Phobia was released on August 8, 2006 and quickly sold out at major retail chains such as Best Buy and Target. The album sold 131,000 copies in its first week, which made it the fastest selling and highest charting Breaking Benjamin album to date, hitting #2 on the US Billboard Top 200. This is the first studio album Chad Szeliga recorded with the band. The intro track features the sound effects of an airport, namely a flight attendant announcing standard safety procedures and the sound of an airplane making its ascent, alluding to Benjamin Burnley's fear of flying, hence the inspiration for the album name, Phobia.[4]
The album reentered the Billboard 200 at number 38 on May 5, 2007 with its reissue. On May 21, 2009, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA.[5]
"The Diary of Jane" was the fastest added song ever in Hollywood Records' history, and was featured in the video game NASCAR 07.
"Unknown Soldier" was about a man struggling through two wars and wanted to end them.
"You" was played live for the first time during an all acoustic set at Concert for a Cause IV in April 2007, while the band was still in the recording process. In an interview, Burnley revealed that he had mistakenly forgotten the second verse of the song during the set.
"Topless" is an old fan favorite, written and performed before the band had even released their debut album Saturate, in 1998 when the band first formed and was originally called "Top of the World".
"The Diary of Jane", and "Breath" were covered by a classical cover quartet tribute band called Vitamin String Quartet, and the covers of those songs appear on the albums Strung Out - the String Quartet Tribute and Hard Rock Hits, Vol. 4.
According to lead singer Benjamin Burnley on the Phobia DVD, the track "Evil Angel" was one of the first songs he wrote for Phobia.
The single "Until the End" is featured on Guitar Hero 5 as well as their other hit singles, "Sooner or Later" from We Are Not Alone and "Give Me a Sign" from Dear Agony as downloadable content in the game.
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