Human Clay

Human Clay is the only Creed album to not have a title track. The album had four music videos created for it: "Higher" and "What If" in 1999, "With Arms Wide Open" in 2000, and “Are You Ready?” in 2024.

The title of the album comes from a lyric in "Say I" ("The dust has finally settled on the field of human clay"), a song which carries the same message. The cover artwork was designed by Mark Tremonti's brother Daniel, who had previously done the artwork and photography for Creed's debut album, My Own Prison (1997). According to Mark Tremonti, the album cover represents a crossroad which every man finds himself at in his life and the man of clay represented "our actions, that what we are is up to us, that we lead our own path and make our own destiny."{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The album was the band's first to hit number one in the US, where it debuted with first week sales of 315,000, and stayed on top for two weeks.{{cite web|last=Mancini |first=Robert |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1427609/19991013/creed_3_.jhtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630061410/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1427609/19991013/creed_3_.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |title=News - Articles - 1427609 |publisher=Mtv.com |date=October 13, 1999 |access-date=February 22, 2012}} Human Clay was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on July 16, 2001, for selling 10,000,000 copies, was later certified 11× platinum on January 29, 2004, and is the 54th best-selling album of all time in the United States (as of February 2007).{{cite web|url= https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Human+Clay#search_section|title=Recording Industry Association of America |publisher=RIAA |access-date=July 1, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=tblTop100 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924154231/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=tblTop100 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |title=RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America |publisher=Riaa.com |access-date=August 7, 2012 }} It ranks as the tenth best selling album in the U.S. since the advent of Nielsen SoundScan in 1991, and the ninth best-selling album in the U.S. in the 2000s.{{cite web|url=https://965bobfm.com/galleries/metallica-the-9-other-best-selling-albums-during-the-soundscan-era/|title='Metallica' & The 9 Other Best-Selling Albums During the SoundScan Era|last=Banas|first=Erica|date=August 1, 2021|access-date=March 9, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20335406,00.html |title=Top Ten |work=People |date=December 28, 2009 |access-date=January 16, 2012}} It has also been certified 6 times platinum in Canada, 5 times in Australia, 7 times in New Zealand, and 4 times in Switzerland among others, selling an estimated 20 million copies worldwide.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-mark-tremonti-on-creeds-2012-full-albums-tour-538101 |title=Interview: Mark Tremonti on Creed's 2012 full albums tour |publisher=MusicRadar.com |date=April 4, 2012 |access-date=September 3, 2012}} The album has spent a record 104 weeks on the Billboard chart survey.{{cite magazine|url ={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=creed|chart=all}}|title = Human Clay - Creed|magazine= Billboard.com |date=October 16, 1999|access-date=February 22, 2012}} As of October 2014, it has sold 11,690,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The album received mixed to positive reviews from critics. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album 4 stars out of 5, concluding that "it may not be the kind of thing that knocks out critics or grunge purists, but it does deliver for anyone looking for direct, grunge-flavored hard rock."{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/human-clay-mw0000245596|title=Human Clay|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|work=AllMusic}}

The album's third single, "With Arms Wide Open", won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2001.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0xVfwQQoE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/8S0xVfwQQoE |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Creed's Scott Stapp on his 2001 Grammy win|date=January 19, 2014|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} At the 28th Annual American Music Awards, Human Clay won the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalhit.com/ama/28.shtml|title=28th Annual American Music Awards|date=January 8, 2001|website=DigitalHit.com|access-date=November 2, 2021}} At the 2002 Billboard Music Awards, the album won the award for Catalog Album of the Year.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2002/12/10/ashanti-nelly-clean-billboard-music-awards/|title=Ashanti, Nelly clean up at Billboard Music Awards|last=Susman|first=Gary|date=December 10, 2002|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=November 2, 2021}} Human Clay was ranked number 422 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time in 2005.{{cite book|title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten|year=2005|publisher=Rock Hard|language=de|isbn=3-89880-517-4|page=41}} Human Clay was ranked number 5 on Billboard's 200 Albums of the Decade in 2009.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/billboard-200-albums?year=2009#/charts-decade-end/billboard-200-albums?year=2009 |title=Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts |magazine=Billboard.com |date=December 31, 2009 |access-date=February 22, 2012}} VH1 listed "Higher" as one of the greatest hard rock songs of all time in 2009. The music video for "With Arms Wide Open" was voted the 92nd best music video of all time by VH1, who also ranked it number 4 on its "25 Greatest Power Ballads" list.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRR8AmPfbB0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110202443/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRR8AmPfbB0 |archive-date=January 10, 2016 |url-status=dead|title=Creed: "With Arms Wide Open" (25 Greatest Power Ballads) |publisher=YouTube |access-date=February 22, 2012}}

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Scott Stapp

| all_music = Mark Tremonti

| total_length = 56:28

| title1 = Are You Ready?

| length1 = 4:45

| title2 = What If

| length2 = 5:18

| title3 = Beautiful

| length3 = 4:20

| title4 = Say I

| length4 = 5:15

| title5 = Wrong Way

| length5 = 4:19

| title6 = Faceless Man

| length6 = 5:59

| title7 = Never Die

| length7 = 4:51

| title8 = With Arms Wide Open

| length8 = 4:38

| title9 = Higher

| length9 = 5:16

| title10 = Wash Away Those Years

| length10 = 6:04

| title11 = Inside Us All

| length11 = 5:39

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = US edition{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Human-Clay-Creed/dp/B00KX07W6M/ref=tmm_msc_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=|title=Amazon.com: Human Clay: Creed: MP3 Downloads|website=Amazon}}

| title12 = With Arms Wide Open

| note12 = strings version; hidden track

| length12 = 3:55

| total_length = 60:23

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = European edition{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Human-Clay-Creed/dp/B00003IQQA|title=Creed - Human Clay - Amazon.com Music|website=Amazon}}

| title12 = Young Grow Old

| length12 = 4:43

| total_length = 61:11

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition (disc one){{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Creed/Human+Clay+(Bonus+Disc)|title=Human Clay (Bonus Disc)}}

| title12 = Young Grow Old

| length12 = 4:47

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition (disc two)

| title1 = To Whom It May Concern

| length1 = 5:11

| title2 = Roadhouse Blues

| note2 = featuring Robbie Krieger; live at Woodstock '99

| writer2 = Jim Morrison

| length2 = 5:51

| title3 = What's This Life For

| note3 = acoustic

| length3 = 4:23

| title4 = With Arms Wide Open

| note4 = acoustic

| length4 = 3:56

| title5 = Is This the End?

| length5 = 6:15

| total_length = 86:48

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 25th anniversary deluxe edition (disc one)

| total_length =

| title12 = With Arms Wide Open

| note12 = strings version

| length12 = 3:56

| title13 = Young Grow Old

| length13 = 4:47

| title14 = To Whom It May Concern

| length14 = 5:12

| title15 = Is This the End?

| note15 = Scream edit

| length15 = 6:18

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 25th anniversary deluxe edition (disc two) – Live at Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, 1999

| total_length = 73:54

| title1 = Are You Ready?

| length1 = 4:30

| title2 = Ode

| length2 = 5:10

| title3 = Torn

| length3 = 6:26

| title4 = Beautiful

| length4 = 4:34

| title5 = Illusion

| length5 = 5:53

| title6 = Say I

| length6 = 6:02

| title7 = My Own Prison

| length7 = 5:36

| title8 = What If

| length8 = 5:08

| title9 = With Arms Wide Open

| length9 = 5:23

| title10 = Faceless Man

| length10 = 6:41

| title11 = What's This Life For

| length11 = 6:53

| title12 = One

| length12 = 5:27

| title13 = Higher

| length13 = 6:04

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 25th anniversary deluxe digital bonus tracks

| title12 = With Arms Wide Open

| note12 = strings version

| length12 = 3:56

| title13 = Young Grow Old

| length13 = 4:47

| title14 = To Whom It May Concern

| length14 = 5:12

| title15 = Is This the End?

| note15 = Scream edit

| length15 = 6:18

| title16 = Roadhouse Blues

| note16 = featuring Robbie Krieger; live at Woodstock '99

| writer16 = Morrison

| length16 = 5:51

| title17 = I'm Eighteen

| writer17 = Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith

| length17 = 3:12

| title18 = Higher

| note18 = radio edit

| length18 = 4:44

| title19 = With Arms Wide Open

| note19 = single version

| length19 = 3:42

| title20 = What If

| note20 = radio edit

| length20 = 4:52

| title21 = With Arms Wide Open

| note21 = acoustic

| length21 = 3:56

| title22 = Are You Ready?

| note22 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length22 = 4:30

| title23 = Ode

| note23 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length23 = 5:10

| title24 = Torn

| note24 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length24 = 6:26

| title25 = Beautiful

| note25 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length25 = 4:34

| title26 = Illusion

| note26 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length26 = 5:53

| title27 = Say I

| note27 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length27 = 6:02

| title28 = My Own Prison

| note28 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length28 = 5:36

| title29 = What If

| note29 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length29 = 5:08

| title30 = With Arms Wide Open

| note30 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length30 = 5:23

| title31 = Faceless Man

| note31 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length31 = 6:41

| title32 = What's This Life For

| note32 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length32 = 6:53

| title33 = One

| note33 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length33 = 5:27

| title34 = Higher

| note34 = live at Freemen Coliseum 1999

| length34 = 6:04

}}

Credits adapted from album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title= Human Clay |year= 1999 |type= booklet |publisher= Wind-up}}{{cite AV media notes|title= Human Clay (Deluxe Edition) |year= 2024 |type= booklet |publisher= Craft Recordings}}

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Creed

• Scott Stapp – lead vocals
• Mark Tremonti – guitar, backing vocals
• Brian Marshall – bass
• Scott Phillips – drums

Additional musicians

• John Kurzweg – B-3 organ on "Wrong Way"
• Kirk Kelsey – Mandolin on "Wrong Way"

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Technical personnel

• Jeff Hanson – executive producer, management at Jeff Hanson Management & Promotions
• John Kurzweg – production, engineering, mixing
• Kirk Kelsey – mixing assistant, mixing on "Wrong Way"
• Barrett Miller, Mark Kiczula, Steve Bearsley – assistant mix engineering
• Dana Cornock – digital editing
• Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City
• Joel Mark – A&R
• Daniel Tremonti (Three Mountain Design) – art direction, design, cover, additional photography
• Sacha Waldman – cover photography, additional photography
• J. Seward Johnson Jr. – "Crack the Whip" artwork

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2024 Deluxe Edition remaster

• Chris Clough – audio supervision
• Ryan Jebavy – editorial
• Sage LaMonica – design
• Kay Anderson, Sig Sigworth, Josiah Toews, Scott Webber – project assistance
• Ted Jensen – remastering

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Sales certifications for Human Clay}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2001|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Austria|award=Gold|certyear=2001|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Canada|award=Platinum|number=6|certyear=2001|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Denmark|award=Gold|certyear=2001|source=chart|id=34|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|relday=28|region=Germany|award=Gold|certyear=2001|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|number=5|certyear=2001|artist=Creed|id=2001-04-20|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|title=Human Clay}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Norway|award=Platinum|certyear=2001|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=South Africa|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2002|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=Sweden|award=Gold|certyear=2001|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certyear=2013|id=11732-856-2|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1999|relmonth=09|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=11|certyear=2004|artist=Creed|title=Human Clay|access-date=March 28, 2021|salesamount=11,690,000|salesref={{cite web|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6281504/adele-21-surpasses-11-million-sales|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012012201/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6281504/adele-21-surpasses-11-million-sales|archive-date=October 12, 2014|url-status=dead|title=Adele's '21' Surpasses 11 Million In U.S. Sales|publisher=Billboard|date=October 10, 2014|access-date=March 28, 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

• Creed's cover of "I'm Eighteen" was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Faculty in 1998.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-faculty-mw0000601852 |title=The Faculty [Music from the Dimension Motion Picture] |last=Gallucci |first=Michael |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• "Wrong Way" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie End of Days in 1999.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/end-of-days-mw0000261253 |title=End of Days [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• The song "What If" was featured in both the movie and on the soundtrack for Scream 3 in 2000, while the song "Is This the End?" was only included on the album.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/scream-3-original-soundtrack-mw0000262426 |title=Scream 3 (Original Soundtrack) - Original Soundtrack: Songs, Reviews, Credits |last=Huey |first=Steve |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• "Higher" was featured in the films The Skulls in 2000, 22 Jump Street in 2014 and The Beach Bum in 2019, in trailers for the movie Titan A.E. in 2000, and as downloadable content for the video games Rocksmith 2014 in 2014 and Rock Band 4 in 2018.
• "Are You Ready?" was featured on the albums NASCAR: Full Throttle in 2001 and Harley-Davidson: Ride in 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/nascar-full-throttle-mw0000015087 |title=NASCAR: Full Throttle |last=Loftus |first=Johnny |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/harley-davidson-ride-mw0000207112 |title=Harley-Davidson: Ride |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• "To Whom It May Concern" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie The Scorpion King in 2002.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-scorpion-king-soundtrack-mw0000658346 |title=The Scorpion King (Soundtrack) - Original Soundtrack: Songs, Reviews, Credits |last=Torreano |first=Bradley |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• "Young Grow Old" was featured on the album WWF Forceable Entry in 2002.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/wwf-forceable-entry-mw0000658926 |title=WWF Forceable Entry |last=Loftus |first=Johnny |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=October 13, 2024}}
• "With Arms Wide Open" was featured in the movie Dark Waters in 2019; it was also included as downloadable content for the video games Rocksmith 2014 in 2014 and Rock Band 4 in 2020.

• List of best-selling albums in the United States

{{Reflist}}

{{Creed}}

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Category:Creed (band) albums

Category:1999 albums

Category:Wind-up Records albums