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3AM (Matchbox Twenty song)

{{Short description|1997 single by Matchbox Twenty}}

{{Infobox song

| name = 3AM

| cover = 3amMatchbox 20.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Matchbox 20

| album = Yourself or Someone Like You

| B-side =

  • "Push" (acoustic)
  • "Shame"

| released = {{start date|1997|11|23}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| length = 3:46

| label =

| writer =

| producer = Matt Serletic

| prev_title = Push

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Real World

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|C-Naa1HXeDQ|"3AM"}}}}

}}

"3AM" (stylized as "3 am" on the album and "3 AM" on the single) is the third single and the third track from American rock band Matchbox 20's debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996). Written by Rob Thomas, Jay Stanley, John Leslie Goff, and Brian Yale, the song was inspired by Thomas dealing with his mother's cancer as a teenager. The song was officially serviced to US modern rock radio in October 1997 and was given a commercial release outside North America the following month.

"3AM" topped the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart for two weeks and the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart for 10 weeks; it was not eligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time due to not receiving a physical release in the United States. Outside North America, "3AM" reached number 31 in Australia and became a minor hit in Europe. A music video was also made for the song, directed by Gavin Bowden and filmed in Los Angeles.

Background and content

"3AM" was written by Rob Thomas, Jay Stanley, John Leslie Goff, and Brian Yale while performing together in the early 1990s band Tabitha's Secret. The song was first recorded by that band on its debut EP, Tabitha's Secret?. The lyrics are inspired by Thomas as an adolescent having to live with a mother fighting to survive cancer.{{YouTube|BUVWzvFYk0k}} In 1997, after the other members of Tabitha's Secret left to form Matchbox 20, Goff and Stanley released other early recordings of the band, including "3 AM", on Don't Play with Matches.

Music video

The song's music video, directed by Gavin Bowden, was shot in Los Angeles.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA103|title=Production Notes|magazine=Billboard|volume=109|number=40|page=103|date=October 4, 1997|access-date=February 1, 2023}} It features the band sitting on sides of a street next to some telephone booths. A supermarket is also shown. The video switches between color video clips and black-and-white still images. During the introduction and the third verse of the song, Thomas walks in the middle of the street with some construction signs and lights. During the third verse, a Pontiac Trans Am with a bare-chested man and a woman inside stops in front of Thomas. The man gets out, revealing a catheter in his chest, receives three cigarettes from Thomas and then gets back in the Trans Am. Finally, during the last two choruses, the band is shown playing their instruments (presumably in the lobby of a hotel or office building) as rain can be seen falling from a large window behind them. The video ends with an image of Thomas standing next to the telephone booths.

Track listings

Australian and UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 AM|others=Matchbox 20|year=1997|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records|id=AT0034CD, 7567-95562-2}}

  1. "3 AM" – 3:46
  2. "Push" (acoustic) – 4:19
  3. "Shame" – 3:35

UK 7-inch and cassette single; European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 AM|others=Matchbox 20|year=1998|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records|id=AT 0034, 7567-87033-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=3 AM|others=Matchbox 20|year=1998|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records|id=AT0034C, 7567-95562-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=3 AM|others=Matchbox 20|year=1998|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records|id=7567-98009-9}}

  1. "3 AM" – 3:46
  2. "Push" (acoustic) – 4:19

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1997–1998)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|31|artist=Matchbox 20|song=3 AM|rowheader=true|refname="aus"}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=3437|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|20|chartid=3460|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
{{single chart|Canadarock|1|chartid=3423|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
{{single chart|Germany|96|artist=Matchbox 20|song=3 AM|songid=84373|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|92|artist=Matchbox 20|song=3 AM|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Poland (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-06-13.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=24|page=23|date=June 13, 1998|access-date=August 28, 2023}}

|20

scope="row"|Quebec (ADISQ){{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151129063315/http://bibnum2.banq.qc.ca/bna/palmares/2010-Anglo-Allophone/Anglo-Compilation_succes_ordre_alpha_interpretes.pdf|url=http://bibnum2.banq.qc.ca/bna/palmares/2010-Anglo-Allophone/Anglo-Compilation_succes_ordre_alpha_interpretes.pdf|title=Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec|publisher=BAnQ|language=fr|access-date=September 11, 2019|archive-date=November 29, 2015|url-status=dead}}

|21

{{single chart|Scotland|57|date=19980704|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
scope="row"|Spain Airplay (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-07-18.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=29|page=25|date=July 18, 1998|access-date=August 28, 2023}}

|5

{{single chart|UK|64|date=19980704|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|3|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true|access-date=February 19, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|1|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|3|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|1|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|3|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|2|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|2|artist=Matchbox Twenty|rowheader=true}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1997)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '97: Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=5|issue=52|page=30|date=December 28, 1997}}

|91

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1998)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+68-No.+12-December+14%2C+1998.pdf|title=RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|volume=63|issue=12|page=20|date=December 14, 1998|access-date=March 23, 2019}}

|5

scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6979&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6979.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6979|title=RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=February 19, 2019}}

|57

scope="row"|Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6985&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6985.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6985|title=RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=February 19, 2019}}

|11

scope="row"|US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA2-IA6|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot 100 Singles Airplay|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|number=52|page=YE-46|date=December 26, 1998|access-date=December 5, 2023}}

|3

scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA44|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|number=52|page=YE-96|date=December 26, 1998|access-date=February 19, 2021}}

|2

scope="row"|US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA32|title=The Year in Music 1998|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|number=52|page=YE-84|date=December 26, 1998|access-date=December 5, 2023}}

|13

scope="row"|US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=6|issue=52|page=45|date=December 25, 1998}}

|4

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)

|23

scope="row"|US Triple-A (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '98: Most Played Triple-A Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=6|issue=52|page=35|date=December 25, 1998}}

|1

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Matchbox 20|title=3AM|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2024|relyear=1997|access-date=6 February 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Matchbox Twenty|title=3AM|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1997|certyear=2023|access-date=September 7, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|October 6, 1997

|Modern rock radio

|rowspan="3"|{{hlist|Atlantic|Lava|Melisma}}

|{{cite magazine|title=Upcoming New Releases|magazine=Hits|volume=11|issue=563|page=38|date=October 3, 1997}}

scope="row"|Australia

|November 23, 1997

|CD

|

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|June 22, 1998

|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}

|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=25|date=June 20, 1998}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2440 Facts about Matchbox Twenty songs].

{{Matchbox Twenty}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:3 A.M. (Matchbox Twenty Song)}}

Category:1996 songs

Category:1997 singles

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Lava Records singles

Category:Matchbox Twenty songs

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Matt Serletic

Category:Songs about loneliness

Category:Songs written by Rob Thomas (musician)

Category:Songs about cancer