Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines

{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines

| type = studio

| artist = Garth Brooks (as Chris Gaines)

| cover = GarthBrooksintheLifeofChrisGaines.jpg

| alt =

| released = September 28, 1999

| recorded =

| studio = *Ocean Way (Nashville, Tennessee)

• OmniSound (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Quad Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
• The Beabstalk (Franklin, Tennessee)
• Record Plant (Los Angeles, California)

| genre = {{hlist|Pop|pop rock{{Cite journal |jstor = 40071703|title = The Greatest Rock Star Who Never Was: Garth Brooks, Chris Gaines, and Modern America|journal = American Music|volume = 26|issue = 2|pages = 196–222|last1 = MacLachlan|first1 = Heather|year = 2008| doi=10.2307/40071703 |doi-access = free}}{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,31478,00.html|title=A Different Hat|magazine=Time|author-link=Christopher John Farley |last=Farley |first=Christopher John|date=September 26, 1999|access-date=September 22, 2019}}|alternative rock{{cite book|author=Lisa Earle McLeod|title=The Triangle of Truth: The Surprisingly Simple Secret to Resolving Conflicts Large and Small|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b4J92ASjis4C&pg=PT89|date=January 5, 2010|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-17147-9|page=89}}

}}

| length = 56:23

| label = Capitol

| producer = Don Was

| chronology = Garth Brooks

| prev_title = Double Live

| prev_year = 1998

| next_title = Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas

| next_year = 1999

}}

{{Album ratings

|rev2 = AllMusic

|rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r401931}}

|rev3 = The A.V. Club

|rev3score = (mixed){{cite news|author=Stephen Thompson |url=https://www.avclub.com/garth-brooks-in-the-life-of-chris-gaines-1798196831 |title=Garth Brooks: In The Life Of Chris Gaines |newspaper=The A.V. Club |date=April 19, 2002 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}

|rev4 = Christgau's Consumer Guide

|rev4score = {{Rating-Christgau|dud}}{{cite web|author=Robert Christgau |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=garth+brooks |title=CG: Garth Brooks |publisher=RobertChristgau.com |access-date=April 14, 2013|author-link = Robert Christgau}}

|rev5 = The Daily Vault

|rev5score = B−{{cite web|author=Christopher Thelen |url=http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=797 |title=The Daily Vault Music Reviews : Chris Gaines Greatest Hits (aka In The Life Of Chris Gaines) |publisher=The Daily Vault |date=October 13, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}

|rev6 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev6score = C−{{cite magazine |author=David Browne |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,270949,00.html |title=In... The Life of Chris Gaines Review |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=October 1, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013 |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425220132/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,270949,00.html |url-status=dead }}

|rev7 = Mojo

|rev7score = (favorable){{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1107800&style=music |title=Garth Brooks - In The Life Of Chris Gaines CD Album |publisher=CD Universe |access-date=April 14, 2013}}

|rev8 = PopMatters

|rev8score = (favorable){{cite magazine|author=Nikki Tranter |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/brooksgarth-inthelife/ |title=Garth Brooks: In the Life of Chris Gaines |magazine=PopMatters |date=September 27, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}

|rev9 = Q

|rev9score = {{Rating|3|5}}

|rev10 = Rolling Stone

|rev10score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite magazine|author=David Wild |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/garthbrooks/albums/album/208047/review/6067373/inthe_life_of_chris_gaines |title=Garth Brooks: In...The Life Of Chris Gaines |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 28, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113163425/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/garthbrooks/albums/album/208047/review/6067373/inthe_life_of_chris_gaines |archive-date=November 13, 2007 |url-status=dead}}

|noprose=yes

}}

Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines, also titled Greatest Hits, is an album by American country music artist Garth Brooks, in which Brooks assumes the fictitious persona of Australian rock artist Chris Gaines. Originally, this album was intended to be the soundtrack for a movie called The Lamb that would star Brooks as a rock star recalling the different periods of his life. This album was purposely released a year in advance from the scheduled film release date to pique interest in Brooks performing rock instead of country. The Lamb, however, was never filmed due to financial and management problems.

The album was released on September 28, 1999. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart behind Creed's Human Clay, and also gained Brooks his first and to date only appearance in the top 40 of the US Billboard Hot 100, with "Lost in You", which peaked at No. 5. The track "It Don't Matter to the Sun" was later covered in 2005, by Rosie Thomas on her If Songs Could Be Held album, and later as a duet between Don Henley and Stevie Nicks on the Target edition of Henley's 2015 album Cass County. The track "Right Now" samples the chorus of The Youngbloods' 1969 hit "Get Together", while the track "Maybe" was previously recorded by Alison Krauss on her 1999 album Forget About It.

On November 13, 1999, Brooks hosted Saturday Night Live as himself but performed the musical number ("Way of the Girl") as Chris Gaines without acknowledging to the audience that they were the same person. The album had disappointing sales compared to Brooks' previous albums, with some citing Brooks' image change of wig and make up, and the album's rock-star concept for this fact.{{cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Garth_Flop/33437/p1/|title=Garth Flop: Poor sales for 'The Life Of Chris Gaines' by Garth Brooks|website=www.crossrhythms.co.uk}}