in length, a practice known as [[Jam session|jamming]].<ref name="secondcoming" />

===''Ten'' and the grunge explosion: 1991–1992===
Pearl Jam entered Seattle's London Bridge Studios in March 1991 to record its debut album ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]''.<ref name="blackdays">Pearlman, Nina. "Black Days". ''Guitar World''. December 2002.</ref> Krusen left the band in May 1991 after checking himself into rehabilitation;<ref>Greene, Jo-Ann. "Pearl Jam and the Secret History of Seattle Part 2." ''Goldmine''. ''August 1993''</ref> he was replaced by [[Matt Chamberlain]], who had previously played with [[Edie Brickell & New Bohemians]]. After playing only a handful of shows, one of which was filmed for the "Alive" video, Chamberlain left to join the ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' band.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_12-xx-93_-_modern_drummer.htm | title=Dave Abbruzzese of Pearl Jam | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Peiken, Matt | publisher=''[[Modern Drummer]]'' | date=[[1993-12]]}}</ref> Chamberlain suggested [[Dave Abbruzzese]] as his replacement. Abbruzzese joined the group and played the rest of Pearl Jam's live shows supporting the ''Ten'' album.

Released on [[August 27]], [[1991]], ''Ten'' (named after Mookie Blaylock's jersey number)<ref name="rhrn" /> contained eleven tracks dealing with dark subjects like depression, suicide, loneliness, and murder. ''Ten''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s musical style, influenced by classic rock, combined an "expansive harmonic vocabulary" with an anthemic sound.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wm02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:a9fuxqe5ldte~T1 | title=Ten > Review | accessdate=2007-07-03 | author=Huey, Steve | publisher=''[[All Music Guide]]''}}</ref> The album was slow to sell, but by the second half of 1992 it became a breakthrough success, being certified gold and reaching number two on the ''Billboard'' charts.<ref name="blackdays" /> ''Ten'' produced the hit singles "[[Even Flow]]", "[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]", and "[[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]". Originally interpreted as an anthem by many,<ref name="crowe" /> Vedder later revealed that "Alive" tells the semi-biographical tale of a son discovering that his father is actually his step-father, while his mother’s grief turns her to sexually embrace her son, who strongly resembles the biological father.<ref name="crowe" /> The song "Jeremy" ({{audio|Jeremy.ogg|sample}}) and its accompanying video were inspired by a true story in which a high school student shot himself in front of his classmates.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sshep.com/jeremynew.htm | title=Richardson Teen-ager Kills Himself in Front of Classmates | accessdate=2007-06-27 | author=Miller, Bobbi | publisher=''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'' | date=[[1991-01-08]]}}</ref> ''Ten'' stayed on the ''Billboard'' charts for more than two years, and has gone on to become one of the biggest-selling rock records ever, going [[RIAA certification|twelve times platinum]].

With the success of ''Ten'', Pearl Jam became a key member of the Seattle grunge explosion, along with [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Alice in Chains]], and [[Soundgarden]]. The band was criticized in the music press; [[United Kingdom|British]] music magazine ''[[NME]]'' said that Pearl Jam was "trying to steal money from young alternative kids' pockets".<ref>Gilbert, Jeff. "New Power Generation". ''Guitar World: Nirvana and the Seattle Sound''. 1993.</ref> Nirvana's [[Kurt Cobain]] angrily attacked Pearl Jam, claiming the band were commercial [[selling out|sellouts]],<ref>Al & Cake. "An interview with...Kurt Cobain". ''[[Flipside (fanzine)|Flipside]]''. May/June 1992.</ref> and argued ''Ten'' was not a true alternative album because it had so many prominent guitar leads.<ref name="blackdays" /> Cobain later reconciled with Vedder, and they reportedly became friends before Cobain's death in 1994.<ref name="secondcoming"/>

Pearl Jam [[Ten Tour|toured]] relentlessly in support of ''Ten''. In 1992, Pearl Jam made television appearances on ''Saturday Night Live'' and ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' and took a slot on that summer's [[Lollapalooza]] tour with the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[Soundgarden]], and [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]], among others. The band contributed two songs to the [[Singles (soundtrack album)|soundtrack]] of the 1992 [[Cameron Crowe]] film ''[[Singles (1992 film)|Singles]]'': "[[State of Love and Trust]]" and "[[Breath (Pearl Jam song)|Breath]]". Ament, Gossard and Vedder appeared in ''Singles'' under the name "Citizen Dick"; their parts were filmed when Pearl Jam was known as Mookie Blaylock.

===Dealing with success: 1993–1995===
[[Image:1101931025 400.jpg|left|thumb|Singer [[Eddie Vedder]] appeared on the cover of the [[October 25]], [[1993]] issue of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', as part of the feature article discussing the rising popularity of the [[grunge music|grunge]] movement. Vedder had declined to participate, and was upset with the magazine about the cover.<ref>Marks, Craig. "Let's Get Lost". ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''. December 1994.</ref>]]
The band members grew uncomfortable with their success, with much of the burden of Pearl Jam's popularity falling on frontman Vedder.<ref name="crowe" /> While Pearl Jam received four awards at the 1993 [[MTV Video Music Awards]] for its video for "Jeremy", including [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video|Best Group Video]], the band refused to make a video for "Black" in spite of pressure by the label. This action began a trend of the band refusing to make videos for its songs. "Ten years from now," Ament said, "I don't want people to remember our songs as videos."<ref name="crowe" />

Released on [[October 19]], [[1993]], Pearl Jam's second album ''[[Vs. (Pearl Jam album)|Vs.]]'' sold a record 950,378 copies in its first week of release and outperformed all other entries in the ''Billboard'' top ten that week combined.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,308749,00.html | title=Pearl's Jam | accessdate=2007-08-31 | publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' | date=[[1993-11-19]]}}</ref> ''Vs.'' included the singles "[[Daughter (Pearl Jam song)|Daughter]]", "[[Dissident (song)|Dissident]]", "[[Go (song)|Go]]", and "[[Animal (Pearl Jam song)|Animal]]". The band decided, beginning with the release of ''Vs.'', to scale back its commercial efforts.<ref>Ashare, Matt. "The Sweet Smell of (Moderate) Success". [[College Music Journal|CMJ]]. July 2000.</ref> The members declined to produce any more music videos after the massive success of "Jeremy" and opted to give fewer interviews and make fewer television appearances. Industry insiders compared Pearl Jam's tour that year to the touring habits of [[Led Zeppelin]], in that the band "ignored the press and took its music directly to the fans."<ref>DeRogatis, Jim. ''Milk It!: Collected Musings on the Alternative Music Explosion of the 90's''. Cambridge: Da Capo, 2003. ISBN 0-306-81271-1, pg. 58</ref> During the [[Vs. Tour|''Vs.'' tour]], the band set a cap on ticket prices in an attempt to thwart scalpers.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 59</ref>

By 1994, Pearl Jam was "fighting on all fronts", as its manager described the band at the time.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 60</ref> Pearl Jam was outraged when, after it played a pair of shows in [[Chicago]], it discovered that ticket vendor [[Ticketmaster]] had added a service charge to the tickets. The [[United States Department of Justice]] was investigating the company's practices at the time and asked the band to create a memorandum of its experiences with the company. Gossard and Ament soon testified at a subcommittee investigation in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Wall, Mick. "Alive". ''Nirvana and the Story of Grunge''. ''Q'' p. 99</ref> The band eventually canceled its 1994 summer tour in protest.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304203,00.html | title=The Brawls in Their Courts | accessdate=2007-09-03 | author=Gordinier, Jeff | publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' | date=[[1994-10-28]]}}</ref> After the Justice Department dropped the case, Pearl Jam continued to boycott Ticketmaster, refusing to play venues that had contracts with the company.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 64–65</ref> Music critic [[Jim DeRogatis]] noted that along with the Ticketmaster debacle, "the band has refused to release singles or make videos; it has demanded that its albums be released on vinyl; and it wants to be more like its '60s heroes, [[The Who]], releasing two or three albums a year." He also stated that sources said that most of the band's third album ''[[Vitalogy]]'' was completed by early 1994, but that either a forced delay by Epic or that the battle with Ticketmaster were to blame for the delay.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 60</ref>

After Pearl Jam finished the recording of ''Vitalogy'', drummer Dave Abbruzzese was fired. The band cited political differences between Abbruzzese and the other members; for example, Abbruzzese disagreed with the Ticketmaster boycott.<ref name="tenpast" /> He was finally replaced by Jack Irons, a close friend of Vedder and the former and original drummer of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]. Irons made his debut with the band at Neil Young's 1994 [[Bridge School Benefit]], but he was not officially announced as the band's new drummer until its 1995 ''Self-Pollution'' satellite radio broadcast.

''Vitalogy'' was released first on [[November 22]], [[1994]] on vinyl and then two weeks later on [[December 6]], [[1994]] on CD and cassette. The CD became the second-fastest-selling in history, with more than 877,000 units sold in its first week.<ref name="timeline"/> Many of the songs on the album appear to be based around the pressures of fame.<ref>Weisel, Al. "Pearl Jam: Vitalogy". ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. [[December 15]], [[1994]]. p. 91–92.</ref> The song "[[Spin the Black Circle]]", a homage to vinyl records, won a [[Grammy Award]] in 1996 for [[Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance|Best Hard Rock Performance]]. ''Vitalogy'' also included the songs "[[Not for You]]", "[[Corduroy (song)|Corduroy]]", "[[Immortality (Pearl Jam song)|Immortality]]", and "[[Better Man]]". "Better Man" ({{audio-nohelp|Better Man.ogg|sample}}), a song originally penned and performed by Vedder while in Bad Radio, reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock chart, spending a total of eight weeks there. Considered a "blatantly great pop song" by producer Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam was reluctant to record it and had initially rejected it from ''Vs.'' due to its accessibility.<ref name="tenpast">Weisbard, Eric, et al. "Ten Past Ten". [[Spin (magazine)|''Spin'' Online]]. August 2001.</ref>

The band continued its boycott against Ticketmaster during its [[Vitalogy Tour|1995 tour]] for ''Vitalogy'', but was surprised that virtually no other bands joined it in refusing to play at Ticketmaster venues.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 64</ref> Pearl Jam's initiative to play only at non-Ticketmaster venues effectively, with a few exceptions, prevented it from playing shows in the United States for the next three years.<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 65</ref> In the same year Pearl Jam backed [[Neil Young]], whom the band had noted as an influence, on his album ''[[Mirror Ball (Neil Young album)|Mirror Ball]]''. Contractual obligations prevented the use of the band's name anywhere on the album, but the members were all credited individually in the album's liner notes.<ref name="Erlewine"/> Two songs from the sessions were left off ''Mirror Ball'': "[[I Got Id]]" and "[[Long Road (song)|Long Road]]". These two tracks were released separately by Pearl Jam in the form of the EP ''[[Merkin Ball]]''.

===''No Code'' and ''Yield'': 1996–1999===
Released on [[August 27]], [[1996]], ''[[No Code]]'' was seen as a deliberate break from the band's sound since ''Ten'',<ref>{{cite web | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E4DB1430F936A1575BC0A960958260 | title=Pearl Jam Is Tired of the Pearl Jam Sound | accessdate=2007-06-27 | author=Pareles, Jon | publisher=''The New York Times'' | date=[[1996-07-25]]}}</ref> favoring experimental ballads and noisy garage rockers. Although the album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' charts, it quickly fell down the charts. ''No Code'' included the singles "[[Hail, Hail]]", "[[Who You Are (song)|Who You Are]]" ({{audio|Who You Are.ogg|sample}}), and "[[Off He Goes]]". As with ''Vitalogy'', very little touring was done to promote ''No Code'' because of the band's refusal to play in Ticketmaster's venue areas. A [[No Code Tour|European tour]] followed in the fall of 1996.

On [[February 3]], [[1998]], Pearl Jam released its fifth album, ''[[Yield (album)|Yield]]''. The album was cited as a return to the band's early, straightforward rock sound,<ref name="allmusicyield">{{cite web | url=http://wc05.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kzfwxqwjld6e~T1 | title=Yield > Review | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas | publisher=''All Music Guide''}}</ref> ''Yield'' debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' charts, but like ''No Code'' soon began dropping down the charts.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=305&cfgn=Albums&cfn=The+Billboard+200&ci=3030561&cdi=7316896&cid=05%2F23%2F1998 | title=The Billboard 200 - Yield | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=Billboard.com}}</ref> It included the singles "[[Given to Fly]]" and "[[Wishlist (song)|Wishlist]]". The band hired comic book artist [[Todd McFarlane]] to create an animated video for the song "[[Do the Evolution]]" from the album, its first music video since 1992. A documentary detailing the making of ''Yield'', ''[[Single Video Theory]]'', was released on VHS and DVD later that year.

In June 1998, Pearl Jam once again changed drummers. Jack Irons left the band due to dissatisfaction with touring and was replaced with former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron on an initially temporary basis,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pearljam/articles/story/5928493/off_he_goes | title=Off He Goes | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Fischer, Blair R | publisher=''Rolling Stone'' | date=[[1998-04-17]]}}</ref> but he soon became a permanent replacement for Irons. Pearl Jam's 1998 [[Yield Tour]] of North America marked the band’s return to full-scale touring. The band's [[anti-trust]] lawsuit against Ticketmaster had proven to be unsuccessful and hindered live tours. Many fans had complained about the difficulty in obtaining tickets and the use of non-Ticketmaster venues, which were judged to be out-of-the-way and impersonal. For this tour and future tours, Pearl Jam once again began using Ticketmaster in order to "better accommodate concertgoers."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=507492ee-4606-496e-93ae-4b69fb2d3ffa | title=Pearl Jam Yields to Ticketmaster | accessdate=2007-06-27 | author=Symonds, Jeff | publisher=[[E!|E! Online]] | date=[[1998-02-14]]}}</ref> The 1998 summer tour was a tremendous success,<ref>Hinckley, David. "Vedder's Not Finished". ''[[New York Daily News]]''. [[August 10]], [[1999]].</ref> and after it was completed the band released ''[[Live on Two Legs]]'', a live album which featured select performances from the tour.

In 1998, Pearl Jam recorded "[[Last Kiss]]", a cover of a 1960s ballad made famous by [[J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers]]. It was recorded during a soundcheck and released on the band's 1998 [[fan club]] single. The following year, the cover was put into heavy rotation across the country. By popular demand, the cover was released to the general public as a single in 1999, with all of the proceeds going to the aid of refugees of the [[Kosovo War]].<ref name="timeline"/> The band also decided to include the song on a charity compilation album, ''[[No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees]]''. "Last Kiss" peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' charts and became the band's highest-charting single.

===''Binaural'' and the Roskilde tragedy: 2000–2001===
On [[May 16]], [[2000]] Pearl Jam released its sixth studio album, ''[[Binaural (album)|Binaural]]''. It was drummer Matt Cameron's recording debut with the band. The title is a reference to the [[binaural recording]] techniques that were utilized on several tracks by producer [[Tchad Blake]], known for his use of the technique.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/pjam16.shtml | title=Pearl Jam's 'Binaural' ear-marked by unusual sound mixing | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Stout, Gene | publisher=''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' | date=[[2000-05-16]]}}</ref> ''Binaural'' was the first album since the band's debut not produced by [[Brendan O'Brien (music producer)|Brendan O'Brien]], although O'Brien was called in later to remix several tracks. ''Binaural'' included the singles "[[Nothing As It Seems]]" ({{audio|Nothing As It Seems.ogg|sample}}), one of the songs featuring binaural recording, and "[[Light Years (song)|Light Years]]". The album sold just over 700,000 copies and became the first Pearl Jam studio album to fail to reach platinum status.<ref>{{cite web | last = Gundersen | first = Edna | url = http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2002-12-05-pearl-jam_x.htm | title = ''Riot Act'' finds Pearl Jam in a quiet place | work = [[USA Today]] | accessdate = 2008-03-16 | date=[[2002-12-05]]}}</ref>

Pearl Jam decided to record every show on its 2000 [[Binaural Tour]] professionally, after noting the desire of fans to own a copy of the shows they attended and the popularity of illegal [[bootleg recording]]s. The band had been open in the past about allowing fans to make amateur recordings,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/tour/taping.html | title=Taping/Camera Policy Guidelines | accessdate=2007-06-28 | publisher=Sonymusic.com | date=[[2006-05-27]]}}</ref> and these [[Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs|"official bootlegs"]] were an attempt to provide a more affordable and better quality product for fans.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/music255.htm | title=Pearl Jam's Bootlegs Give Others the Boot | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Gundersen, Edna | publisher=''[[USA Today]]'' | date=[[2000-08-31]]}}</ref> The band originally intended to release them to only fan club members, but their record contract prevented them from doing so. Pearl Jam released all of the albums in record stores as well as through its fan club. The band released 72 live albums in 2000 and 2001, and set a record for most albums to debut in the ''Billboard'' Top 200 at the same time.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12055527 | title=Pearl Jam Breaks Its Own Chart Record | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Davis, Darren | publisher=[[Yahoo!|Yahoo! Music]] | date=[[2001-03-07]]}}</ref>

Pearl Jam's 2000 European tour ended in tragedy on [[June 30]], with an accident at the [[Roskilde Festival]] in [[Denmark]]. Nine fans were crushed underfoot and suffocated to death as the crowd rushed to the front. The band stopped playing and tried to calm the crowd when the musicians realized what was happening, but it was already too late. The two remaining dates of the tour were canceled, and the band seriously considered retiring after this event.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/perl01.shtml | title=Pearl Jam's darkest hour: Seattle band thought about quitting after concert deaths | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Stout, Gene | publisher=''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' | date=[[2000-09-01]]}}</ref> Pearl Jam was initially blamed for the accident, but the band was later cleared of responsibility.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://sonymusic.net/artists/PearlJam/rumorpit/release9.html | title=Pearl Jam Releases Full Text of Letter Written By Roskilde Police Department Commissioner Kornerup | accessdate=2007-06-28 | author=Pearl Jam Rumor Pit | publisher=SonyMusic.com | date=[[2000-08-02]]}}</ref>

A month after the European tour concluded, the band embarked on its two-leg 2000 North American tour. On [[October 22]], [[2000]], the band played the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, celebrating the tenth anniversary of its first live performance as a band. Eddie Vedder took the opportunity to thank the many people who had helped the band come together and make it to ten years. He noted that "I would never do this accepting a Grammy or something."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fivehorizons.com/tour/cc/t2000p3.shtml | title=Pearl Jam: 2000 Concert Chronology Part 3" | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=Fivehorizons.com}}</ref> The song "Alive" was purposely omitted from all shows on this tour until the [[11/6/00 - Seattle, Washington|final night]] in Seattle. The band performed that night for over three hours, playing most of its hits along with covers such as "[[The Kids Are Alright (song)|The Kids Are Alright]]" and "[[Baba O'Riley]]" by [[The Who]]. After concluding the Binaural Tour, the band released ''[[Touring Band 2000]]'' the following year. The DVD featured select performances from the North American legs of the tour.

Following the events of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 terrorist attacks]], Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready joined [[Neil Young]] to perform the song "[[Long Road (song)|Long Road]]" from the ''Merkin Ball'' EP at the ''[[America: A Tribute to Heroes]]'' benefit concert. The concert, which aired on [[September 21]], [[2001]], raised money for the victims and their families.

===''Riot Act'': 2002–2005===
Pearl Jam released its seventh album, ''[[Riot Act (album)|Riot Act]]'' on [[November 12]], [[2002]]. It included the singles "[[I Am Mine]]" and "[[Save You]]". The album featured a much more [[folk music|folk]]-based and experimental sound, evident in the presence of [[Hammond organ|B3]] organist [[Boom Gaspar]] on songs such as "[[Love Boat Captain]]". The track entitled "[[Arc (song)|Arc]]" was recorded as a vocal tribute to the nine people who died at the Roskilde Festival in June 2000. Vedder only performed this song nine times on the 2003 tour, and the band left the track off all released bootlegs.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fivehorizons.com/tour/cc/t2003p3.shtml | title=Pearl Jam: 2003 Concert Chronology Part 3 | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=Fivehorizons.com}}</ref>

In 2003, the band embarked on its [[Riot Act Tour]], which included tours of Australia and North America. The band continued its official bootleg program, making every concert from the tour available in CD form through its website. A total of six bootlegs were made available in record stores: [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Tokyo]], [[State College, Pennsylvania|State College]], [[Pennsylvania]], two shows from [[Madison Square Garden]], and [[Mansfield, Massachusetts|Mansfield]], [[Massachusetts]]. At many shows during the 2003 North American tour, Vedder performed ''Riot Act'''s "[[Bu$hleaguer]]", a commentary on [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]], with a rubber mask of Bush, wearing it at the beginning of the song and then typically hanging it on a mike stand to allow him to sing. The band made news when it was reported that several fans left after Vedder had "impaled" the Bush mask on his mic stand at the band's [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado]] show.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2916155.stm | title=Pearl Jam Bush Stunt Angers Fans | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=''BBC News'' | date=[[2003-04-04]]}}</ref>

In June 2003, Pearl Jam announced it was officially leaving Epic Records following the end of its contract with the label. The band stated it had "no interest" in signing with another label.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msl1.mit.edu/furdlog/docs/2003-06-06_msnbc_pearl_jam.pdf | title=The music biz in a Pearl Jam | accessdate=2007-07-02 | author=Olsen, Eric | publisher=[[MSNBC|MSNBC.com]] | date=[[2003-06-05]]}}</ref> The band's first release without a label was the single for "[[Man of the Hour]]", in partnership with [[Amazon.com]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=478580&highlight= | title=Pearl Jam Joins Amazon.com's Advantage Program to Sell Music Directly to Fans | accessdate=2007-07-02 | publisher=[[Amazon.com]] | date=[[2003-12-17]]}}</ref> Director [[Tim Burton]] approached Pearl Jam to request an original song for the soundtrack of his new film, ''[[Big Fish]]''. After screening an early print of the film, Pearl Jam recorded the song "[[Man of the Hour]]" for Burton. "Man of the Hour", which was later nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] award, can be heard in the closing credits of ''Big Fish''.

The band released ''[[Lost Dogs (album)|Lost Dogs]]'', a two-disc collection of rarities and B-sides, and ''[[Live at the Garden]]'', a DVD featuring the band's [[July 8]] [[2003]] [[7/8/03 - New York, New York|concert]] at [[Madison Square Garden]] through Epic Records in November 2003. In 2004, Pearl Jam released the live album ''[[Live at Benaroya Hall]]'' through a one-album deal with [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2004/06/1618.cfm | title=Pearl Jam Plug An Acoustic Set Into Your Stereo | accessdate=2007-07-02 | author=Missio, David | publisher=[[Chart (magazine)|ChartAttack.com]] | date=[[2004-06-14]]}}</ref> 2004 marked the first time that Pearl Jam licensed a song for usage in a television show; a snippet of the song "[[Yellow Ledbetter]]" was used in the [[The Last One (Friends episode)|final episode]] of the television series ''[[Friends]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4955410 | title=Pearl Jam helps bid adieu to ‘Friends’ | accessdate=2007-07-05 | author=Cohen, Jonathan | publisher=[[MSNBC|MSNBC.com]] | date=[[2004-05-11]]}}</ref> Later that year, Epic released ''[[rearviewmirror (album)|rearviewmirror]]'', a Pearl Jam greatest hits collection spanning 1991 to 2003. This release marked the end of Pearl Jam's contractual agreement with Epic Records.

Pearl Jam played a show at Easy Street Records in Seattle in April 2005; recordings from the show were compiled for the ''[[Live at Easy Street]]'' album and released exclusively to independent record stores in June 2006. The band embarked on a Canadian [[Pearl Jam 2005 North American/Latin American Tour|cross-country tour]] in September 2005, kicking off the tour with a fundraising concert in Missoula, Montana for Democratic politician [[Jon Tester]], then playing the [[Gorge Amphitheater]] before crossing into Canada. After touring Canada, Pearl Jam proceeded to open a [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]] concert in Pittsburgh, then played two shows at the [[Borgata]] casino in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]], before closing the tour with a concert in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]. The official bootlegs for the band's 2005 shows were distributed via Pearl Jam's website in [[MP3]] form. Pearl Jam also played a [[benefit concert]] to raise money for [[Hurricane Katrina]] relief on [[October 5]], [[2005]], at the [[House of Blues]] in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. On [[November 22]] [[2005]] Pearl Jam began its first Latin American tour.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/051204/137/61d08.html | title=Rock veterans Pearl Jam rock Brazil | accessdate=2007-07-02 | author=Reuters | publisher=[[Yahoo! News]] | date=[[2005-12-04]]}}</ref>

===Move to J Records: 2006–present===
[[Image:Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam in concert in Italy 2006.jpg|thumb|right|Frontman [[Eddie Vedder]] in [[Pistoia]], [[Italy]] on [[September 20]] [[2006]].]]
[[Clive Davis]] announced in February 2006 that Pearl Jam had signed with his label, [[J Records]], which like Epic, is part of the [[Sony BMG]] group.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0602/09/sbt.01.html | title=Showbiz Tonight | accessdate=2007-09-03 | publisher=[[CNN]] |date=[[2006-02-09]]}}</ref> The band's eighth studio album, ''[[Pearl Jam (album)|Pearl Jam]]'', was released on [[May 2]], [[2006]]. A number of critics cited ''Pearl Jam'' as a return to the band's early sound,<ref name="PearlJamreview">{{cite web | url=http://wm02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2c2tk65xukr3 | title=''Pearl Jam'' > Review | accessdate=2007-05-29 | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas | publisher=[[All Music Guide]]}}</ref><ref name="Easley">{{cite web | url=http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/cds/P/Pearl-Jam/Pearl-Jam/2154 | title=Pearl Jam | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Easley, Jonathan | publisher=Prefix Magazine | 2006-05-03}}</ref> with Mike McCready having compared the new material to ''[[Vs. (Pearl Jam album)|Vs.]]'' in a 2005 interview.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.andysavage.com/audio.asp | title=Mike McCready on Andy Savage in the Morning on 96.5 K-ROCK | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=McCready, Mike | publisher=96.5 K-ROCK, Seattle, Washington | date=[[2005-04-06]]}}</ref> "[[World Wide Suicide]]", a song criticizing the [[Iraq War]] and U.S. foreign policy, was released as a single and topped the [[Modern Rock Tracks|''Billboard'' Modern Rock]] chart; it was Pearl Jam's first number one on that chart since "[[Who You Are (song)|Who You Are]]" in 1996, and first number one on any chart in the United States since 1998 when "[[Given to Fly]]" reached number one on the [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock]] chart.

To support ''Pearl Jam,'' the band embarked on its [[Pearl Jam 2006 World Tour|2006 world tour]]. It toured North America, Australia and notably Europe; Pearl Jam had not toured the continent for six years. The band served as the headliners for the [[Reading and Leeds Festival|Leeds]] and [[Reading Festival|Reading]] festivals, despite having vowed to never play at a festival again after [[Roskilde Festival|Roskilde]]. Vedder started both concerts with an emotional plea to the crowd to look after each other. He commented during the Leeds set that the band's decision to play a festival for the first time after Roskilde had nothing to do with "guts" but with trust in the audience.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1859687,00.html | title=Leeds Festival | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Simpson, Dave. | publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' | date=[[2006-08-28]]}}</ref>

In 2007, Pearl Jam recorded a cover of [[The Who]]'s "[[Love, Reign o'er Me]]" for the [[Mike Binder]] film, ''[[Reign Over Me]]''; it was later made available as a [[music download]] on the [[ITunes Store|iTunes Music Store]].<ref name="billboardbits">{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003496230 | title=Billboard Bits: Pearl Jam, Mariah Carey, Trick Pony | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Cohen, Jonathan | publisher=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]] | date=[[2006-12-12]]}}</ref> The band embarked on a [[Pearl Jam 2007 European Tour|13-date European tour]], and headlined [[Lollapalooza]] in [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]], on [[August 5]] [[2007]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#173 | title=Pearl Jam To Headline Lollapalooza | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=Pearljam.com | date=[[2007-04-02]]}}</ref> The band released a CD box set in June 2007, entitled ''[[Live at the Gorge 05/06]]'', that documents its shows at [[The Gorge Amphitheatre]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#178 | title=Pre-order "Live at the Gorge 05/06 | accessdate=2007-07-01 | publisher=Pearljam.com | date=[[2007-05-01]]}}</ref> and in September 2007 a concert DVD, entitled ''[[Immagine in Cornice|Immagine In Cornice]]'', which documents the band's Italian shows from their 2006 tour was released.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#194 | title=PJ To Release Italy DVD September 25 | accessdate=2007-07-27 | publisher=Pearljam.com}}</ref>

In early 2008, members of Pearl Jam got together for a span of a week to work on initial ideas for the band's ninth studio album. There is still no time frame for when the band as a whole will come together to begin the recording sessions for its next album.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003728355 | title=Pearl Jam Recharges For Summer Tour | accessdate=2008-03-20 | author=Cohen, Jonathan. | publisher=Billboard.com | date=[[2008-03-20]]}}</ref> In June 2008, Pearl Jam will perform as the headline act at the [[Bonnaroo Music Festival]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#241 | title=Pearl Jam to Play Bonnaroo! | accessdate=2008-02-06 | publisher=Pearljam.com | date=[[2008-02-05]]}}</ref> The Bonnaroo appearance will take place amidst a [[Pearl Jam 2008 U.S. Tour|twelve-date tour]] of the Eastern United States in June 2008.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/tour/ | title=Pearl Jam: Tour Dates | accessdate=2008-04-04 | publisher=Pearljam.com}}</ref>

==Musical style==
{{Sound sample box align right|Music sample:}}
{{Listen|filename=Given to Fly.ogg|title="Given to Fly"
|description=Sample of "Given to Fly" from ''Yield'' (1998), a [[hard rock]] song which features Vedder's distinctive baritone vocals and McCready's prominent lead guitar throughout.|format=[[Ogg]]}}{{sample box end}}
Compared with the other [[Grunge music|grunge]] bands of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam’s style is noticeably less heavy and harkens back to the [[classic rock]] music of the 1970s.<ref>{{citeweb | last = Unterberger | first = Andrew | url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/pearl-jam/rearviewmirror.htm | title = Pearl Jam: Rearviewmirror | work = Stylus | 2004-11-18 | accessdate = 2007-07-01}}</ref> Pearl Jam has cited many [[punk rock]] and classic rock bands as influences, including [[The Who]], [[Neil Young]], and the [[Ramones]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.skinnymag.co.uk/content/view/1230/142/ | title=Explore and not Explode | accessdate=2007-09-03 | author=Kerr, Dave. | publisher=''[[The Skinny]]'' | year=2006 | month=05}}</ref> Pearl Jam’s success has been attributed to its sound, which fuses "the riff-heavy stadium rock of the '70s with the grit and anger of '80s post-punk, without ever neglecting hooks and choruses."<ref name="Erlewine" />

Pearl Jam has broadened its musical range with subsequent releases. By 1994’s ''[[Vitalogy]]'', the band began to incorporate more punk influences into its music.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E0DC1030F937A35751C1A962958260 | title=RECORDINGS VIEW; Pearl Jam Gives Voice To Sisyphus | accessdate=2007-12-13 | author=Jon Pareles | publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'' | date=1994-12-04}}</ref> The band’s 1996 album, ''[[No Code]]'', was a deliberate break from the musical style of ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]''. The songs on the album featured elements of [[garage rock]], [[worldbeat]], and [[Experimental music|experimentalism]].<ref name="Erlewine"/> After 1998’s ''[[Yield (album)|Yield]]'', which was somewhat of a return to the straight-ahead rock approach of the band's early work,<ref name="allmusicyield"/> the band dabbled with experimental [[art rock]] on 2000’s ''[[Binaural (album)|Binaural]]'' and [[folk rock]] elements on 2002’s ''[[Riot Act (album)|Riot Act]]''. The band’s latest album, 2006’s ''[[Pearl Jam (album)|Pearl Jam]]'', was cited as a return to the band’s early sound.<ref name="PearlJamreview"/><ref name="Easley"/>

Critic Jim DeRogatis describes Vedder's vocals as a "[[Jim Morrison]]-like vocal growl."<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 57</ref> Vedder's lyrical topics range from personal ("Alive", "Better Man") to social and political concerns ("Even Flow", "World Wide Suicide"). When the band started, Gossard and McCready were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively. The dynamic began to change when Vedder started to play more rhythm guitar during the ''Vitalogy'' era. McCready said in 2006, "Even though there are three guitars, I think there's maybe more room now. Stone will pull back and play a two-note line and Ed will do a [[power chord]] thing, and I fit into all that."<ref>Cross, Charles R. "Better Man". ''Guitar World Presents: Guitar Legends: Pearl Jam''. July 2006.</ref>

==Legacy==
While Nirvana had brought grunge to the [[Mainstream (terminology)|mainstream]] in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam quickly outsold them and became not only the most popular alternative rock band, but the most popular American rock band of the decade.<ref name="Erlewine" /> Pearl Jam has been described as "[[modern rock]] radio's most influential stylists &ndash; the workmanlike midtempo chug of songs like "Alive" and "Even Flow" just melodic enough to get [[mosh]]ers singing along."<ref>Sinagra, Laura. "Grunge". ''Spin: 20 Years of Alternative Music.'' Three Rivers Press, 2005. ISBN 0-307-23662-5, pg. 150</ref> The band inspired and influenced a number of bands, ranging from [[Silverchair]] to [[Puddle of Mudd]] and [[The Strokes]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/19/tem_ae19pearljam.html | title="Pearl Jam's tour even surprised bassist Ament" | accessdate=2007-07-01 | author=Jenkins, Mandy | publisher=''[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]'' | date=[[2003-06-19]]}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002651028 | title="'Mercy': Strokes Cover Gaye With Vedder, Homme" | accessdate=2007-07-10 | author=Cohen, Jonathan | publisher=[[Billboard.com]] | date=[[2006-06-09]]}}</ref> Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries in the grunge scene like [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] and [[Soundgarden]], and also bands it has influenced such as [[Creed (band)|Creed]].<ref name="secondcoming" />

Pearl Jam has been praised for its rejection of rock star excess and its insistence on backing causes it believes in. Music critic [[Jim DeRogatis]] said in the aftermath of the band's battle with Ticketmaster that they "proved that a rock band which isn't comprised of greed heads can play stadiums and not milk the audience for every last dime [...] it indicated that idealism in rock 'n' roll is not the sole province of those '60s bands enshrined in the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]."<ref>DeRogatis, pg. 66</ref> Eric Weisbard of ''[[Spin magazine|Spin]]'' said in 2001, "The group that was once accused of being synthetic grunge now seem as organic and principled a rock band as exists."<ref name="tenpast" /> In a 2005 ''[[USA Today]]'' reader's poll, Pearl Jam was voted the greatest American rock band of all time.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/popcandy/2005-07-05-pop-candy_x.htm | title="And the Greatest American rock band ever is..." | accessdate=2007-05-07 | author=Matheson, Whitney | publisher=''[[USA Today]]'' | date=[[2005-07-05]]}}</ref> In April 2006, Pearl Jam was awarded an Esky for "Best Live Act" in ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'''s Esky Music Awards. The blurb called Pearl Jam "the rare superstars who still play as though each show could be their last."<ref name="Esky">{{cite news | title= The 2006 Esky Music Awards|publisher=[[Esquire Magazine]] |date=April 2006}}</ref>

==Campaigning and activism==
Throughout their career, Pearl Jam has promoted wider social and political issues, from [[pro-choice]] sentiments to [[Criticism of George W. Bush|opposition to George W. Bush's presidency]]. Vedder acts as the band's spokesman on these issues. The band has promoted an array of causes, including awareness of [[Crohn's disease]], which lead guitarist [[List of people diagnosed with Crohn's disease|Mike McCready suffers from]], [[Ticketmaster]] venue monopolization and the environment and wildlife protection, among others.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/3149/review/concert/pearl_jamsleaterkinney | title= Pearl Jam/Sleater-Kinney, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR 7/20/2006 | accessdate=2007-07-10 | author=duBrowa, Cory | publisher=''[[Paste Magazine]]''}}</ref><ref name="causes">{{cite web | url=http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/activism/alist.html | title=Pearl Jam Synergy | accessdate=2007-06-26 | publisher=Sonymusic.com}}</ref> Vedder has advocated for the release of the [[West Memphis 3]] for years and [[Damien Echols]], a member of the three, shares a writing credit for the song "Army Reserve" (from ''[[Pearl Jam (album)|Pearl Jam]]'').<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wm3.org/live/newsevents/newsitem.php?news_Id=116 | title= ECHOLS CONTRIBUTES TO NEW PEARL JAM ALBUM | accessdate=2007-07-22 | publisher=wm3.org}}</ref> The band publicize such causes via their website and include links to alternative news sources.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pearljam.com/activism/ | title=Pearl Jam: Activism and Information | accessdate=2007-06-27 | publisher=PearlJam.com}}</ref>

The band, and especially frontman Eddie Vedder, have been vocal supporters of the pro-choice movement. In 1992 ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' printed an article by Vedder, entitled "Reclamation", that detailed his views on abortion.<ref>Vedder, Eddie. "Reclamation". ''Spin''. November 1992.</ref> In an ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' concert the same year, Vedder stood on a stool and wrote "PRO-CHOICE!" on his arm in protest.<ref name="tenpast" /> The band are members of a number of pro-choice organizations, including [[Choice USA]] and Voters for Choice.<ref name="causes" />

As members of [[Rock the Vote]] and [[Vote for Change]], the band has encouraged voter registration and participation in [[Elections in the United States|United States elections]]. Vedder was outspoken in support of [[Green Party (United States)|Green Party]] presidential candidate [[Ralph Nader]] in 2000<ref>{{cite web | url=http://archive.salon.com/ent/log/2000/09/26/vedder/index.html | title=Vedder on Nader: The better man | accessdate=2007-09-03 | author=Talvi, Silja J. A. | publisher=''[[Salon.com]]'' | date=[[2000-09-26]]}}</ref> and Pearl Jam played a series of concerts on the Vote for Change tour in October 2004, supporting the candidacy of [[John Kerry]] for [[President of the United States|U.S. President]]. In a ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' feature showcasing the Vote for Change tour's performers, Vedder told the magazine, "I supported Ralph Nader in 2000, but it's a time of crisis. We have to get a new administration in."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6487639/voices_for_change | title=Voices for Change | accessdate=2007-09-03 | publisher=''[[Rolling Stone]]'' | date=[[2004-10-14]]}}</ref>

Vedder usually comments on politics between songs, often to criticize U.S. foreign policy, and a number of his songs, including "[[Bu$hleaguer]]" and "[[World Wide Suicide]]", are openly critical of the [[George W. Bush administration|Bush administration]]. At Lollapalooza 2007, Vedder spoke out against [[BP|BP Amoco]] [[BP#Lake Michigan Plant expansion|dumping effluent in Lake Michigan]]; at the end of "Daughter", he sang the lyrics "George Bush leave this world alone/George Bush find yourself another home". In the beginning of the second encore Vedder invited Iraq war veteran Tomas Young, the subject of the documentary ''[[Body of War]]'', onto the stage to urge an end to the war. Young in turn introduced [[Ben Harper]], who contributed vocals to "No More" and "Rockin' in the Free World".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070806/music_nm/lollapalooza_dc_2;_ylt=ApW4t9UIZI8bEXpCnHgM4UEE1vAI | title= Pearl Jam closes Lollapalooza | accessdate=2007-08-06 | author=Krasny, Ros | publisher=[[Yahoo.com]] | date=[[2007-08-06]]}}</ref> The band has since discovered that some of the Bush-related lyrics were excised from the [[AT&T]] webcast of the event, and are questioning whether that constitutes censorship.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pearljam.com/news/?what=News#195 | title= LOLLAPALOOZA WEBCAST : SPONSORED/CENSORED BY AT&T? | accessdate=2007-08-08 | publisher=Pearljam.com | date=[[2007-08-08]]}}</ref> AT&T later apologized and blamed the censorship on contractor [[Davie Brown Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135767-c,techindustrytrends/article.html | title=AT&T Says It Didn't Censor Pearl Jam | accessdate=2007-08-09 | author=Gross, Grant | publisher=[[IDG|IDG News Service]] | date=[[2007-08-09]]}}</ref>

Pearl Jam has performed numerous benefit concerts in aid of charities. For example, the band headlined a Seattle concert in 2001 to support the [[United Nations]]' efforts to combat world hunger.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1446419/20010807/pearl_jam.jhtml | title=Pearl Jam To Play For Charity | accessdate=2007-07-31 | author=Schumacher-Rasmussen, Eric | publisher=MTV.com | date=[[2001-08-07]]}}</ref> The band added a date at the Chicago House of Blues to their 2005 tour to help the victims of [[Hurricane Katrina]]; the concert proceeds were donated to [[Habitat for Humanity International|Habitat for Humanity]], the [[American Red Cross]] and the Jazz Foundation of America.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001137028 | title=Pearl Jam, The Roots Plan Katrina Benefits | accessdate=2007-07-31 | author=Cohen, Jonathan | publisher=''[[Billboard]]'' | date=[[2005-09-14]]}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Pearl Jam discography}}

===Studio albums===
*''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'' (1991)
*''[[Vs. (Pearl Jam album)|Vs.]]'' (1993)
*''[[Vitalogy]]'' (1994)
*''[[No Code]]'' (1996)
*''[[Yield (album)|Yield]]'' (1998)
*''[[Binaural (album)|Binaural]]'' (2000)
*''[[Riot Act (album)|Riot Act]]'' (2002)
*''[[Pearl Jam (album)|Pearl Jam]]'' (2006)

==Awards and nominations==

===Awards===
{| class="wikitable" width=90%
!align=center| Year
! Award
! Category
|-
| rowspan="6"|1993
| rowspan="2"|[[American Music Award]]s
| Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist<ref name="1993 AMAs">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1993/amas.htm |title=20th American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| Favorite New Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist<ref name="1993 AMAs"/>
|-
| rowspan="4"|[[MTV Video Music Awards]]
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] – "[[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]"<ref name="MTV Award">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1993/mtvvmas.htm |title=1993 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video|Best Group Video]] – "Jeremy"<ref name="MTV Award"/>
|-
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video|Best Metal/Hard Rock Video]] – "Jeremy"<ref name="MTV Award"/>
|-
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction|Best Direction]] – [[Mark Pellington]] for "Jeremy"<ref name="MTV Award"/>
|-
| rowspan="3"|1996
| rowspan="2"|American Music Awards
| [[American Music Award for Favorite Alternative Artist|Favorite Alternative Artist]]<ref name="1996 AMAs">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1996/amas.htm |title=23rd American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist<ref name="1996 AMAs"/>
|-
| [[Grammy Award]]s
| [[Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance|Best Hard Rock Performance]] – "[[Spin the Black Circle]]"<ref name="1996 Grammys">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1996/grammys.htm |title=38th Grammy Awards - 1996
|publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| 1999
| American Music Awards
| Favorite Alternative Artist<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1999/amas.htm |title=26th American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| 2006
| Esky Music Awards
| Best Live Act<ref name="Esky"/>
|}

===Nominations===
{| class="wikitable" width=90%
!align=center| Year
! Award
! Category
|-
| 1992
| MTV Video Music Awards
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video|Best Alternative Video]] – "[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]"<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1992/mtvvmas.htm |title=1992 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"|1993
| rowspan="2"|Grammy Awards
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] – "Jeremy"<ref name="1993 Grammys">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1993/grammys.htm |title=35th Grammy Awards - 1993 |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| Best Hard Rock Performance – "Jeremy"<ref name="1993 Grammys"/>
|-
| MTV Video Music Awards
| [[MTV Video Music Award - Viewer's Choice|Viewer's Choice]] – "Jeremy"<ref name="MTV Award"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1994
| rowspan="2"|American Music Awards
| [[American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group|Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group]]<ref name="1994 AMAs">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1994/amas.htm |title=21st American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist<ref name="1994 AMAs"/>
|-
| rowspan="4"|1995
| American Music Awards
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1995/amas.htm |title=22nd American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"|Grammy Awards
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]] – "[[Daughter (Pearl Jam song)|Daughter]]"<ref name="1995 Grammys">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1995/grammys.htm |title=37th Grammy Awards - 1995 |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| Best Hard Rock Performance – "[[Go (song)|Go]]"<ref name="1995 Grammys"/>
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Album|Best Rock Album]] – ''[[Vs. (Pearl Jam album)|Vs.]]''<ref name="1995 Grammys"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1996
| rowspan="2"|Grammy Awards
| [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] – ''[[Vitalogy]]''<ref name="1996 Grammys"/>
|-
| Best Rock Album – ''Vitalogy''<ref name="1996 Grammys"/>
|-
| rowspan="3"|1999
| rowspan="3"|Grammy Awards
| Best Hard Rock Performance – "[[Do the Evolution]]"<ref name="1999 Grammys">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1999/grammys.htm |title=41st Grammy Awards - 1999 |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video|Best Music Video, Short Form]] – "Do the Evolution"<ref name="1999 Grammys"/>
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Recording Package|Best Recording Package]] – ''[[Yield (album)|Yield]]''<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/rumorpit/pit35.html |title=Pearl Jam Rumor Pit Issue #35 |publisher=sonymusic.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| 2001
| Grammy Awards
| Best Hard Rock Performance – "[[Grievance (song)|Grievance]]"<ref name="2001 Grammys">{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2001/grammys.htm |title=43rd Grammy Awards - 2001 |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"|2004
| [[Broadcast Film Critics Association|Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song|Best Song]] – "[[Man of the Hour]]" from ''[[Big Fish]]''<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bfca.org/NomineesWinners.asp |title=BFCA Nominees/Winners |publisher=bfca.org |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award]]s
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] – "Man of the Hour" from ''Big Fish''<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/year/2003 |title=Golden Globes Nominations & Winners |publisher=goldenglobes.org |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"|2006
| MTV Video Music Awards
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects|Best Special Effects]] – "[[Life Wasted]]"<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/mtvvmas.htm |title=2006 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| American Music Awards
| Favorite Alternative Artist<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/amas.htm |title=34th American Music Awards |publisher=Rockonthenet.com |accessdate=2008-02-20}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
*[[List of alternative rock artists]]
*[[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart]]
*[[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Modern Rock chart]]
*[[List of best-selling music artists]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*Clark, Martin. ''Pearl Jam & Eddie Vedder: None Too Fragile'' (2005). ISBN 0-859-65371-4
*Jones, Allan. ''Pearl Jam - The Illustrated Story, A Melody Maker Book'' (1995). ISBN 0-793-54035-6
*Neely, Kim. ''Five Against One: The Pearl Jam Story'' (1998). ISBN 0-140-27642-4
*Wall, Mick. ''Pearl Jam'' (1996). ISBN 1-886-89433-7

==External links==
{{commonscat|Pearl Jam}}
*[http://www.pearljam.com Pearl Jam Ten Club]
*[http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam Sony Music's Pearl Jam page]
*[http://www.myspace.com/tenclub Pearl Jam] at [[MySpace]]
*[http://www.twofeetthick.com/tft/mainMenu.action Two Feet Thick] – An exhaustive concert chronology from 1990 to present
*{{allmusicguide|B61l67ur0h0jd|Pearl Jam}}
*{{last.fm}}


{{Pearl Jam}}
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Revision as of 16:04, 22 April 2008

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