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Unwell

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This article is about the Matchbox Twenty song. For the TV series, see (Un)well. For the Enrique Iglesias song, see Final (Vol. 1). For the podcast, see Unwell (podcast).
"Unwell"
Single by Matchbox Twenty
from the album More Than You Think You Are
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2003 (2003-02-03)
Length3:48
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Rob Thomas
Producer(s)Matt Serletic
Matchbox Twenty singles chronology
"Disease"
(2002) 		"Unwell"
(2003) 		"Bright Lights"
(2003)
Music video
"Unwell" on YouTube

"Unwell" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. Released on February 3, 2003, as the second single from their third album, More Than You Think You Are (2002), it was written by Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas. "Unwell" spent 18 weeks atop the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart and two weeks atop the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. It also reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their third and final top-10 hit. Internationally, the single became a top-20 hit in Australia, peaking at No. 12, and a top-10 hit in New Zealand, peaking at No. 8. "Unwell" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.[1]

Content

On the live DVD Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty, Rob Thomas states that he wrote the song as a metaphor for humanity in general, a song for people who are "messed up and feel alone like that. We all feel a little messed up sometimes... you're not alone."

Reception

The song was the second most-played song in the United States in 2003 according to Billboard magazine. The music video was No. 1 on VH1's Top 40 Videos of 2003. In 2011, VH1 named the song as the 82nd best song of the 2000s.

Music video

Directed by Meiert Avis, the music video predominantly features lead singer Rob Thomas seeing various odd occurrences throughout, all the while singing along to the song. The other band members only appear in cameos, notably when Thomas boards a subway and they are seen in the background. The appearance of the other band mates is also altered like most of the video (their noses are rather large). The other band members are also seen at the end of the video gathered in Thomas' room, and each takes their turn waving goodbye to the camera before Thomas does so as well at the end of the video. One of the reasons Thomas picked Avis to direct is because his concept for the video was the closest thing to an acid trip out of every other idea.

Track listing

German and Australian CD single[2][3]

  1. "Unwell" (Avid Rough Cut 1) – 3:55
  2. "All I Need" (live) – 3:41
  3. "Unwell" (live acoustic) – 4:12

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Gold 35,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 3, 2003
Atlantic [23]
Australia April 21, 2003 CD [24]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Complete list of 46th annual Grammy winners and nominees". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 4, 2003. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Matchbox Twenty – Unwell". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  3. ^ Unwell (German & Australian CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records. 2003. 7567880582.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ "Matchbox Twenty – Unwell". Top 40 Singles.
  5. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 37, saptamina 29.09–05-10, 2003" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on May 14, 2005. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  7. ^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2003". ARIA. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "End of Year Charts 2003". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  15. ^ "Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 22. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  16. ^ "Most-Played AC Songs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 25. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  17. ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 14. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  18. ^ "2004 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  19. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Decade-End 2000–2009". Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  20. ^ "Greatest of All Time Adult Pop Songs : Page 1". Billboard. March 18, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  21. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2003 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Matchbox Twenty – Unwell". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  23. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1489. January 31, 2003. p. 27. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  24. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 21st April 2003" (PDF). ARIA. April 21, 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
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