Promotion, Release, and Reception
Released during the summer of 1999, Enema of the State peaked at number nine on the U.S. Billboard 200. The major-label debut sold strongly and nearly four times as fast as Dude Ranch, going gold within a month and achieving platinum certifications in August 1999. The album was eventually certified over five times platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, and combined sales from international markets estimate the album sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
To promote Enema of the State, MCA Records released three singles in support: "What's My Age Again?", "All the Small Things," and "Adam's Song." The singles were bigger than anyone in the band expected, crossing over into Top 40 radio format and experiencing major commercial success. "All the Small Things" became a number-one hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, but also became a crossover hit and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The music videos for each also dominated MTV's Total Request Live. The music video for "What's My Age Again?" infamously depicted the band running naked through the streets of Los Angeles. "All the Small Things" parodied boy bands and pop music videos and won a Moon Man for Best Group Video at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. MTV's constant rotation of the videos helped cement the band's image as video stars, although boy bands and teen pop were dominant in popular music at that time.
The band was engulfed in controversy when Greg Barnes, a survivor of the Columbine High School massacre, set "Adam's Song" on repeat on his stereo and committed suicide in May 2000. Hoppus was very upset when he got the call from band manager Rick DeVoe explaining what happened, as he intended the track as an anti-suicide song. Rolling Stone later compared the controversy to that of Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution".
The band had a cameo appearance in the teen comedy American Pie, also released during the summer of 1999. DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker appear in a scene in which they are interrupted rehearsing to see a webcast on a computer. Music from Enema of the State was also used in the film and on its' soundtrack. The cameo appearance was well-received, with New York commending the common sensibility and humor between the two.
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Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)